# New to trains....selected N scale!



## SantaFe (Dec 31, 2012)

Hello everyone!! When I was a kid growing up, I had some HO layouts, nothing fancy, but I enjoyed them. When I moved out of the parents house, they got torn down and forgot about. This past weekend, I attended the "Great Train Expo" in Kansas City, MO and the interest was suddenly renewed!!

My Grandpa worked for Santa Fe back in the day, so I knew I wanted to get some sort of Santa-Fe engine. I don't have a place to add some track yet, so I just purchased the engines. I purchase a KATO EMD F7A, otherwise known as the "Super Chief".....

After I left the convention, I called my grandpa and said "What can you tell me about the super chief train?" and his words were....

*"Not much, other than I worked on it all the time!"*

Upon hearing that, I was enamored with my purchase knowing that my grandpa worked on this engine. So I am simply here to introduce myself, and say that I look forward to getting re-started in this hobby!

Here are some pictures of my engines!



















Also, does anyone know a place online where you can get some ideas for some N scale layouts?!


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## matt785115 (Feb 13, 2012)

Welcome! that is awesome that you have a sentimental value to you new hobby, when I started my layout I watched a lot of youtube video's, looked at pictures on this site(not just the "N" guys either/every scale) and looked at my town that I live in, for ideas. Does your grandfather have any old pics? that might help too. 
oh and Welcome To Your New Addiction!!!


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## freeskier (Dec 11, 2012)

Welcome to the forum, and welcome to N scale!
You'll have a lot of fun with model trains, looks like you have some good engines too.
Here's a few sites you should look at, they helped me out when I was starting my layouts.
http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/ this is probably my favorite, lots of great plans and great tips for building layouts.

http://www.thortrains.net/index.htm I've seen this one around the forum a few times, it's kind of a love or hate site. Tons of plans but some think they're unrealistic.

http://www.carendt.com/ if you're in to tiny layouts you'll like this site, if not there's still good tips and scenery ideas.

I wish you the best in your n scale adventure!:thumbsup:


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Another N Scaler !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Welcome


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

What did your grandfather do for the ATSF? See if he still has some RR stuff he can pass along. To me, it's very important to get that stuff. Try to model the exact train he worked on. That would be a neat thing for him to see.

As you see in my sig, I have family history on the PRR. I have my great grandfather's hat and conductor hat badge. No uniform though. I also have his official retirement letter and certificate. I also have an official PRR photo of him and the passenger train crew (he was a conductor) standing next to PRR K4s #5356 taken on it last run just before the locomotive was scrapped.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

SantaFe said:


> My Grandpa worked for Santa Fe back in the day, so I knew I wanted to get some sort of Santa-Fe engine. I don't have a place to add some track yet, so I just purchased the engines. I purchase a KATO EMD F7A, otherwise known as the "Super Chief".....



Welcome to the hobby. I love the Kato N scale stuff. When you look into track, I'd definitely recommend their Unitrack system. It's great stuff.


FYI, the "Super Chief" was the name of a Santa Fe Passenger train. Right now you just have the locomotives that would pull that train. If you really want the true Super Chief, kato does make the cars.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SANTA-FE-SU...096068?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item46061a46c4

Have fun, it's an addiction


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## SantaFe (Dec 31, 2012)

santafe158 said:


> Welcome to the hobby. I love the Kato N scale stuff. When you look into track, I'd definitely recommend their Unitrack system. It's great stuff.
> 
> 
> FYI, the "Super Chief" was the name of a Santa Fe Passenger train. Right now you just have the locomotives that would pull that train. If you really want the true Super Chief, kato does make the cars.
> ...


Thanks for the link! I have been holding off buying anything else until I decide which track/layout I want to do. I have been strongly considering Atlas Code 55 track....any upsides/downsides to this?? Just the normal stuff, not the flex track.


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