# Im Returning the expensive hobby known as Model Railroading,



## Travisfromne (Feb 24, 2012)

Hello All, 

I am returning to the Model Railroding Life. 

I have not done so since 2001. As I was cleaning out an old storage room i had back when i live at home. I came across a old train set of mine i had. its an HO Scale. I live in an Apartment with my girlfriend. I dont have space for a 4x8 platform, but i was lookin at doing something long and skinny as possible. I love the HO World, but i might haft to shrink down to the N Scale world. I was hoping if i could do like a 10x3 in like 3-4 different section, if possible, If you guys can help me out making this possible that would be awesome and much apperciated. 

Thanks,


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

make it where you can move it to the next apt/home. mine has been in 4 houses.

And welcome back to the worlds greatest hobby.


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## Travisfromne (Feb 24, 2012)

yea, thats why i was going to make it in like 3-4 peices, but thing is everytime i am done working i would need to tear it down everytime, and store it in a closet.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Hey Travis, 

When I read the title of your thread, I thought you were "returning the expensive hobby" for a refund. :laugh:

There are people all over the world who are space challenged and yet still experience *all* the joys of model railroading.

Take a look at:

http://carendt.us/scrapbook/linkindex/index.html 

Small Layout Scrapbook has hundreds of wonderful small layouts which can be enjoyed in any apartment and can very easily move right along with you. Later on, the small layout can become a module for a larger layout should you have more space later on.

Greg


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

choo choo said:


> ...you were "returning the expensive hobby" for a refund. :laugh:


Can we do that?!? Really?!!? Where? Like at the Customer Service desk at Walmart or something?

Oh boy oh boy oh boy!!!



Trav -- a modular setup (per your thinking) could work well. That way, you can take the sections with you if you move at some point, and expand on to them.

You might want to delve into a track layout software package ... www.anyrail.com or www.scarm.info are good options.

Also, the NMRA has a great database on dimensional clearances and Standards ... 

http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/consist.html

and a nice beginner's section ...

http://www.nmra.org/beginner/

and a section on modular standards ...

http://www.nmra.org/standards/modules/ms_intro.html

Regards,

TJ


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## Nevada wheel (Feb 18, 2012)

I am returning too--it is expensive--but not as expensive as coins--that can get nuts


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

We have 100 feet of track in a 900 sq. ft. apartment...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq4eVjNsZfM&feature=related

It was her idea. I simply ran with the ball.


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Here's long and thin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZR6SJuFiMU&feature=related


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Welcome to the forum...:thumbsup:

My apartment layout...










...works well enough that, now I'm in a house, I haven't changed a thing.


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

This is beautiful, Bob. I'm not a cabinet maker. I can turn screws and paint, that's about it.

...and, I owe you a story. That avatar (for those who do not know) is Sir Laurence Olivier in the film MARATHON MAN. We watched that movie while submerged at launch depth. We spent the rest of the patrol saying, "Is it safe?"


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## Nevada wheel (Feb 18, 2012)

Shay that is awesome


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## Travisfromne (Feb 24, 2012)

Shay is your box thing, is that HO or N scaled?


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks James...

The layout in the box is N scale, the one on top is HO. The N is a folded dog bone with 8 turnouts...a passing siding, 2 spurs and a 3 track yard, small but enough for some nice ops. The HO is 4 independent loops of track, 3 DC, 1 Marklin 3 rain AC, basically a test bed for tinkering that turns into a Christmas layout every year...










...it keeps me busy without draining the wallet. With a friend in Nepal running an orphanage and a few other charitable demands, I simply cannot in good conscience spend the kind of coin the hobby asks. The cabinet was built with that in mind, forcing me to keep it simple yet enjoyable. 

The HO was built with scrap everything, including track. It's powered by 3 MRC Golden Throttlepacks circa 1975, and an American market Marklin pack. 

The N scale layout was offered to me free for the taking (trains and all) in an email from someone who only heard of me thru a chance conversation at an open house.

The case I did put out a bit...about $300 in wood and hardware. It serves as both library and layout with storage and access through the back. When against the wall I simply turn the front shelves to the inside so that they can be used for storage.


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## Travisfromne (Feb 24, 2012)

nice, Showed the girlfriend that, she said it was to big haha, but living in an apartment should I just go with N scale instead of HO? this is hard going from doing this in High School in my moms basement to an Apartment with the Girlfriend. I did HO back then, i enjoy HO its like the perfect size to me, not to big nor to small, but now it might be to big haha. 


just a note for my name, i can spell FROM, i just fat fingered it and didnt catch it till i tried logging back into the site haha.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Would you like me to see if I can change your login name? I think I have the Mod power to do that, but I've never actually tried it.

(I'd only give it a go if I know you're logged out and if I have an email to correspond with you in case there's some hiccup along the way.)

TJ


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## Travisfromne (Feb 24, 2012)

ok ill log out, give it a shot please


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