# Another, Newbie



## RonnieC (Jul 8, 2020)

Recently retired and wanting to get into N scale. I've read and watched so many articles and videos I'm beginning to blubber to myself. Could use some awesome advice. The plan is to use 3-4x4 modules on half inch plywood. Don't want to buy a set but start out piece meal. Really need advice on track,turnouts and locomotives. I believe I'm going to stay with 1960"s theme in Texas. More industrial than passenger. Thanks so much for any help.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Don't let it overwhelm you. There is a lot of information to take in about any scale model railroading. It's not exclusive to any one scale.

Small bites.

Traction Fan has a slew of .pdf's for you to read. He'll be along shortly to post them for you.


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

OK, advice on track,turnouts and locomotives. 
Kato.
You don't NEED to know anything else.

Note: I did NOT say there is nothing else to know, just that you can get along fine without knowing...


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

Pretty soon you'l be asking for advice on DCC.
I got no one-word answer there... 

But, Welcome to the Forum, Ronnie!! I guess you're in TX?
It's a big place! Which part??


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

RonnieC said:


> Recently retired and wanting to get into N scale. I've read and watched so many articles and videos I'm beginning to blubber to myself. Could use some awesome advice. The plan is to use 3-4x4 modules on half inch plywood. Don't want to buy a set but start out piece meal. Really need advice on track,turnouts and locomotives. I believe I'm going to stay with 1960"s theme in Texas. More industrial than passenger. Thanks so much for any help.


RonnieC;

Welcome to the forum! I've been retired six years, and an N-scaler for forty years. The one thing that struck me in your post was 4' x 4' "modules" (technically sections, but I get your meaning) That would work OK, if you have access all the way around your layout. A 4' x 4' section won't be as hard to move as a 4' x 8' layout but it's still a bit bulky.
If you don't have easy access on all sides, then I strongly recommend going to something like 2' x 4' sections. Four feet is a near impossible reach across a table. Track back there will need cleaning and maintenance just as often as track in the front. Per Murphy's law, trains will derail back there, and you will not have any fun at all trying to get them back on the track! 😕

My own railroad is made of sections 4' long, 16" deep ad 16" high. The height dimension comes in because the sections each have a shelf on top, and because it's a two-level railroad. I do have deeper sections at each end, ( 3' x 3') to hold the loops needed for continuous running, my major station, and other large features. The files attached below should answer many of your questions. If you have others, feel free to ask them here.

Again Welcome;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## biglionelguy (Nov 11, 2015)

I’d buy a couple of nice Kato starter sets, set em up on the kitchen or dining room table and play with the. Kato unitrack is some of the best track if not the best track on the market. Once you get going then you can start planning your layout. Go with Kato, you will be happy you did


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## LJClark (Jun 26, 2017)

biglionelguy said:


> I’d buy a couple of nice Kato starter sets, set em up on the kitchen or dining room table and play with the. Kato unitrack is some of the best track if not the best track on the market. Once you get going then you can start planning your layout. Go with Kato, you will be happy you did


I agree. I am very pleased with the number of things I can do with Unitrack. I went ahead and got a 2' x 4' folding table (from Staples), and laid down eight 1/2 inch thick self adhesive cork squares (Amazon). In my case I used AnyRail software with the Kato track objects, and ordered the turnouts and pieces of track I needed for my initial concept. With the cork and some small wire nails, I've been able to refine my ideas, especially since I started working with some footprints from building kits. *This photo* is of the second perimeter track I tried -- which I'm still using. But I have made several changes with the tracks inside as I worked to fit the two kits I purchased. In the picture you can see two plans; one as-built in the photo, and one that shows the 2' x 4' integrated into a 3' x 6' layout (both of which, by the way, have changed -- based on experience).

And here is what the small plan and layout look like today...







And how they might fit into the larger layout...


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

Instead of train set plastic track I would go with Peco track and switches, cork for roadbed. In 30 years I haven't had a single problem with Peco. Atlas makes the most locos that would be used in the 1960s, they run great and have very good slow speed running. I would also go with DCC, I use and really like Digitrax, there dual hand held throttle is the best IMO..


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

Have not heard any more from RonnieC... BUT, I should interject, I think that no one here would really consider the Unitrack, 
supplied with the Kato sets, to be "train set plastic track" from a quality standpoint. IMO


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

I have been in N-scale for almost 50 years and plastic road bed track no matter the quality has always been consider train set track.


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

I posted my opinion, you posted yours.


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## biglionelguy (Nov 11, 2015)

I would never recommend a new person just getting into the hobby to use Peco track and cork roadbed. The goal is to capture their imagination and get them interested in trains and the hobby. Peco track is advanced model railroad track not beginner or entry level stuff. You set them up to fail by recommending such complicated things right out of the gate. Kato unitrack is extremely high quality, very affordable, inifintly versatile and the best product for beginners to develope their skills and find a love for the hobby.


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

You got to be kidding, laying cork and flex track is fairly easy. You end up with a much better layout with flex track, less joints = fewer problems. He's not doing a train set, he stated 3-4x4 modules. Lots of information out there on how to do it. If you can't lay cork and flex track you might as well find a easier hobby. Starting out with sectional train set track is IMO a waste of money. Do it right the first time!


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## biglionelguy (Nov 11, 2015)

You’re entitled to your opinion and we are entitled to ours. Kato unitrack is some if the best track on the market. He’s gonna want to run trains and watch his ideas evolve and change as he learns the hobby. Kato unitrack is fat and away the best way to go for a new person starting out. I’ve also seen some incredible layouts built with unitrack so your statement that is train set track is false.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

The important thing here is to get a new member up and running and being successful in the hobby, so that he will continue to enjoy it for years to come. It's fine to recommend alternatives, but once you start belittling choices and options as somehow not worthy of the hobby, then you're not being helpful. We all have to obey the laws of physics, but "right way to do it" stops there. Just because you wouldn't do it a certain way doesn't make it wrong. It sounds like the OP has already gotten some bad advice in this respect, because his initial plans for a layout sound very ambitious, probably too much so.

So let's consider something here. Why does plastic roadbed track continue to exist? Because it is intuitive -- people instinctively understand how it goes together. And because the roadbed hooks together as well as the track, it helps to eliminate alignment issues that are often the bane of early attempts at building a layout, and finally, through ease of setup and elimination of variables (what roadbed to use, how to fasten down, etc) it makes taking that first step much less daunting to a beginner. For someone who, by his own admission, is already overwhelmed, simplicity may in fact be exactly what the doctor ordered.

For the OP, should he return: the best advice you've gotten was from MichaelE in the very first response. It sounds like you're trying to learn everything there is to know about the hobby before doing anything, and that's a recipe for failure. Eat the elephant in small bites. Figure out track. Then move on to locomotives. Digest each part and make some decisions before you move on. You will make some decisions, especially early on, that will turn out to have been bad ones later, and that's fine. No one, and I mean no one, in this hobby gets everything right the first time. So don't worry about it. Get your feet wet and build from there.


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## biglionelguy (Nov 11, 2015)

Well put CTValley


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## RonnieC (Jul 8, 2020)

Thanks everyone, great info. I've decided going with unitrack and cork is best for me. I have a cheesy cheap loco in order to check track. My plan hopefully is to develop track plan and look at room available for the dioramas I want to make. Very slow process and trying not to get ahead of myself,lol. Again many thanks for responses.


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## RonnieC (Jul 8, 2020)

There is a hobby store in Houston that the fella's there have been extremely helpful. There is a huge n-scale setup in back of store that has answered alot of my questions just by looking at it. Only think bad is having to drive into Houston and I'd rather paint a house than drive there!!!


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

RonnieC said:


> Thanks everyone, great info. I've decided going with unitrack and cork is best for me. I have a cheesy cheap loco in order to check track. My plan hopefully is to develop track plan and look at room available for the dioramas I want to make. Very slow process and trying not to get ahead of myself,lol. Again many thanks for responses.


RonnieC;

You're welcome to the advice, that's what we're here for.
If by cork you mean covering your table with large cork squares, like LJClark showed in his photo, that would work fine.
However if you mean cork roadbed, unitrack has its own plastic roadbed attached, so it wouldn't need cork roadbed. The Unitrack roadbed is also hollow underneath so cork roadbed might be "swallowed up" in the open cavity at the bottom of the unitrack. Perhaps you're going to use the cork roadbed for sound deadening. That might work, if the cork roadbed was wider than the bottom of the unitrack, or you mean covering the whole table with cork.
In any case, it's your railroad, so you decide.

Good Luck & Have Fun;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## RonnieC (Jul 8, 2020)

Soooo I guess I'm on my way. Have 4 modules built,2 ft wide by 4 ft long. (Wife only knows about 2 of em) . I'm going with kato 80 flex track. My question is whats a fast drying glue. Putting a hobo in open boxcar door and fella on back of caboose and mighty tight place to hold them while glue dries. Again many thanks


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Possibly the fastest drying is Super Glue. I used the generic
cheap gel version from Harbor Freight...to attach the figures
you mention, just a tiny dab will usually do the job. I also used
it to assemble buildings and other scenic parts.

For gluing track, ballast and the like, good ole Elmer's white
glue is a good answer. But again, the caution, like the hair goo slogan,
'a little dab'll do ya'. 

Don


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

RonnieC said:


> Soooo I guess I'm on my way. Have 4 modules built,2 ft wide by 4 ft long. (Wife only knows about 2 of em) . I'm going with kato 80 flex track. My question is whats a fast drying glue. Putting a hobo in open boxcar door and fella on back of caboose and mighty tight place to hold them while glue dries. Again many thanks


RonnieC;

Super glue (also called CA, & ACC) dries in less than a minute. I suggest using that. If you want even faster, nearly instantaneous, bonding, you can use an accelerator with the super glue. Be careful with that stuff. The one thing that super glues bond faster and more permanently than anything else is human skin. Use tweezers or needle-nosed pliers to hold the hobo and conductor. You don't want to become too attached to your work! 😄
I didn't know that Kato made flex track. I thought they only made their "Unitrack" with the rigid plastic roadbed attached.
Two feet by four feet is a good size for modules/sections of a sectional railroad. I use that size too. 

Good Luck & Have Fun!

Traction Fan 🙂


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Personally, I'd say CA is overkill for that purpose. Look for something called Aleene's Tacky Glue. It's white glue with much less water innit, so it grabs instantly; no need to hold it while glue dries. You can also use old-fashioned rubber cement if you think you might want to move the figures at some point. Dab a dot on, let it dry for about 15 seconds, then insert figure.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I have seen a post in the Anyrail forum which suggests that Atlas Code 80 Flextrack is rebranded to Kato for sale in Japan (only), but that's the only reference to it I can find.


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## RonnieC (Jul 8, 2020)

Hopefully I can find receipt, good chance I screwed up saying kato. Happened before lol


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

RonnieC said:


> Hopefully I can find receipt, good chance I screwed up saying kato. Happened before lol


RonnieC;

You're not alone. There's plenty of that going around! My wife keeps a "dumb husband list" of my screw ups! 😄 

Traction Fan 🙂


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

RonnieC said:


> Hopefully I can find receipt, good chance I screwed up saying kato. Happened before lol


Look at the underside of the track and see if there are any markings.


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## RonnieC (Jul 8, 2020)

Yes sir it's Kato flex. I've also found out after making some scratch buildings, that super glue and acrylic paint don't like each other but Elmers glue does lots better on finish.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Interesting. We're talking about track pieces that actually bend into the desired configuration, right? I still don't see any references to it in either their on-line catalog or their track piece listing. Where did you get it, and what confirmation did you find that it's Kato?

And as far as acrylic paint and CA adhesives, you didn't try to apply glue on a painted surface, did you? That usually doesn't work well.


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

Yes Kato made flex track, watch the video and he shows the bottom of the track. Looks very similar to old Atlas flex track. 




__





kato flex track - Bing video







www.bing.com


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Well, yes, if you read my post #24 above, you would see that it looks like old Atlas because it probably is. Which is why I asked where he got it and how he knew it was Kato.


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

Well the video shows everyone what the track looks like and it's not just a guess like your post #24.


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Members, in the future I will be contributing way way less my own personal advice since member '*traction fan*' nearly always enters his entire preset downloadable 'how tos' of every aspect of the hobby in near every thread where an OP asks for help..
I mean why bother laboriously typing letter by letter my own non-preset method, only to get outmoded by TF's instantly posted treasure trove ?
This reads like snotty or flaming. But it's not. I just mean, why bother at all when it's all, all of it, right there, or soon will be.
Luckily TF has invented a way to save himself and the rest of us from having to do the hard work of typing up our own personal advice, in turn freeing us up for more simple banter and chit chat. How cool is that !? M


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

See ya.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

telltale said:


> Members, in the future I will be contributing way way less my own personal advice since member '*traction fan*' nearly always enters his entire preset downloadable 'how tos' of every aspect of the hobby in near every thread where an OP asks for help..
> I mean why bother laboriously typing letter by letter my own non-preset method, only to get outmoded by TF's instantly posted treasure trove ?
> This reads like snotty or flaming. But it's not. I just mean, why bother at all when it's all, all of it, right there, or soon will be.
> Luckily TF has invented a way to save himself and the rest of us from having to do the hard work of typing up our own personal advice, in turn freeing us up for more simple banter and chit chat. How cool is that !? M


telltale;

You have discovered the exact reason I wrote all those files. I didn't want to retype everything by hand, for each newbie who asked, basically the same questions as others had.

I know I send the same files a lot, but I do refrain from sending them in cases where it likely they won't apply. (I also try, sometimes unsuccessfully, due to age & memory issues, not to send them twice to the same person.) 
For instance, if a newbie starts off by asking about Lionel, two things immediately kick in. 1) The files don't really deal with Lionel type layouts. 2) There are a lot of people on our O-scale forum who know infinitely more than I ever will about all things Lionel. No files sent to this guy, instead a recommendation to ask over on the O-scale forum. (Where he's likely to get an intelligent answer. 😄) 

I also don't send them to experienced modelers since the files are intended, and written, expressly for inexperienced modelers.
One exception to this policy would be if the person says he had a 4 x 8 full of tyco 30+ years ago, and now wants to build something better. In effect he's sort of a "newbie", with some Tyco in his distant past. (and don't we all have that?😄)

However telltale, you have experiences that I don't, and opinions may vary, so keep on contributing where ever you feel like doing so. We value your input. Didn't you say you have a lot of experience with Atlas Custom Line turnouts? I have none, since I'm an N-scaler, and Atlas doesn't make their Custom Line turnouts in N-scale. We have a new member, vette-kid, who could use some real experience-based advice about his Atlas Custom Line turnouts.Can you look up his thread, and help him out?

Thanks;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Just to put things where they belong: I have as much experience with Atlas switches as anyone... The things I report about them are more along the line of how to make code 83 CustomlLines look better; which is simply to rub away the black coating on their frog and to paint the 4 insulators surrounding the frog with chrome enamel paint....
The tiny ring protruding from the bottom of their frog is for a screw to hold the neutral wire if you are going to add a powered ground throw of some sort...That's it !!
I recently was shown that it's not code 100 rail that was out of scale in HO like I used to claim. It is, instead, only the fault of the awful black, out of scale, too large, too closely spaced ties and their spike heads under it..I have always know their frogs are all plastic which is a big potential stall-out area for those who employ these switches (and crossings) at least until we go all-battery motor power in the future....
Anyway, you, of course, are free to do as you wish...For me and possibly many others your preordained how-to files pretty much knocks the wind out of my sails for much more contributing my own future how-tos..I mean it's surely a drag after laboring with my own ideas (just as I did above) to later on seeing or being in fear of eventually seeing your 'professionally-designed school' pop up in the thread, you having entered it/them with the click of one button.
But if it's fine with the Admin., then I've nothing more add......
All the best, 😷 M


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## retirementhobby (Jul 18, 2020)

traction fan said:


> RonnieC;
> 
> Welcome to the forum! I've been retired six years, and an N-scaler for forty years. The one thing that struck me in your post was 4' x 4' "modules" (technically sections, but I get your meaning) That would work OK, if you have access all the way around your layout. A 4' x 4' section won't be as hard to move as a 4' x 8' layout but it's still a bit bulky.
> If you don't have easy access on all sides, then I strongly recommend going to something like 2' x 4' sections. Four feet is a near impossible reach across a table. Track back there will need cleaning and maintenance just as often as track in the front. Per Murphy's law, trains will derail back there, and you will not have any fun at all trying to get them back on the track! 😕
> ...


I've downloaded them all, will print eventually. thanks so much for them, they'll really help another totally new person.


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

In the words of Atlas:

"As a Customline®Mark IV turnout, each can be set up as a remote or manual switch depending on which switch machine is added 
by the modeler. Each turnout will have die-cast points and an isolated, die-cast frog with a power contact to optionally energize the frog 
and prevent loss of power when a locomotive is passing through. "

The purpose of the terminal for powering the frog is made fairly clear...


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

retirementhobby said:


> I've downloaded them all, will print eventually. thanks so much for them, they'll really help another totally new person.


retirementhobby;

You are quite welcome! I wrote the files specifically to help "totally new people" like you.
If you want more files, yes, there are actually more  You can find them in the "Beginner's Q&A" section of the forum. They are inside the "sticky" post (dark print) called "Help a new modeler to get started."

Traction Fan


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## dd1228 (Jan 26, 2015)

Believe it or not I use Elmers school glue sticks to glue my people to the layout, boxcar, and caboose. It's instant and not permanent, meaning you can just pick up and move your people around whenever!


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## RonnieC (Jul 8, 2020)

dd1228 said:


> Believe it or not I use Elmers school glue sticks to glue my people to the layout, boxcar, and caboose. It's instant and not permanent, meaning you can just pick up and move your people around whenever!


Yes sir I've been using Elmers on lots of the scratch buildings and scratch bridges I've built and works great o the figures also. Thanks for the reply


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

dd1228 said:


> Believe it or not I use Elmers school glue sticks to glue my people to the layout, boxcar, and caboose. It's instant and not permanent, meaning you can just pick up and move your people around whenever!


I use rubber cement for the same reason. The residue is easier to remove from the layout (it just peels off).


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