Any model trainers here? The Model Train Thread.

Jefe's Dope

Jefe's Dope

Red Forman
Full Member
Minuteman
    • Dec 20, 2017
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    #1
    Trying to get the wife into some model trains as a hobby we can share together. Long term and can be put on hold for months at a time, get to enjoy the fruits of your labors, grand kids will hopefully be coming sooner rather than later, indoors, low impact, not cheap but a few bucks at a time over a long period. Seems like a possible candidate to take us to the grave.

    Thinking N scale but the wife mentioned her eyes so maybe HO.

    What you guys got? Where's you goto for stuffs? What scale you running? Etc, etc.
     
    #3
    My son was gifted the larger gage set. Locomotives, cars, Trac power supply. His dad hasn't built him a table yet. I wish I knew where I could buy a table that was nice.
     
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    #6
    R.6d965a3df188e73f4d39dac8e870f31e
     
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    #11
    Model train demand has dropped steadily as the older generation dies off. Trains do not enjoy the fascination or admiration they once did and are just viewed as a method of commerce by the newer generation without any glamor attached. I have sold off train collections from dead relatives on ebay 3x since 2003. The 2003 auctions sold quick and for a decent price, the 2009 auctions moved much slower and for much less. The last attempt in 2018, I couldn't give it away and very little sold on ebay.

    There are still train aficionados out there, but demand is much less than prior years. Very few hobby shops carry trains anymore, mostly all RC, plastic model kits and gaming supplies now.
     
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    #12
    I looked a while back just out f curiosity and trains are expensive as hell for the nice stuff, I had a nice O gauge Lionel when I was a kid that I ran so many hours I killed the smoke effect, the horn, train itself and the power supply. Believe it was a 4-6-2 steamer

    I was obsessed when I was a kid.

    Go big and get a 4-8-8-4 https://www.broadway-limited.com/paragon3upbigboy4-8-8-4.

    I lied I ran O trains, I had a couple HO but the kits were used and nothing worked.
     
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    #14
    If you are going to collect......collect O scale, post war Lionel. I bought my kids the same trains that their grandpa was playing with as a kid. 70 plus years old. Those same trains will probably entertain their grandkids. Late 40's, early 50's trains are very well made. If you are patient, you won't have to spend much money. Ebay is a great place to shop. Just search post war Lionel. Lionel 671 steamer is an excellent engine.
     
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    #15
    I have O gauge. Been collecting dust in the basement for awhile now. Buddy of mine owns a hobby shop he kinda got me into it. I use to set it up around the Christmas tree. Pretty soon it went around the tree, down the hall, into the bed room and back. They make some pretty cool stuff these days. Power switches, crossing gates, the track snaps together you can pretty much run it on anything. Find a train show somewhere. The layouts some people put together are absolutely awesome. The detail and craftsmanship are amazing. And yes it gets rather expensive $50 here $75 there. MTH makes nice stuff.
     
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    #18
    when I was little I loved model trains like those at this place which my father would take me a couple of times every month or so .
    www.google.com

    Choo Choo Barn · 226 Gap Rd, Strasburg, PA 17579

    âââââ · Tourist attraction
    www.google.com www.google.com
    , but after working for Norfolk southern rr it ruined all the fun of toy trains for me , I still love steam powered trains like those of the wild west era guess It's hard going back to toy trains from full sized trains and putting one of those in your yard would be a pain in the butt .
     
    #20
    There's a model train family that's in this city whom have a few acres. Except they ride their trains. People come from other Provinces and surrounding State's and bring their trains (the whole train) in their caravan of trailers.

    It's a big affair, takes up a lot of space, and monopolizes your time.

    You're far better off going for scale model boating, and R/C them. At least you can do it in the livingroom all through the year. Build in the winter and sail in the summer.
     
    #25


    The thing that fascinates me about the small gauges (and I love miniatures if almost anything) is that you can build incredibly complex layouts in a tiny space. A 4x8 sheet of plywood in Z gauge lets you build a whole county! And the craftsmanship of the tiny trains is so painstaking. It fascinates me for sure!

    www.ebay.com

    Z Scale Z Gauge Märklin/Norman Rockwell "Celebration of America" LE Train Set NB | eBay

    Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Z Scale Z Gauge Märklin/Norman Rockwell "Celebration of America" LE Train Set NB at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
    www.ebay.com

    Of course you think precision shooting is spendy… wait until trains hit ;-)

    Sirhr
     
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    #26
    The old man raised us on the O Gauge Lionel stuff. He has a pretty nice layout in the basement that the grandkids love! Plenty of newer stuff for the kids to wreck, and he has a whole safe full of Sante fe 2343s from the early 1940s. All in all a fun hobby that manages to drain your bank account just as effectively as shooting does.

    But at least the liberals aren't trying to take your model trains, yet.
     
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    #31
    salks said:
    Click to expand...

    I've seen the real deal in person. Forney Museum.

    Forney Museum of Transportation

    The Forney Museum of Transportation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization which exists to collect, preserve, and exhibit items of artistic, historical and technological interest relating to transportation for the purposes of education and personal enrichment.
    www.forneymuseum.org

    My neighbor used to volunteer helping build/fix/refurbish before he past away three years ago tomorrow. 🙁

    iu.jpeg



    AND I was able to get the horn of one of the last ones still running on its way up North to Cheyenne.

     
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    #41
    Jefe's Dope said:
    I've seen the real deal in person. Forney Museum.

    Forney Museum of Transportation

    The Forney Museum of Transportation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization which exists to collect, preserve, and exhibit items of artistic, historical and technological interest relating to transportation for the purposes of education and personal enrichment.
    www.forneymuseum.org

    My neighbor used to volunteer helping build/fix/refurbish before he past away three years ago tomorrow. 🙁

    View attachment 7768091


    AND I was able to get the horn of one of the last ones still running on its way up North to Cheyenne.

    Click to expand...

    I took this on the Big Boy tour a couple of years ago just outside of Yuma AZ. Amazing machine.
     

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    • Big Boy.jpg
      Big Boy.jpg
      407.4 KB · Views: 34
    #42
    Ruff 364 said:
    I took this on the Big Boy tour a couple of years ago just outside of Yuma AZ. Amazing machine.
    Click to expand...
    It was like the space shuttle of its time. Engineered and assembled without computers or even calculators. Machine work done on belt line lathes and mills, no cad/cam cnc's. Slide rules, pencils, and a whole lot of knowledge... How would we do today making that with what they had?
     
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    #43
    salks said:
    It was like the space shuttle of its time. Engineered and assembled without computers or even calculators. Machine work done on belt line lathes and mills, no cad/cam cnc's. Slide rules, pencils, and a whole lot of knowledge... How would we do today making that with what they had?
    Click to expand...

    Interesting you should ask. There's a group that is building one of the last greatest, most modern passenger steam locomotive. The Big Boys were freight. This one had all the latest technology before diesels ended their brief reign. 110 MPH pulling large passenger trains was common. Runs of 140MPH were reported. In the late 1940's.

    The organization behind the rebirth:

    The T1 Trust

    prrt1steamlocomotivetrust.org prrt1steamlocomotivetrust.org

    The story. Grab a cup of coffee (or preferred beverage) and watch:

     
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    #44
    If you need something to set up a layout on, get a ping pong table and make some mods to it. DO NOT buy a new ping pong table because they're expensive. Instead, look on craigslist to see who might be selling one that's in good condition.
     
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    #46
    I got a G scale train set to go around the Christmas tree when my first son was about 4 weeks old (37 years ago!). Pretty much just bring it out at Christmas time. This year set it up outside on the patio (it's indoor/outdoor track) in a 15 x 25 layout. I have a 3 yo grandson who is absolutely enthralled with trains - his dad has been working on a 4 x 8 HO layout in the garage and I've been helping out repairing engines/cars, building structures, fabricating landscape stuff (trees esp), and electronics. The look on my grandson's face this morning was priceless. Still puttering with trying to make operating crossing signals - had to dust off the soldering iron . . .

    Interestingly enough my wife makes approval sounds when I get new trains-related stuff. Not at all the same as when I get new gun-related stuff. Any way we can get the ammo dealers to ship in packages with train pictures on the outside?
     
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