# newbie here so be patient please



## allenjay (Dec 22, 2015)

25 or so yrs ago i ATTEMPTED and layout. Jumped in hard with both feet, thought i knew what i was doing. boy was I wrong. long story short i got to the wiring portion and threw in the towel.
Now I am contemplating an n gauge layout but at a much more casual pace.I could use some info on books, dvd's and other resources that would help me plan and get things started in the correct way this time.
thanks in advance


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## mikek (Dec 29, 2013)

Check your local hobby shop, mine has lots of good train magazines.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Try youtube. There are hundreds of how-to videos posted there, some of them quite good.

Kalmbach Publishing puts out a Wiring for DCC booklet I think. Won't be more than a few dollars, and worth the investment.


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## allenjay (Dec 22, 2015)

*thanks*



mikek said:


> Check your local hobby shop, mine has lots of good train magazines.


i have checked with caboose hobbies here in town. they have some books but I guess what i am asking for are individuals thoughts on the " best publication" to get me going.
I don't think magazines will help much until after i get setup.
thanks tho


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## allenjay (Dec 22, 2015)

*you tube*



mesenteria said:


> Try youtube. There are hundreds of how-to videos posted there, some of them quite good.
> 
> Kalmbach Publishing puts out a Wiring for DCC booklet I think. Won't be more than a few dollars, and worth the investment.


 i have spent countless hours on you tube and seen everything from soup to nuts.
"n" gauge stuff is as prevalent as "HO" so a bit harder to find unless I'm not looking in the right places. will check out the kalmbach book on wiring. But for now I want to get started with stuff on plans and benchwork.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

allenjay said:


> 25 or so yrs ago i ATTEMPTED and layout. Jumped in hard with both feet, thought i knew what i was doing. boy was I wrong. long story short i got to the wiring portion and threw in the towel.


If wiring was your downfall, you should give serious consideration using DCC control instead of the traditional DC control. Wiring is much simpler with DCC.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

I would also recommend going DCC not only for the simplified wiring but the added features you get. Also try not to be too ambitious with your plan, another reason why many give up, just try something simple initially, it can always be added to. Good luck.


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

One thing I have learned from my several rebuilds is this: Step 1 is to get a basic mainline running that I can run an engine on. From that add sections, no more than can be finished in a short period to keep it operational. This has done two things for me. 1. I can relax and see that yes something is working and prove there is progress, 2. If the added section causes a failure I have something to compare to. I work better when I can see some functioning progress rather than just idle track.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Allenjay

N Scale trains have come a long way since I had a 4 X 8 
layout back in the 60s. 

If your space available is limited than N Scale may be
desirable. But also consider the small size of N scale gear.
You're going to have to maintain it and repair it. Are
you comfortable with working on those small parts?

I will, also, echo the suggestion that you start out with
DCC. You do away with all those isolated blocks, switches
and complex wiring to
try and run two trains. With DCC you run 2 wires to
the track from the controller and you can run two or
more trains at the same time. You can have two trains
on the same track going in opposite directions. And...
the lights don't dim when you slow or go out when you stop.
If you can use a TV remote you can operate a DCC layout,
it's that simple.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

mesenteria said:


> Try youtube. There are hundreds of how-to videos posted there, some of them quite good.
> 
> Kalmbach Publishing puts out a Wiring for DCC booklet I think. Won't be more than a few dollars, and worth the investment.


Be careful with YouTube. There are also a lot of idiots there who haven't the faintest idea what they're doing.

I'll second the recommendation for Kalmbach publishing. They publish a whole series of how-to books, all of which are quite good. When I got back in to the hobby in 2002, they had an Introduction to Model Railroading book that covered everything except DCC (which was then in it's infancy). I think it's out of print, but you might be able to find a copy. Also, Kalmbach publishes Model Railroader magazine, which is very good source of information, especially for beginners.

Finally, there is a free digital-only magazine called Model Railroad Hobbyist (www.model-railroad-hobbyist.com). The topics in this publication are a little more advanced, but I find it loaded with good information. All back issues to 1Q09 (it's now published monthly) are available for download.


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

DCC - I have not touch that material yet. From what I had read so far, it is actually very simple wiring. No series of switches, miles of wiring, isolating batch of sections, bottles of headache pills. Sound good? On plus side, can have sound effects.

DC - It is very true that it is easy to get lost with all of the wiring but once one understand how they are hooked up, it is fairly easy to do. 

In end, it is just a matter of preference, like myself gone for DC than DCC.

YouTube - I can't say anything about the people who made the videos. Lot of times, I hate it when they just blah blah and not much of action/demo. Total waste of time, watch their videos. They are better off with YouSpeaker, eh? Maybe, it is just me...:dunno:

If you need help on wiring, we are here to help! Just chime and people will say something. I did that several times and got help.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

CTValleyRR said:


> Be careful with YouTube. There are also a lot of idiots there who haven't the faintest idea what they're doing.


Exactly! There are plenty of instant experts, but there's also a lot of useful stuff. The problem is sorting the wheat from the chaff. You're really better off going with information and advise from a trusted source like Kalmbach as CTVRR says.


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## allenjay (Dec 22, 2015)

*newbie*

Thanks everyone. These forums are fantastic. I also belong to a woodworkers forum and have learned a lot.
Will take it all in and digest it the best i can.
Now another question. Given what has been said let me ask this.
Good source for layout plans??
How does one go about deciding on this? I know most of it will be predicated on space availability.
I do have a dedicated space i want to use app. 10' x 14'
Looking forward to more input form you experts.
thanks again


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

1st question that must be asked: What do you want to *DO* with your railroad? Do you want to just run long strings of passenger cars round and round, do you want lots of switching to be done, do you want mountains and logging activities, do you want it flat or do you want to run trains on more than one level?
Not trying to overwhelm you, but deciding what you want to accomplish is the first step to a track plan.


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

10' x 14' - that is nice size of the room. For starters, I would recommend set up a table and lay some tracks and see what you want to see and grow from there. 

You can google for the model railroad layouts/images and see what inspires you.


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## allenjay (Dec 22, 2015)

*what to do*

good points flyboy. I don't want boring but don't want rocket science either am thinking . would like it to be somewhat interactive. switch yard. run two or three trains at once, mntns,. Just don't want à boring oval with nothing to do as an operator


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Allenjay

If you have a 10 X 14 space to build your layout I would definitely
go with HO.

You might want to consider a single track mainline that bascially
follows the space limits with 3 or 5 passing sidings. That way you
can get the full effectiveness of DCC...you can have one train going
clockwise, the other counter clockwise, a fete that can't be done
with DC. And it takes no complex wiring to do it. You would
of course, add yard and spur tracks for your industries.

Another possible layout to consider; A U shaped layout with A continuous dog bone 
track...perhaps a town on each end. You would also want yards and industrial
spurs.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

As flyboy2610 implied, the best source of track plans is your own brain. Only you know what will really make you happy on your layout. When I got back into the hobby 15 years ago, I experimented with a couple of canned track plans because I thought the looked cool, but it turned out they were all short of operating potential and got boring fast. Look at some people's plans and use them for inspiration.

Don't be afraid to try something for a while and redesign and start over if it doesn't suit.


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## allenjay (Dec 22, 2015)

*beginner*

fantastic info and thought provoking replies.
Leads me to another question, CAD PROGRAMS FOR PLANS. IS THERE SUCH A THING TO ASSIST ON DOING A LaYOUT??
I have a basic thought in my head about how want to arrange my room but after that the waters begin to muddy. Am guessing lots of paper on the floor to emulate my benchwork??


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Most of the layout programs allow you to draw your benchwork as well as lay the track.


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## allenjay (Dec 22, 2015)

*layout programs*

gunner would you pass them on???


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, there is SCARM that's talked about regularly in the forum.

I personally use AnyRail that's also been discussed.

There are lots of others, those are just two I've actually tinkered with.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Any CAD program worth its salt will allow you to add objects to your design which are not part of your layout (track plan). You can add benchwork, walls, windows and doors, furniture, and so on if you so choose.

My preferred program is also Anyrail. It is not free, but it is constantly being upgraded, and there is downloadable user created content. It lacks the 3D rendering features of some programs, but it has a correspondingly shallow learning curve.


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