Welcome new nScale.net Members

[posahtovai]

My name is Wayne Howard and I'm in central Texas where it's summer for 9 months out of the year. It's been years since I pulled up the track on my first railroad. Got divorced, got remarried, she located a place upstairs for my new layout. I got the benchwork done then covid and a car wreck where I broke my leg so climbing stairs was out for a while. But now, I'm building out and laying track. I was already using N scale due to space limitations but now I am building a switching empire with through running availability. When I stopped using the original layout, DCC was not an option and all the couplers were Rapido. So, yeah, I have questions and it appears this is the place to find answers.

[#1 Big Boy]

Hello Fellow N-Scalers my name is Allan and I am a new railfan. If there is a downside for me it is the problem I'm having in trying to design a layout. I'm not able to draw because I have tremors in both hands. I don't own a computer and I don't think that I can use my cell phone to design a layout. Even if I get past the hurtle of the designing phase I still have to find a company to build my layout completely.
I'm sorry for telling you my problems, in fact I never had a train set when I was a little kid because my parents couldn't afford one. I guess the reason I'm interested in N-Scale is because I think it would be the least expensive of all the different scale sizes, but at the same time I just don't want a small circle of track going around and around and AROUND. For me personally I would be BORED IMMEDIATELY. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do?
Thank you for your time
Sincerely
Allan

[bigfoot21075]

Hi Allan!

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You found the right place for N Scale. THAT said, not sure price is a reason to get into N Scale, the price between N and other scales is not that much. If you want N because of the size and the amount you can fit in a small area, that is another story. You could get a N scale starter set like something from Kato and EASILY add a few turnouts to it to begin with. They would give you industry to service and pull off track right off the bat. No diagram required! Bench work? Not needed, you could just get a 4'x8' folding table to get started. That would be VERY economical.

A simple oval does not need to stay a simple oval. You can even add a small yard for switching. Using something like Kato Unitrack makes assembling and customizing a new layout a SNAP!! This does not have to be some complex monster right from the get go.

They also have modules you can buy to build a layout on, but they do not come cheap.

Where are you located? There may be a club in the area that would LOVE to help someone else get hooked on the world's GREATEST hobby!

[GGNInNScale]

Just found this site by accident today. I am retired, but have been in HO, SuperO, HO again, HO again, and again then G Scale outdoors, now N scale (moved to new houses...). I have always liked the Granite Gorge and Northern layout, John Armstrong's concept in the Atlas "6 HO layouts You Can Build". The best page was the guy saying "Oh, Nubbins"... In late 2021 I started up with N scale version of the GGN, with extra perimeter loops, additional yards and DCC with Arduino microcomputers (8 so far), sensors from John Parsons at Azatrax (great guy to work with). I am space limited as there are no basements in Arizona... I built up a lot of control electronics to run crossbucks, street lighting, yard lighting, traffic lights (synchronized, of course). I have been adding a lot of figures and vehicles, and making other stuff with my new Anycubic resin printer (a story unto itself), but it now works- making containers, and speaker cases and stuff for the layout. Just saw in MRR a portapotty on speeder trailer- got to make one!!!
Need to figure out how to add pictures to this site now...

[OTFan]

Welcome GGNInNScale. Sounds like a great project. As for the pictures, as soon as you have a few posts and aren't moderated the same way you'll be able to post pictures. It helps keep spam out.

[Stu]

the problem I'm having in trying to design a layout.

Sorry to hear about your issue. Have you considered building a pre-designed track plan? I did, the Monopoly & Octopus from the Atlas Nine book, with additions I made (discussed in my signature's thread).

That book has nine very well designed layouts with lots of ideas. You don't always have to start from scratch. I've read so many threads here about people "designing" their layouts. They all make the same mistakes.

You might want to read this thread and get the books before you go any further, good luck:

https://www.nscale.net/forums/showth...obby-newcomers

[BigLocosForMe]

So an introduction is in order, apparently. I've been here before, but for some reason my previous login no longer works and I can't reset the password, so I made a new account.

I've been poking around in N Scale for a long time (like, far enough back Model Railroader was publishing articles on making your own add-in cards for Apple IIe PCs to control trains and such)

More recently, I've FINALLY got a halfway decent switching layout put together on an Ikea tabletop with DCC, so I can finally run some trains.

[bigfoot21075]

Pictures ARE allowed.

[Mopac Fanatic]

I just discovered this forum recently. My name is Ricky and I'm a long time N scale modeller and operator, since 1971 to be exact. I started with both a Atlas and a Arnold Rapido starter set. I've been building layouts and collecting locomotives and rolling stock since then. Presently, I am enlarging my present 6' x 16' layout into a a 8 ft x 24 ft L-shaped layout. This is my 10th or 11th layout and represents the railroads in the Omaha,NE area in the 1960's to present. The railroads represented are the Missouri Pacific, Rock Island, Burlington, Chicago Northwestern, Wabash, Chicago Great Western,Union Pacific and Milwaukee road as well as their successors Norfolk and Western,Norfolk Southern, Soo Line, BNSF, CN and CP.

[smurky]

Thanks for letting me join. I live in WI and have decided to change from my long stored DC HO scale layout to N scale. I’m retired and now have the time to spend building a layout. I have acquired some locos and rolling stock and I'm in the process of planning the build. I appreciate the opportunity to access the knowledge base on this forum and maybe will be able to at times supplement that knowledge.

[#1 Big Boy]

Hi Bigfoot I live in St.Louis and I don't recall hearing about any N-Scale Clubs in the area. I do remember years ago there use to be at least 5 train shop. As for any N-Scale Clubs I haven't seen any yet. Also I don't get around as much as I used to. I'm now bound to a wheelchair.

[ChicagoNW]

Allan,
You are among friends.
There are work arounds for all those things you think are problematic.

We have quite a few people who love to design layouts. Just figure out what and when you want to model and how much space and money. Just post a request. Most of us would do it for the love of design. While I’m currently without a computer myself, check out some ideas here…
https://www.nscale.net/forums/album.php?albumid=345
The plans are as small as the top of a filing cabinet or inside a Webber Kettle to room fillers. Many are designed on doors, the N scale answer to a sheet of plywood.

Don’t discount the simple circle of track. Model railroading is not just running trains. Most of the fun is creating your own miniaturized world. Building structures, adding vehicles and people, creating landscapes and telling visual stories and jokes. Believe it or not, you can spend years detailing a small loop of track…
https://www.nscale.net/forums/album.php?albumid=239
A lot of the layout is prebuilt. Just enhanced to make it them my own. I added details over five years. The layout is only 1x2 feet!

It may sound weird, but your trembling hands can be an asset. No, really, they become useful while doing landscaping. The random motion adds a natural look while adding flocking(grasses, shrubs, treetops). Because there are many prebuilt structures and scenery items, you need not worry about detail painting.

Track building can be as simple as snapping pieces together. Same with simple wiring. Kato and Tomix/Tomytec make track systems that are simple and ultra durable. You can have trains running in minutes. The electrical connections are polarized keeping you from mistakes in wiring.

Hello Fellow N-Scalers my name is Allan and I am a new railfan. If there is a downside for me it is the problem I'm having in trying to design a layout. I'm not able to draw because I have tremors in both hands. I don't own a computer and I don't think that I can use my cell phone to design a layout. Even if I get past the hurtle of the designing phase I still have to find a company to build my layout completely.
I'm sorry for telling you my problems, in fact I never had a train set when I was a little kid because my parents couldn't afford one. I guess the reason I'm interested in N-Scale is because I think it would be the least expensive of all the different scale sizes, but at the same time I just don't want a small circle of track going around and around and AROUND. For me personally I would be BORED IMMEDIATELY. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do?
Thank you for your time
Sincerely
Allan

[el Gato Gordo]

WOW! I've been away from the Forum for most of the summer and autumn, and meanwhile we have accumulated a lot of new members! WELCOME ALL!

After the requisite number of posts we will be anxious to see photos of your layout progress, trains, and structures under construction. Actually, anything train related that you would like to share.

[Trainman19]

Been ages since I last made a post in this forum. Pretty sure many of those I used to regularly talk to might have forgotten about me.

So here's an update on all that is Trainman19:

Many may remember my model railroad was planned to be called the Wabash Valley Railroad. Well, I have since renamed that at least twice and finally settled on calling it Crossroads Rail (still N scale, don't worry) to honor the former status of my hometown as a major hub and Crossroads of rail traffic (and standard trade, before railroads). 6 lines for the Pennsylvania RR and one for the Wabash (sadly, most of that is gone, now). I'm looking at (potentially) going modular with my setup, to make taking my trains to run at a (twice annual) model train show in the neighboring county much easier. I'm also just going to run whatever I feel like running, because that's more fun, for me. If I want to run my N&W 611 on a roadrailer train, I will. If I wanna run my modern diesels with steam era freght cars, so be it. I've also picked up a Japanese commuter train set and and going to expand the Japanese influence (Thank you KATO) and search for more British and German models to add to my collection, which currently resides in two big plastic tubs and a couple of small cardboard boxes, after moving to a new home in March (Still same city).

Hope all has been well with everyone!

[ChicagoNW]

Welcome Back!!!!!

As you know post some new pictures.