# Buying track: start with a plan or buy a bunch of stuff?



## Colinkun (Dec 2, 2015)

Which is the better option for a beginner (better = cost effective, flexible, most fun):


Buy a bunch of track and turnouts to play around with?
Create/follow a layout plan and buy what's needed?


Doing a lot of internet research has lead me to find a plethora of layout plans. But is that the right option for a newbie such as myself? 

I'm undecided.


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

As with your other question / thread, it depends on the amount of money you have available.

Personally, I like designing layouts, and would much rather do that than follow someone else's plan. There is software available to help; some free, some paid. I use AnyRail ($60), which isn't a 3D CAD system and so doesn't have all the inherent complexity of it. I want to design a layout, not create awesome 3D rendered pictures.

Some of the layouts available on line (or in books) are very good, some not so much. It's hard for a beginner to tell at a glance. Plus what looks good to one person may not work for another.

What I would do is look at a whole lot of pre-designed plans, and use those for inspiration to create your own, then buy what you need for that layout. Keep your available space in mind -- a 4x8 size is convenient, but not necessarily a good use of space: w/a 2' aisle all around, a 4x8 layout consumes 96 square feet for 32 square feet of layout. A donut-shaped layout 2 feet wide around that same 96 square feet gives you 64 square feet of layout, although you have to figure out how to get into the center. Crawling under may sound good, but wait until you do it a few times.

Beware of sharp turns (absolute minimum of 18" radius in HO; broader if you can), S curves, and grade changes. If you must have a grade, try to keep it at 2% or less (real trains hate grades in any case). Many pre-designed layouts ignore these fundamentals, because they are paper designs and never run. Sure, the track fits together, but a lot of times trains won't run well on it.

Short answer: if you want to play in sandbox mode, get some software and do it virtually. It's much cheaper.

Whether you design your own or use someone else's, buy only what you need for that layout.


----------



## rboatertoo (Aug 5, 2015)

I brought a bunch of track to start with to experiment with. I ended up with a lot of extra pieces. I also switched the brand of track. I would recommend a oval or two, to play with , but nothing more. 

Now I used a track planning software. It gives me the opportunity to make sure it works on screen before forking out the money.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I would start by designing a layout, tho it may be only the first
of several. You would then buy, preferably, Flex track, turnouts,
crossings and other parts of the layout. Much will depend on
the space that you have available for your layout. Start with
that.

CTvalley has put a lot of very good suggestions to you.

Seems to me, you also would want to consider just what you
want to do with your layout. Some like to just sit back
and watch trains run. Others want to actually do the
train controlling, for example, a single track main line with
one train running clockwise, another going counter clockwise
(possible only on a DCC layout). That requires, of course,
that you have passing sidings where they meet.

You may also enjoy the challenges of switching, especially
if you have a number of spurs and yard tracks, some requiring
the loco to push the cars in forward, some requiring the loco
to back them in.

Keep those possibilities in mind as you check the various
suggested layouts. You may want to take parts of each
to create your own design.

Don


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Just curious, what scale are you modeling?


----------



## Colinkun (Dec 2, 2015)

I haven't decided on the scale yet. I'm in the research and planning stage of the process, but I think I'm leaning toward n-scale right now. 

As I begin to dig into this hobby, I'm finding it difficult to ease into slowly. It feels like I need to make an initial $500+ investment just to dip my toes in the water. A $150 Bachmann starter set is pretty tempting as a first step, but everyone is recommending DCC and individual track and specific brands of this and that. 

How's a guy supposed to slowly get into it (or how do explain to the Mrs. That I just spent $500 to get started  )


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Colinkun said:


> I haven't decided on the scale yet. I'm in the research and planning stage of the process, but I think I'm leaning toward n-scale right now.
> 
> As I begin to dig into this hobby, I'm finding it difficult to ease into slowly. It feels like I need to make an initial $500+ investment just to dip my toes in the water. A $150 Bachmann starter set is pretty tempting as a first step, but everyone is recommending DCC and individual track and specific brands of this and that.
> 
> How's a guy supposed to slowly get into it (or how do explain to the Mrs. That I just spent $500 to get started  )



Welcome to the site.
That is what I was going to ask, what scale.
Now that you narrowed down the scale, what size can you afford to the table?

You can do a lot with N scale on a smaller space.
How much room do you have?

Note, most who start small always end up adding on eventually.
I always say plan on using all the room you can from the beginning. 
You can start out smaller and add on in the future, just plan for it with the design.


----------



## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Atlas has a layout design software program for a good price: free!
http://www.atlasrr.com/software.htm

I haven't used this version, so I can't help with details, but it'll give you something to plan and play with.


----------



## RonthePirate (Sep 9, 2015)

My story:
I worked on a friend's car (Tinted his windows, did it for 30 years).
He paid me with two Lionel loco's, some rolling stock, and about 150 feet of 027 track.
That works out great for me. With that much track, I can now design the best layout for me.
No worries about how much I have left over, I can always make a bigger yard or more industry.
So, in my case, it was get the track and design from there.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

flyboy2610 said:


> Atlas has a layout design software program for a good price: free!
> http://www.atlasrr.com/software.htm
> 
> I haven't used this version, so I can't help with details, but it'll give you something to plan and play with.


I looked at it real quick and did not download.
If you use that don't you have to plan on using atlas track on your table?


----------



## Colinkun (Dec 2, 2015)

I am also super tempted by the new Bluetooth controller options that are currently only available in HO. It would be great to skip buying DCC hardware if this new option pans out as the future. But I also would almost rather go n-scale. 

I'm torn and undecided.


----------



## RonthePirate (Sep 9, 2015)

big ed said:


> I looked at it real quick and did not download.
> If you use that don't you have to plan on using atlas track on your table?


If you take another look, it's the exact same as SCARM.
If it came to a copyright war, I don't know which would win.


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Colinkun said:


> I haven't decided on the scale yet. I'm in the research and planning stage of the process, but I think I'm leaning toward n-scale right now.
> 
> As I begin to dig into this hobby, I'm finding it difficult to ease into slowly. It feels like I need to make an initial $500+ investment just to dip my toes in the water. A $150 Bachmann starter set is pretty tempting as a first step, but everyone is recommending DCC and individual track and specific brands of this and that.
> 
> How's a guy supposed to slowly get into it (or how do explain to the Mrs. That I just spent $500 to get started  )


Let me answer that this way -- from my perspective, the biggest barrier to entry is not being able to get a layout up and running quickly. Unfortunately, you can do cheap, or you can do quality, but generally not both. If you do cheap, it can be harder to get a layout that works satisfactorily. If you're really not sure you're committed to the hobby, go cheap. If you want to have a longer term outlook, start with the best you can afford.

Broach the subject gradually with SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed). Don't surprise her -- that won't end well. My wife and I each set aside money every month for our hobby spend. I don't question what she spends hers on, she doesn't question mine. If I want a $250 locomotive, I have to save several months for it. After I dropped the initial cash to "buy in" to the hobby (about $500, but that was 12+ years ago), she decided we would get the piano repaired. I got my stuff, she got hers.

And if you think this hobby is expensive, try skiing, golf, RC aircraft.... heck, they all are.


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

flyboy2610 said:


> Atlas has a layout design software program for a good price: free!
> http://www.atlasrr.com/software.htm
> 
> I haven't used this version, so I can't help with details, but it'll give you something to plan and play with.


You get what you pay for. In this case, what you get is a marketing tool for Atlas products that doubles as a layout design tool. AnyRail, SCARM, 3DPlanIt, XTrakCAD, etc. are all non-proprietary, and have libraries of many of the major brands of track (one reason I like AnyRail is the breadth of it's library, including user created content for structures, signals, etc.).


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*"Settle with a good book"*



Colinkun said:


> I haven't decided on the scale yet. I'm in the research and planning stage of the process, but I think I'm leaning toward n-scale right now.
> 
> As I begin to dig into this hobby, I'm finding it difficult to ease into slowly. It feels like I need to make an initial $500+ investment just to dip my toes in the water. A $150 Bachmann starter set is pretty tempting as a first step, but everyone is recommending DCC and individual track and specific brands of this and that.
> 
> How's a guy supposed to slowly get into it (or how do explain to the Mrs. That I just spent $500 to get started  )


 Colinkun;

You are right. It is confusing, and expensive, getting started. You can reduce the confusion, and in many cases, the expense, by studying a good, "How To" book; before you
start buying random stuff. I would like to recommend an excellent book. The title is "Beginner's Guide to N scale Model Railroading" the author, Marty Macgiurk. The publisher is Kalmbach.
( www.kalmbach.com ) You can order the book from them, or probably from www.amazon.com 
This book is aimed specifically at beginners. It has short, easy, photo illustrated, chapters on: Planning your railroad, benchwork(table), track, wiring(includes both DCC and the older DC system), locomotives, rolling stock(RR cars), couplers, structures, scenery, and a step by step plan for building an N scale railroad called The Androscoggin Central.

No other book I have seen, covers so much, so well. I highly recommend that you start 
by getting, and reading it first. By the way, I would not recommend that Bachman, or any other, train SET. These commercial sets are made cheaply and often include sub par power
supplies, locomotives, cars, and track. Once you have learned more, you will be able to buy
more knowledgeably.

Welcome to a great hobby, and forum;

Traction Fan Modeling part of the Milwaukee Road in N scale.


----------



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Colinkun said:


> I am also super tempted by the new Bluetooth controller options that are currently only available in HO. It would be great to skip buying DCC hardware if this new option pans out as the future. But I also would almost rather go n-scale.
> 
> I'm torn and undecided.


If you want sound go HO, N gauge sound is crap.


----------



## redman88 (Nov 25, 2015)

Saw a you tube video where a guy used some photo copies of turnouts to help plan his layout. I am thing I am going to build the bench work to fit my area and some flex track. Then track down some photo copies of turn outs and plan my layout that way.


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*I disagree*



Cycleops said:


> If you want sound go HO, N gauge sound is crap.


 I strongly disagree with Cycleops's statement above, concerning N scale sound.
A given brand/type of sound decoder will produce good sound, regardless of scale. The biggest difference in sound quality is in the speaker. The larger the model, the more room you have for a larger speaker, and its enclosure. The lower frequency sounds of diesel prime movers, or steam chuff will sound better on a larger speaker. If you want proof, connect the decoder's speaker wires to an input on your home stereo system. WOW suddenly there's a locomotive in your living room! Obviously we can,t mount a speaker and amplifier that size in any scale model locomotive.
However, with a little ingenuity, we can mount a surplus laptop computer speaker in a dummy B-unit, tender, or box car. I did this with a "drop in" decoder for an Kato N scale
F unit. The original speaker was tiny. Worse, it was aimed, and butted, right up against a solid part of the loco shell; effectively blocking itself. Add to this, my poor hearing, and I couldn't tell if it was producing any sound at all, unless I was standing right next to the loco, and had the decoder volume at maximum.
Connecting the larger speaker, pointed down, through an actual hole, to let the sound out,
worked wonders! Now I can hear that prime mover notch up from across the room, and it sounds great!

Traction Fan


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

redman88 said:


> Saw a you tube video where a guy used some photo copies of turnouts to help plan his layout. I am thing I am going to build the bench work to fit my area and some flex track. Then track down some photo copies of turn outs and plan my layout that way.


There is a real danger in doing this as there is nothing to guarantee that the parts are going together without kinks or bends that will cause problems later. It's a good way to just check whether things will fit, but not as a detailed design tool.

Also, in my opinion, it is a mistake to build benchwork until you know what you're going to put on top of it. You will severly limit your design options, and may waste a great deal of space, too (or end up with a "bowl of spaghetti" trying to fill the space).

Just my thoughts. You must do what works for you.


----------



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

traction fan said:


> I strongly disagree with Cycleops's statement above, concerning N scale sound.
> A given brand/type of sound decoder will produce good sound, regardless of scale. The biggest difference in sound quality is in the speaker. The larger the model, the more room you have for a larger speaker, and its enclosure.
> Connecting the larger speaker, pointed down, through an actual hole, to let the sound out,
> worked wonders! Now I can hear that prime mover notch up from across the room, and it sounds great!
> ...


Sorry, but this is not what I have found. I too thought if you changed the speaker to a larger one the sound would be transformed but connecting a large oval speaker to my Digitrax decoder gave the same distorted results, albeit with more bass. I'm afraid your argument is self defeating as its not possible to use large speakers in N anyway so my original verdict stands.

Im afraid your other statement about 'letting the sound out' is a fallacy. When using a small speaker in a confined space it needs to take advantage of the loco body as a sound box to increase and generally improve the sound quality.


----------

