# New to the Hobby



## sebastian haff (May 17, 2015)

Hi all

Just wanted to drop in and say hello. 

I've been an avid plastic modeler for over 20 years, but was looking for something that I could do with my four year old. 

Whenever we go to HobbyTown he is always drawn to the trains. At the front entrance there they have a spectacular HO layout which took over three years to complete. However, it was always the tiny layout tucked far away in the back corner that we were both more drawn to. 

Of course I learned that this was 'N' scale. To me it just looks more realistic than the larger scales. I decided to go with that and bought a Bachman Super Chief box set. Since then I've bought more track, two more engines and quite a few rolling stock. 

I hope I don't irritate you guys with my many questions to come. I have a lot to learn. 

Cheers!


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Welcome to the forum :smilie_daumenpos:

You will certainly not irritate anyone here with questions. 
The only dumb question is the one you DON"T ask so ask away.
There are many helpful model railroaders here that will give good advice on all aspects of the hobby. 

Magic


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

Did your Hobby Town have any Kato in stock? For "train sets", they are a better way to go (IMO),maybe a little higher in price. Hard to beat their UniTrack. Some Hobby Town locations are more into trains than others. Best of luck! And you don't really need to use your kid as an excuse to play with trains, not around here!


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Starting out*

Sebastian:
Welcome! We would be glad to answer any train questions. For now, I'd recommend starting with the train set you already have. The suggestion about buying Kato brand next time, is a good one. They are a top quality brand and I have never gotten a bad product from them. Their after sale service is excellent also. 

When, or if, you get to the point of being bored watching trains run around in circles, I'd recommend a great how to book, to help you go further. It's called "Beginner's Guide To N Scale Model Railroading". It's available at kalmbach.com. This book covers everything you need to start building a model railroad. It's broken down into easy, illustrated chapters on a variety of model railroad subjects. I highly recommend it.

Traction Fan


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## sebastian haff (May 17, 2015)

Thanks everyone. As far as Kato vs Bachman I didn't do nearly enough research befor I bought the set. I got the set at Hobby Lobby, and I had the 40% off coupon, so I got the whole thing for about $60. I didn't think that was bad. The problem was that the included track was a circle so it was tough to get all the cars on the track. Two prices of straight track made all the difference. I am going look into the UniTrack as it has to be more versatile than the Bachman EZ track. Is it similar to Flex Track? I was looking at that last time we were at Hobby Town. 

Traction-Thanks for the recommendation of the book. I'm definitely going to get a copy. 

What are you guys thoughts on magnetic couplers? Seems like it would be a much easier than way the knuckle couplers. 

Thanks


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## jargonlet (Dec 21, 2011)

Unitrack is better track. I don't use it accept for as a test track but everyone always says that it is the best of the built in roadbed. I have used both the Bachmann and Unitrack and the Kato track is a lot better. Flex track is a whole different beast. It's called flex because it is flexible. It's only used on layouts and not for on table or floor running. Flex track has to be cut to size and then fastened down or else it moves around too much to be usable. 

As for the couplers, all rapido style are compatable with each other and all knuckle style are compatable with each other but you can't mix the two. Micro trains couplers have become the standard and they are the magnetic type. All of my stuff has magnematic couplers of varying brands accept for my passenger equipment. If you don't plan on doing any switching then you don't have to have magnematic but you may want to go that route from the beginning so you don't have to change later on.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*track types*

Sebastian;

Before you buy Unitrack, or any other track with a plastic roadbed attached; think about what you ultimately want to do with the track. I'm assuming you don't have an unlimited hobby budget, and I don't want you to spend money on something you may outgrow and end up not using. 
If you are setting up on the floor, or a "temporarily yours", (kitchen) table; then some form of "SECTIONAL" track is the way to go. I emphasize sectional, not necessarily roadbed-attached, track like Bachman EZ track, or Kato Unitrack. Yes you can buy sectional track without roadbed. Atlas is a large manufacturer of such track, and they offer a wide assortment of types.
This does not mean that either roadbed track is poorly made. The problem you may encounter later is that it is quite limited in the selection of shapes. It is also more expensive. You mentioned a problem already encountered with Bachman's lack of variety. Roadbed track is designed to mate only with itself. The manufacturer has a vested, financial, interest in you continuing to buy only his track. Unitrack does not mate with Bachman and vise versa. It is possible to mate different manufacturer's roadbed track but it takes some work to modify both pieces. 
Non-roadbed sectional track though, is generally compatible among different manufactures products.*
It is also compatible with flex track. Flex track,as the previous responder said is flexible, can be bent to a wide variety of shapes, and is the most popular among modelers building more permanent layouts, where the track is fastened down.
So, I suggest you give some thought to what you want to do not only now, but in the future. Then you can pick the type of track that best fits your needs.
Good Luck;
Traction Fan

* If and when you start looking at sectional track; you'll find it available in more than one "code" ie. "code 55" and "code 80". The numbers are simply the height of the rail in 1000'ths of an inch. If you buy Atlas sectional track I recommend using code 55 as there are more sizes(radi) of curves available. I don't suggest using any radius under 12" if you can help it. 
Basically, the bigger the better, depending on your available space. Your present, and future trains will operate more reliably and look more realistic, on the bigger curves. My layout's minimum radius is 16".


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Couplers*

Sebastian;

If you plan to make this a long term hobby, then I recommend going to Microtrains couplers now. You'll probably end up converting anyway, and it will never be cheaper than now when you have few cars to convert. Microtrains couplers are the hobby standard because they look like the real thing, and especially because they can be uncoupled anywhere. Rapidos are only able to uncouple at one spot. Directly over an uncoupling ramp and nowhere else!
The only advantage of Rapido couplers is that they are somewhat more rugged(you mentioned a young son). However, either kind can be broken without much trouble! You can use a conversion car, with a rapido at one end and a Microtrains at the other. Microtrains couplers will work with most other "knuckle" type couplers. Rapidos only mate with themselves.

Traction Fan


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Hello Sebastian and welcome. I agree with most of the foregoing comments about track. Kate is great but it's very expensive and to an extent you are limited to shapes. In fact you can make a little more flexible by cutting slots accross the base. Peco is about the best regarding flexibility and realism. You need to choose between code55 and code100. The former gives a finer scale appearance. You need to fix it permanently. I'm guessing that at some time you'll probably want a permanent home for your layout and you can get quite an interesting layout from a 6 x 4 shape, that is if you have the room. Any other questions just ask away.


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## jargonlet (Dec 21, 2011)

Another thought about code 55 track: If you choose Atlas Code 55, the wheels on your locos and rolling stock have to be low profile. Everything being made today is low profile and will run on code 55. Most older rolling stock will not. This isn't too big of an issue as you change the wheels or the trucks altogether. If you're going to use Micro Trains trucks then a simple swap will work. However this is not the case on older engines. Some of them will work but many won't. All of the other types of track will work with whatever you put on there. The old style wheels often get called pizza cutters.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Old "pizza Cutter" wheels*

Jargonet is correct in his post that some older (very much older) N scale equipment came with monstrously deep flanges. The equipment would need to be something like thirty years old though. Since you're starting out with a recently purchased train set, I suspect your wheels will work on code 55 track. However it certainly can't hurt to check. If you are lucky enough to have a well equipped train store nearby, take your loco and a car with you and try it out.
If the wheel tread rests on the top of the rail; and the flange doesn't touch the ties,
your O.K.
If, like many others, you don't have such a store within reach, then you will likely have to order online. I would order only a small amount of track from an online vendor who has a return privilege.
The huge flanges on early N scale were designed to keep trains on equally over sized rail.
Eventually pressure from N scale modelers, and perhaps a belated realization that basic physics works in any scale, produced more realistic looking wheels and track.

Traction Fan


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## Viperjim1 (Mar 19, 2015)

Welcome fellow n scaler and if you are looking for some Kato track I have some on feebay under soapday user name or pm me and I'll let you know what I have and a price. And again welcome, you will get a lot of useful information from this site!


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## Undermidnight (Jul 23, 2015)

Someone is giving me some N Scale rolling stock and engines from about 30 years ago so I plan to swap out trucks on the rolling stock. Thanks for the information.

Jason


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Undermidnight said:


> Someone is giving me some N Scale rolling stock and engines from about 30 years ago so I plan to swap out trucks on the rolling stock. Thanks for the information.
> 
> Jason


If you want to be pedantic you need to check out the date of the car get the correct trucks for it.


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## Undermidnight (Jul 23, 2015)

Cycleops said:


> If you want to be pedantic you need to check out the date of the car get the correct trucks for it.


Prototype date? 

When I was doing this before, one of the things I enjoyed was converting out rolling stock and engines to MicroTrain couplers and trucks.

Of course, what I may get are a bunch of buildings which will be nice too 

Jason


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