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Introduce yourself here!

1M views 9K replies 3K participants last post by  John T NC 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,

Welcome to Model Train Forum, a brand new Internet discussion site for one of the world's greatest hobbies. My name is John (screenname: tworail) and I am the admin for this site. I hope it becomes a great online destination for model railroading, and keep an eye on the site as more features are introduced to make this site even better.

As far as modelling goes, I am currently into modelling German railways in N scale. I have a couple things on the go but will post pictures when I can. I also have NA HO scale equipment that I want to do something with, in the form of a small switching layout most likely as space is limited.

Please respond to this thread and introduce yourself!

John
 
#28 ·
Viking03a said:
Hi, Golly new to this forum, but not to HO modeling, Have a layout ,
The "Blue Ridge Mountain Railway, ( BRMR ) that I build up over a number
of years, but now getting ready to rearrange, and redo all control systems,
with both manual control, and an automated control system using a PLC for
automation. ( I do this for industry, so why not be able to hit a start button,
and have a system that will run by itself ). I am looking for input and ideas
from others on setting up the blocks, signaling, and detection of a train in a
block.

I have gotten away for the direct modeling to some extent, as I have been
doing development work with train simulator, But now wanting to develop a
cab control system on the PC, through use of "Man Machine interface
graphics" and have it control the model layout, through the PLC. I know,
far out, but I like playing with automation controls.

I am also more of a technical modeler, in that I do a lot of work on track
and switch’s. along with rolling stock suspension systems, so that any
piece of stock can and will operate on any section of the system, forward,
or backward, without problems. I worry about esthetics after the system is
functioning totally.
Hi Viking, do you have any pictures to share of your work? Sounds very interesting, especially the trackworkd and rolling stock suspsension.
 
#30 ·
Shay, nice pickup! A Black Stainz is really nice, and not as common as the green one, and those passenger wagons don't look like the typical ones you get in the starter sets.

LGB is really really nice stuff. It's so much fun and BIG and the quality is next to none. I find people of all ages love them, and running them outside is icing on the cake.

LGB actually encourages you to run them in all conditions, they are so well built I have no concerns running them outside.

Looking forward to more LGB purchases! :D
 
#31 ·
tworail said:
Shay, nice pickup! A Black Stainz is really nice, and not as common as the green one, and those passenger wagons don't look like the typical ones you get in the starter sets.

LGB is really really nice stuff. It's so much fun and BIG and the quality is next to none. I find people of all ages love them, and running them outside is icing on the cake.
Thanks, it was one of those, "You want how much for that?!" moments that I couldn't pass up. I loved the black over the green and, no, I haven't seen those coaches either. They're wired up for lighting, I only wish I could get inside to place a few passengers. I just love the heft and size.
 
#32 ·
You should be able to pry off the tops of the coaches without difficulty, that's how mine seem to work (most anyways) my 24" RhB coaches are a little more tricky.

Also, I have archive of all the LGB technical diagrams, maybe I should put them up on the site. They're handy for when you want to do maintenance, or just get a idea of how things go together :p
 
#33 ·
Stan , new here

Hi old members. Moved to Fla. 5 years ago. Built an overhead around the den room for a 10' X 20" oval, 2 seperate rails in HO.

Built a 4X8 table out in the porch with 3 levels of HO, al3 layer have tunnels, bottom has a pr. of switches. City scenery on bottom layer.

Moved 4X8 into den room and extended width to 5' and length to 10'

Extended mid level onto new extension. Added 2 more rails on outside of 4X8.Freight yard and engine stops added.

Can now run 5 trains on tgable plus 2 above on shelf.

Coffee table, 18" by 48" has an "N" oval with scenery and town.

No Dcc setups yet. Plan to improve all f above thru the years.
 
#35 ·
2nd intro.

Didn't see my 1st posted. belong to a 35 member, all size, train club here in space coast Florida. It is amazing how all the members have put together layouts completlly diffenent from others. I can help on basic AC/DC theory, soldering techniques, WORKING track layout, and lighted scenery. I can show newies how to have a good toime without spending a lot of money.
 
#36 ·
New Guy

Hey, I am from southern New Hampshire... I have loved model trains all my life, although I currently do not have any space to get a layout set up, so I really do not have too many trains, LOL :(

Anyways, if you are wondering about my name I actually live right next to the old B&M rail-road bed (the tracks have been torn up in this area)... I love when I find left over stuff on them... Over the years I have accumulated two rail joints with bolts, two metal plates which go between the rail and tie, and of course lots of spikes :D
 
#37 ·
Boston & Maine.

"They call me timetable Mable, the girtl who is is love with a train, with a train from Boston to Maine." Commercial from the 1950's. I lived next to a B&M tracks in Malden Mass, 6 miles north of North Station, in Boston. I left when I got married, and no doubt B&M is gone. The tracks have been taken over by a computer line, MBTA of greater Boston. Memories of the old Steamers chugging thru Malden and leaving soot all over the place. We used to stand on the overhead street bridge whick hgad a wooden plank sidewalk. As the steamer chugged thru, the smoke came thru the boartds. We pretended we were in heaven walking thru the clouds. Fun
 
#38 ·
New guy here. From Broken Arrow Oklahoma. I just recieved a Life-Like 36" kit for Christmas. Not my first kit but the first one that made me really think I could enjoy the process of building my own town. I'm going to start with this and expand to make sure its really something I like befor going all out. Thanks for any future help and i look forward to gaining to useful info.
 
#42 ·
New

Happy New Year, everyone! My name is Edward. I retired a couple of years ago, having been a Unitarian minister for over 45 years. I had a fairly sizeable HO layout many years ago, then went into woodworking. I have just decided that, for health and safety reasons, I need to give up the wood shop, selling off the machinery (bittersweet)--and I'm eagerly going back to working on the (model) railroad, HO: staring from scratch. My three daughters clinched the
decision by giving me a starter set for Christmas.

I lived in Atlanta (near I-85 and Shallowford) and would like to hear from any fellow Atlantans about where you buy rolling stock, track, supplies, etc.

Any particular magazine I should get--or does the 'net serve pretty well (there was no such thing when I first walked the tracks)?

I'm glad to find this forum. Just what I need. I just hope it doesn't get *too* technical for a newcomer.

Edward
 
#43 ·
Correction

New friends

In my introduction post I wrote that I "lived" in Atlanta. Correction: I *live*
in Atlanta, have for nigh on twenty year now.

Edward
 
#44 ·
Hi Edward,

Welcome to the site. Sounds like a great plan you have. Wish I could do the same!! :p

The net has turned out to be a good resource for the model railroaders, but it does not compete with a good cup of coffee or tea and a quality print magazine.

Needless to say, I have tons of Model Railroader issues from 1989 on if anyone is interested. I have read them cover to cover many times now.
 
#45 ·
New

Hello,

I had some HO trains when I was ages 14-18 then I strayed away after high school. This year for Christmas the wonderful girlfriend bought me a Post War Lionel 2026 Steam Locomotive and it has refired my childhood dreams of having trains at the age of 28. I have alot to learn still and will start building my layout hear shortly.

Nathan
 
#46 ·
Model Railroader

tworail said:
Hi Edward,

Needless to say, I have tons of Model Railroader issues from 1989 on if anyone is interested. I have read them cover to cover many times now.
I'd certainly be interested in a couple dozen of the later issues. What would you like to do? Sell? Mail for shipping cost?

Edward
 
#48 ·
Another new guy

Hello everyone. My name is Jerry and I am relatively new to this hobby (several years now). I have a railroad modeling project in the very early stages right now and will keep this forum apprised of my progress as I wonder through the various stages.

I model in HO and my current project is centered around a Southern Pacific. 1950's freight scheme. It's three city blocks of citrus distribution warehousing. There is (will be), one mainline and 4 (maybe 5), sidings. It will be a switching nightmare to be sure. I hope there are plenty of experts in here to bail me out when I get into trouble.

Thanks for being here!!
 
#50 ·
New to community

Hello All,
New to model train community, just checking in and saying hi. started researching model trains and I did not realize there were some many things, diferent scales, brands, etc. Huge world of possibilities.
I have a model train website, http://www.cottonwoodjunction.com
Feel free to stop by and offer suggestions to a newbie.

Thanks,
 
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