# Newbie looking for layout advice.



## Shadow001 (Dec 15, 2016)

I have been wanting to start for years. This year I asked my wife to buy me a starter kit for Christmas. I still have no idea where I want to take it. I am cleaning out my garage (single car) and I have as much room in there as I can clean up. I have built a couple card stock buildings, and am waiting for track I ordered to show up. I will be ordering enough track soon, I hope, to build this layout. I am using Kato unitrack. My thoughts are this will have some place to do some switching, maybe build a train yard in area where all the pull outs are. Then I will have lots of room for scenery, maybe build small town.... Like I said, I have no idea, that is why I am looking for some advice. Does this look like a good starting point? The size is 11.5' x 8'. most of it is 20" except where the track turns around which is 35".


----------



## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

I'm not seeing any attachment here....???

It might be that you can't do attachments until you have accumulated a small number of posts. Try commenting on some other posts, then try again.


----------



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

That's a nice large area to build a N layout. If you're using Unitrack I hope you have you've got deep pockets if you're going to cover it with track you might be looking at $1000. Just letting you know what you might be in for.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

You do have the space for an expansive
N scale layout in that garage.

If you haven't yet created a track plan be sure
to check out the many shown in the various
threads of our
Layout Design Forum. You may not want to
duplicate any one of them but you can get ideas
that you can incorporate in your own design.

One thing to consider, a garage unless you keep the
big door always closed, can expose your tracks and
electric gear to the great outside and all that comes
with it. You might want to plan on some thing to
cover your layout when not in use.

Even better if you can 'seal' the 'room' and make
it comfortable the year round.

Don


----------



## Shadow001 (Dec 15, 2016)

Thanks for the information, guess I will have to try putting my 2 cents in, in a few more posts. at this point, with what I don't know, I'm not sure it will even be worth 2 cents.


----------



## Shadow001 (Dec 15, 2016)

Cycleops said:


> That's a nice large area to build a N layout. If you're using Unitrack I hope you have you've got deep pockets if you're going to cover it with track you might be looking at $1000. Just letting you know what you might be in for.


To buy the rest of what I want for the layout I have planed,to this point, it is going to cost me about another $400 (for the track). I figure this is big enough that I should not get to bored with, and I figure I can start watching for garage sale items this summer. If I can get some other track inexpensive, I will add it in later. But I want to get something together, without having too many problems.


----------



## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Shadow001 said:


> Thanks for the information, guess I will have to try putting my 2 cents in, in a few more posts. at this point, with what I don't know, I'm not sure it will even be worth 2 cents.


You don't have to come up with pearls of wisdom to accumulate posts. For example, you can look through the My Layout section. You can comment on what you like, or ask questions of the owner.


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Welcome "Newbie"*



Shadow001 said:


> To buy the rest of what I want for the layout I have planed,to this point, it is going to cost me about another $400 (for the track). I figure this is big enough that I should not get to bored with, and I figure I can start watching for garage sale items this summer. If I can get some other track inexpensive, I will add it in later. But I want to get something together, without having too many problems.


Shadow001;

First of all, welcome. We like getting, and helping, new members.
If you have not already done so, I suggest you read through the "Beginner's Q&A" section of this forum. There is a lot of good info there, especially in the first few "sticky" (permanent) posts. These are titled in dark, bold type.
Another great source of info for a beginner, is the book, "Introduction to Model Railroading" by Jeff Wilson. It's available at https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/products/books This one book covers a wide variety of model railroad subjects, in easy-to-understand text and many color photos. 
I understand your desire for simple plug-together track like Kato unitrack. However, as Cycleops pointed out, it's a lot more expensive than flex track, or even sectional track without the roadbed. Most modelers prefer flex track, as it can be used in any configuration. Roadbed, and sectional, track severely limit your options for track geometry. This is not obvious to a new modeler, but many have started with roadbed track, later switched to flex track, and then had to take pennies on the dollar trying to sell off the roadbed track. Roadbed track is handy for a temporary set up, such as around the Christmas tree; but for the permanent model railroad you seem to be planning, I'd definitely go with flex track.
If you look at www.walthers.com you will find there are several brands, and different "codes" of track available. One of the most critical parts of any railroad's track is the turnouts (also called switches.) In the model railroad community there is a clear favorite brand of turnouts. That brand is Peco. Their turnouts are preferred for their reliability and ruggedness. The same firm also makes excellent flex track. The most common brand of track is Atlas. They are less expensive than Peco, and Micro Engineering brands, but not as high quality. Still , Atlas does offer a wide choice of sectional track and two codes of both flex and sectional track. In N-scale, these are code 80, and code 55. The code number simply describes the height of the rail, in thousandths of an inch. So code 80 is 80/1000" high, and code 55 is 55/1000" high. Why would anyone care? Mostly for the appearance. Code 80 track has rail that would be much taller (about two feet!) than any track on a real railroad. The smaller code 55 looks more realistic, not only because of the lower rail height, but also because the ties are better spaced and of the right length. It just looks more like the real thing. Both codes will work fine, the difference is just visual. Similar code choices are available from Peco too.
Atlas turnouts, in my personal opinion are not very well made. others like them, but I would recommend going with Peco right from the start. Model railroading looses a lot of its fun when the trains don't stay on the track. This happens a lot more often on Atlas turnouts (particularly the code 80 type) than it does on Peco.
The $400.00 you have to spend will buy a lot more flex track than roadbed track. Or the same amount of track, with money left over for a locomotive or something else.

good luck;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## Shadow001 (Dec 15, 2016)

Thanks for the advice. I decided to try flex track, code 55 I guess. Now I just have to try and find a good place that will ship to Canada. So many choices, code 55 or 80, road bed or no road bed. If I use road bed, what kind to use. These questions are kind of rhetorical, I know the information is already in the forum. But advise is always good.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

On whether to use roadbed...the railroads do,
but mainly on the main lines. These will have
an orderly well ballasted usually weed free roadbed, elevated
slightly for drainage from adjacent land.

The yards and
the industrial spurs, however, are often little more than
weed infested rails, tie tops even with
surrounding ashes and the like. Check your
local railroads, their yards and spurs.

Our guys are all over the place on suggestions of
which type of road bed to use. It's a personal
choice, not really any rights and wrongs.

I chose the w/s foam roadbed. I found it easy to
use, especially after the slice it, forming the curves.

Don


----------



## Shadow001 (Dec 15, 2016)

DonR said:


> Check your
> local railroads, their yards and spurs.
> 
> Don


I don't have a local railroad where I live, am going from childhood memories. 
There is a very small line around 60 miles away, and a bunch of abandoned line fairly close.


----------



## nicksim86 (Dec 14, 2015)

dont let these guys discourage you from using unitrack, especially if you already have some from a starter set. it's really great stuff and they have tons of accessories and track for n-scale. it's also easily adaptable to flex track or other specialty track from other manufacturers if you need them to make something work in your space.


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Track choices*



nicksim86 said:


> dont let these guys discourage you from using unitrack, especially if you already have some from a starter set. it's really great stuff and they have tons of accessories and track for n-scale. it's also easily adaptable to flex track or other specialty track from other manufacturers if you need them to make something work in your space.


Shadow001;

Although I prefer, and recommend, flex track; in fairness I have to agree with most of nicksim86's post above. Kato unitrack is the best quality roadbed track. Yes they do offer more variety of curves and other track shapes than the other brands of roadbed track. They don't however have the same freedom of track geometry as flextrack; no roadbed track does. Kato is also the most expensive roadbed track. That stands to reason as the best quality anything usually costs more. Any roadbed track is more expensive than flex track however.
What kind of track you use is, and should be, your own choice. You can build a nice layout with roadbed track, and if that's what you prefer, go for it. You can build more different track shapes, and for less money by using flex track. Either choice is good, as long as you have the info to make your own educated choice.
To answer your question about what kind of roadbed to use(should you chose flex track) there are two basic types, cork, and foam. Both work fine. The foam type is easier to form curves with, but the cork is not what I'd call "difficult" when doing the same curve forming.
As for a supplier who ships to Canada, Walthers, www.walthers.com ships all over the world. I would think they would ship to Canada. There are also several online suppliers, Tony's train works is one referred to in the forum. Again, I don't think shipping to Canada would be a problem for them. Check around the forum posts for peoples favorite online suppliers. Then you can phone, or E-mail a few and ask about shipping.

regards,

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## nicksim86 (Dec 14, 2015)

Kato "flex track"


----------



## nicksim86 (Dec 14, 2015)

unitrack conversion track adapter. just shim up the flex or other specialty track with cork


----------

