# Set vs. Piece Build



## JRobida999 (Mar 22, 2011)

Hi,
I'm new to this world but I find it all very fascinating. I have always wanted to try model railroading and recently found out a friend has been into it for awhile and I decided I would look at the options.

I am a college student and live in a small apartment so I want to go with N-Scale. I haven't decided on a layout size yet. 

I initially thought it would be a good starting point to buy a set to play with and get my feet wet, however, they seem like they can be fairly expensive. Since I am a broke-college-kid I was wondering if it would be more beneficial to piece together a set. 

1. If I buy a set:
-is there a good inexpensive set to start with?
-what should I look out for?
2. If I piece together a set:
-what all will I need to buy?
3. Is there a recommended place/website for me to shop at where I will get good pricing and decent quality?

Please forgive my noob-ness. I know very little about this and any/all input is welcome and appreciated!! 

Thanks!

Jake


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Craigslist is your friend (although you might already know this - is this you???)

http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/tag/2234945296.html


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## JRobida999 (Mar 22, 2011)

No this is not me, but I hadn't thought about looking on Craigslist. As with any used product, though, are there warnings I should heed if I go with used? Also, if I buy used stuff I would still need to know what to get. 

Thanks,
Jake


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

You need track, an engine (powered) some cars and a powerpack. That's enough to get you started. Look for local train shows as well.

Make sure you run the trains if you buy used to make sure they run smooth.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

I always make the selling party run the engine while I'm looking at it, listen for any odd noises, it should be smooth and not jump.
A good place to look would be a hobby shop that does consignments. I've gotten some great deals over the years from them.
I would start with diesel engines and leave the steam loco's for a little later till you get a good feel for it, they are more expensive and a lot more moving parts to foul up. Get track with the road bed already attached it's quicker to setup and change.


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

I personally think N Scale is more expensive to start out in then Ho. I spent around 150 to start out but it could have been done cheaper. 
For a power pack look for a used one on Ebay or a local Hobby Shop. On Ebay look under the HO section, they are the same for both scales. Since HO has a bigger selection it will be cheaper.
Track The Kato Uni-Track is the best "IMHO" for track with road bed attached. It is the cheapest to get a few sections of flex track like Peco or Atlas and create your own. 
Engines the two big names are Atlas and Kato. Kato are way better in running quality but Atlas has better detail "IMHO" Bachmann Spectum series is the next. I personally have not tried other brands yet. Stay away from Bachmann regular line if you can. You'll have a lot of headaches if you get one cheap. 
Cars/rolling stock just get a new one every time you get an extra 15 bucks. Your collection will slowly grow that way.
If you give a rough price and what size layout you are thinking of, we might be able to help find something.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Then there's the control method question: conventional DC vs. DCC (digital). I'm not an N guy, but I'd suspect that the majority of N stuff these days is DCC?

Jake, to put that into layman's terms ...

Traditional DC sends varying voltage to the track. More voltage (power), and the loco goes faster. Simple. If you want to run multiple trains, you need to wire your track layout into "block" sectoins, each with their own power feeds.

Modern DCC sends coded power to the track. Each loco has an electronic "decoder" that interprets the signals, and decides if any commands are meant specifically for that loco. Think of the electronic power pulses like a bar code at a grocery store, with each loco having an onboard scanner. The advantage here, of course, is that multiple trains can run on the same layout, with each controlled uniquely and independently. No complex track wiring required. The down side: added cost. But for long term functionality and expandability, many think that it's the only way to go.

Enjoy!

TJ


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## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

Jake, Normally, it's cheaper to buy by the set. The advantage to buying it this way is that you get get everything you'll need to get started. This is especially good if you're not quite sure about what you need, as this takes the guess work out of it all. 

The best brand of engines and rolling stock sold together in an N scale set is Kato. By the piece, the brands of engines that run the best in N scale are Kato, Atlas, and Athearn, hands down. Bachmann also sells some very good engines as well. But at the same time, they also sell some junk, too. The best running rolling stock are made by Kato and Micro trains. 

As far as what size layout you'll be wanting to model, start by knowing that a layout 2ft x 4ft in N scale is about like a 4ft x 8ft in HO scale. Go from there.

Routerman


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