4373jml@homxb.UUCP (J.LISS) (11/25/85)
I have a 3 year old boy and am starting to think about model railroading.
(I wish I still had my Lionels from 20 years ago!). Anyway I have the
following questions and would appreciate any answers. I ultimately
would like to set up an L shaped layout using two sheets of 4 by 8 plywood as
a permanent layout in a relatively dry basement. I would like to initially
buy a starter set.
1) what quage should I go with, HO or O (I have ruled out HGB (G?), N and Z).
consider price, durability, accessories, repairs, etc. ?
2) are all HO manufacturers compatible (I understand Marklin is not)?
3) what should the track be make from ?
4) are HO switches de-railing, that is if a train approaches from one of
the legs will it become de-railed ?
5) how do HO remote switches work ? Are there two coils that are pulsed from
two independant switches ? Will the coils burnout if the switch remains
closed ?
6) how do I figure out what transformer to buy ?
7) where can I get catalogs (preferrably free) ?
8) what type of HO accessories are there (is there a working milk car) ?
9) HO seems to be the guage most often pushed by the local hobby shops
(central N.J.) why ?
I have loads of other questions, but first I'd like to get answers to these
any help would be appreciated.
Jonathan M. Liss, AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel N.J. 201-9495632, homxb!4373jmlwrd@tekigm2.UUCP (Bill Dippert) (11/26/85)
> > I have a 3 year old boy and am starting to think about model railroading. > (I wish I still had my Lionels from 20 years ago!). Anyway I have the > following questions and would appreciate any answers. I ultimately > would like to set up an L shaped layout using two sheets of 4 by 8 plywood as > a permanent layout in a relatively dry basement. I would like to initially > buy a starter set. > 1) what quage should I go with, HO or O (I have ruled out HGB (G?), N and Z). > consider price, durability, accessories, repairs, etc. ? It all depends: is it truly for him (3 year old is awfully young for any gage) -- if it is for him I would suggest Lionel 0/0-27 or Madison 0/0-27 or other Lionel clones. And yes, Lionel is being made again, but it is relatively expensive as a toy. If it really is for you or for you and him, then I would enthusiastically suggest HO (non-Marklin)! > 2) are all HO manufacturers compatible (I understand Marklin is not)? Marklin AC is not compatible. Markling (under another name sometimes) is compatible with other "european" HO (i.e. deep flange, non-NMRA wheelsets). The so called MOROP or european HO is compatible with NMRA wheelsets if you use nothing but code 100 track and made some adjustments/modifications to the turnouts (switches). NMRA (National Model Railroad Association) standards are adhered to by almost all American/Canadian/Japanese manufacturers and are interchangeable. (As far as track, wheelsets, etc.) Be aware tho, that there are two levels of NMRA standards, normal HO and finescale HO. And that even normal HO has a deep flange older standard and the newer "RP25" flanges which more closer represent prototype. Finescale modelers have even shallower flanges. All generally are compatible, however, if you run a mixture code 100 track is suggested. (Code refers to the height of the rail, code 100 is .100 from top to bottom of the rail. Also available is code 83, 70, 55 and 40 for HO standard gage.) When you really get into it you probably will make code 83 your heaviest rail size but the code 100 that comes with train sets is adequate to begin with, except that it usually is brass and not nickel silver - see below. Also, the track that comes with train sets usually is 18" radius which is awfully tight radius. Most serious modelers try to maintain 20/22" or greater for minimum radius HO standard gage (as opposed to HOn3 which is 36" gage narrow gage). > 3) what should the track be make from ? Nickel silver is much preferred to brass. Brass track (yellow color) oxidizes rapidly and the oxide is a non-conductor, therefore you must forever be cleaning it off of the rail head. Nickle silver (a form of brass with high nickel content, hence silver in color) does oxidize but the oxide seems to conduct electricity. Hence it is the preferred rail. During the Korean war real steel was tried, but it was found to be lacking for several reasons, altho it was very realistic looking. (It was next to impossible to solder to, was only one of its many problems.) > 4) are HO switches de-railing, that is if a train approaches from one of > the legs will it become de-railed ? Yes, there is not normally an automatic turnout throw such as that the Lionel turnouts (as opposed to the toy switch terminology) used. Also, you do not necessarily use electric throws for HO. My layout for instance has over 100 turnouts, only 4 are thrown electrically. > 5) how do HO remote switches work ? Are there two coils that are pulsed from > two independant switches ? Will the coils burnout if the switch remains > closed ? One form of electric throw does use two coils as you described, and yes, you must use a momentary switch to throw the turnout or it will burnout the coil. This is called, naturally, the twin-coil throw. Another type is rotary throw from the rotary coils found in pinball machines. Forms of handthrows include miniature handthrows as the prototype uses, choke cables (from cars), overcenter spring devices, etc. > 6) how do I figure out what transformer to buy ? The power supplies used in HO are DC power supplies, hence there is a transformer and a rectifier. Also, usually you should use volt and amp meters. More sophisticated "transistor" power supplies can do many different things, including having full sound for the trains. I might suggest at this point that you consider buying the December issues of both "Model Railroader" and "Railroad Model Craftsman" magazines to get some more ideas and find out what ils available. > 7) where can I get catalogs (preferrably free) ? Catalogs, such as the old Lionel ones generally are no longer available. However, some manufacturer's do have catalogs for their lines and Walther's have a very big catalog of many manufacturers. All of these are available at your local hobby store or by mailorder. However, NONE ARE FREE! Walther's catalog for example sells for $12.95 and the others usually are one or two or three dollars each. > 8) what type of HO accessories are there (is there a working milk car) ? There are many "accessores" but not in the sense that you remember from Lionel. No operating milk cars, etc. If this is really what you want, I would suggest again that you get back into the hobby with the modern Lionel and clones. They are producting the same type of things that we had as kids, albeit very much more expensive! > 9) HO seems to be the guage most often pushed by the local hobby shops > (central N.J.) why ? It solely is a matter of popularity. HO is the number one popular scale/gage. (Approx. 80%). It is followed by N, O, Z, S and G. Plus the various narrow gages of each: HOn3, HOn2, HOnmeter, Nn3, On3, On2, On42", Sn3, Sn2, Sn42", etc. (n3 means 36", n2 means 24', nmeter is meter gage, 42" is 42", etc.) > > I have loads of other questions, but first I'd like to get answers to these > any help would be appreciated. > Ask away, I and others are more than willing to help. Again, tho, go to a hobby shop, get some magazines, possibly inquire about joining the NMRA (or the TCA -- Train Collectors of America -- for Lionel). > Jonathan M. Liss, AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel N.J. 201-9495632, homxb!4373jml Bill Dippert c/o Tektronix Inc. M/S C1/775 P.O. Box 3500 Vancouver, WA 98668-3500 or via eMail: tektronix!tekigm2!wrd
danny@sftig.UUCP (L.Rosler) (11/27/85)
I am posting this just in case anyone else is planning to join the hobby. > 1) what quage should I go with, HO or O (I have ruled out HGB (G?), N and Z). In terms of price, product availability and space, HO is probably the best. I use N and it satisfies my space problem. > 3) what should the track be make from ? I wouldn't use copper which used to be the standard. I use nickel-silver which is a better conductor of electricity and the engine runs smoother. > 4) are HO switches de-railing, that is if a train approaches from one of > the legs will it become de-railed ? If the switch is in the correct position, there is rarely a big problem with switching. Obviously some companies make bad switches. > 5) how do HO remote switches work ? Are there two coils that are pulsed from > two independant switches ? Will the coils burnout if the switch remains > closed ? In some kinds they do; others have electrical protectors (automatic dis- connection of the circuit). > 8) what type of HO accessories are there (is there a working milk car) ? The list of `working' HO accessories is almost endless but O scale has more (it's easier to make operating parts in a bigger scale). > 9) HO seems to be the guage most often pushed by the local hobby shops > (central N.J.) why ? It's a popular brand so they push it. Also, they get more HO stuff for less and sell it for more than they can with O scale.
SCHMIDT@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA (Christopher Schmidt) (11/27/85)
I think the Maerklin equipment has four special virtues for a father and young son building a model railway. (1) The trains tend to stay on the track. The wheel flanges are quite deep (unprototypical) which helps cope with bent, non-level, and poorly joined track and the rolling stock tends to be much heavier than other makes. Turnouts cause no derailment. (2) The 3 rail design saves the kid from having to worry about the electrical implications of a track which loops back on itself. It's the only HO make akin to Lionel in this regard, I think. (3) The built-in roadbed (on the metal track) makes changing the layout easy; i.e. you don't have to lay new roadbed all the time. It's ugly though. You can buy plastic track that requires your laying the roadbed if you prefer a less shiny appearance. (4) The higher-voltage AC powered rails make for fewer occurances of trains stopping dead on dirty track. It can happen, though, if the track gets rusty. Don't sand the track; it rusts very fast that way. The biggest drawback is the high price, I think. Reversing is also an ugly affair with dirty track/low voltage/marginal loco. You can buy compatible rolling stock from Fleischmann, Lima, and (the cheapest if you can find it) Electrotren. These brands are hard to come by in the US, though. --Christopher P.S. Despite the above, I'm going to go American next time so I can use non-rusting rails outdoors. Anybody have experience with HO outdoors? -------