# Complete Newbie



## Eric. (Jan 10, 2015)

New to the forums. Glad to be here Hello everyone. I'm a complete newbie to model railroading I would like to start with 4x8 layout. What good beginner books,videos,etc I should read or view?


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Welcome aboard.
One huge source of info is the NMRA website.Then you can Google "model train layouts",you will find so much info that will keep you busy for a good while...all for free.

Atlas offer a few basic books generally in stock at your local hobby shop.

More advanced books available at Kalmbach Publishing:
-48 Top-notch Track Plans
-Andy Sperandeo's Freight Yards
-Iain Rice's Mid-sized & manageable track plans
-Linn Westcott's 101 Track Plans

Then you have THE BIBLE of model railroading:John Armstrong's Track planning for realistic operation.


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## Eric. (Jan 10, 2015)

So many Locomotive Engine Numbers is there a guide to all of them?


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Your question is confusing.Do you mean unit numbers,prototype models,classification or other.Please be more specific.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Welcome to the site.
First answer what scale you want to model?

N,HO,O, G?

What size trains are you planning on buying?

This will explain a lot of questions for you, also on the sizes available to model.
http://thortrains.net/

First you have to figure out what size as a lot of information only pertains to the scale (size) of the train that you are going to model after.

But don't be afraid to ask here if you need to know something.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Eric

When you see a locomotive that interests you, enter the model name,
for example, GP30, or Pacific 4-6-2, along with the Scale you decide to
use in Google. It will show you who makes it, and you can read all about
it's use on real railroads through Wikipedia.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Hi, Eric, and welcome.

Your question about numbers is not clear. Are you referring to model numbers (GP-40, RS-2, SD-70MAC, just to name a few)? Once you get the hang of these, they are no worse than aircraft, or military vehicles, or even things like televisions. RS-2, just for example, is ALCO's (American Locomotive Company) second model of "road switcher". Other numbers refer to use: GP = General Purpose, SD = Special Duty, F = Freight and numbers may refer to horsepower, displacement, and so forth.

On steam locomotives, it is customary to use Whyte notation, such as 4-4-0, 4-6-2, 2-8-2, or even 2-8-8-2. This refers to (from left to right) the number of leading, non-driven wheels, the number of drivers, and the number of trailing, non-driven wheels. Where 4 numbers are listed, there are two independently powered sets of drivers. Each of these types of locomotives also has a model name. For the ones I listed, they are American, Pacific, Mikado, and Big Boy. There are many others (and just to confuse you more, some railroads used alternate names for the same wheel configuration).

Finally, each locomotive has a road number, a two, three, or four digit number that is that locomotives unique identification code, which allows the owning railroad to keep track of it.

So there's the two-minute primer. If you want more information on any of these, ask away!


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## Eric. (Jan 10, 2015)

big ed said:


> Welcome to the site.
> First answer what scale you want to model?
> 
> N,HO,O, G?
> ...


I would like to have HO scale. Thanks.


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## Eric. (Jan 10, 2015)

CTValleyRR said:


> Hi, Eric, and welcome.
> 
> Your question about numbers is not clear. Are you referring to model numbers (GP-40, RS-2, SD-70MAC, just to name a few)? Once you get the hang of these, they are no worse than aircraft, or military vehicles, or even things like televisions. RS-2, just for example, is ALCO's (American Locomotive Company) second model of "road switcher". Other numbers refer to use: GP = General Purpose, SD = Special Duty, F = Freight and numbers may refer to horsepower, displacement, and so forth.
> 
> ...


Yes I was referring to model numbers Thanks.


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## Eric. (Jan 10, 2015)

DonR said:


> Eric
> 
> When you see a locomotive that interests you, enter the model name,
> for example, GP30, or Pacific 4-6-2, along with the Scale you decide to
> ...


Thanks.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Eric, HO trains OK.
Are you thinking about modeling a certain time period?
Old Steam locomotives or Diesel locomotives?

Or would you like a blend of both, there is a transition period where both were running down the rails together?
Or maybe it doesn't matter on modeling a certain time era?

For the size, do you have a large room and just want to start out small?
Most will build a table and end up expanding it in the future, I think it is easier to build it using all the room you can dedicate to it in the beginning.
You don't have to fill the table all at once you can take your time add the track and structures and scenery little by little. At least that way you will have the whole table built.
No need to try and add it on later, but it is up to you.

If you don't have the room can you squeeze in maybe a 5'x9'?
I say the larger the better you will see what I mean later after you start laying the track.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

CTValleyRR said:


> F = Freight


Mostly a good description but this point is historically wrong. 

EMD's F series originally stood for *F*ourteen hundred horsepower. The FT and F2 were 1350 HP units (rounded up to fourteen). Following that though, they just kept upgrading the F series until you had the 1500 HP F7 and 1750 HP F9.

Similarly, the SW in SW-1 did not originally stand for "switcher", but *S*ix hundred HP, *W*elded frame. There was also an early SC series with a cast steel frame. The NW-2 was a *N*ine hundred horsepower unit. The EMD E-series comes from the *E*ighteen hundred horsepower of the original EA model.

F series units were used for both freight and passenger service. ALCO's FA series was similarly dual purpose.

More recent (ie late 1960s+) EMD locomotive models used an F to signify a *F*ull-cowl body that enclosed the side walkways of the unit inside the body shell like the SD40F, F45 or the passenger-only F40PH.

So F never stood for "freight" in any EMD or ALCO model number, although some Fairbanks-Morse units did (eg CFA16-4 vs. CPA16-4, freight and passenger versions of the same engine).


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

A P in a model number is usually a good sign of a unit designed specifically for passenger service, but there are exceptions, like Erie Lackawanna ordered SDP45 units *without* the steam generator equipment so they could get the longer frame and larger fuel tank on these units.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I have seen several explanations for what "F" units, but thank you for providing the added commentary. I don't however think that this is the right thread for a detailed discussion . The OP at this point just needs a general understanding of the Alphbet soup.


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