Any gauge is welcome
>>11273209do train megazords count?
>>11273314Only ToQger
>>11273209Train thread is back. I still love with my parents and unfortunately, I am not allowed to own any model trains, so long as I am under their roof. I will move away soon and I how to buy some stuff then.
>>11273209These any good to you?https://ideas.lego.com/s/p:8b964aca6f3d4d1591ac23a8949de9f8
>>11273366>No name No, just get a Bachmann if you want to be cheap about things. If you want quality, get a Roco, Fleischman or one of the other German/Austrian/Czech brands.
>>11273391>No name...How the fuck have you never heard of LEGO?
>>11273436I am a fucking retard, I saw the pic and read the web address, but the penny never dropped... Yeah, I have no clue, then.
>>11273567What the Hell did you think Lego was?
>>11273209>know rich kid whos dad is into toy trains and has a huge diorama in his cellar>we always party down there>smoke, drink and leave beers on it>complete disregard for it>kid dosn't give a shit eitherThis will be your gay trains one day. Looks cool but thankless shit hobby that takes way too much space
>>11273709Like an AliExpress version of a Bachmann.>>11273720It will not be if I cannot get a girlfriend to save my life lol. Anyway, is Roco better than Piko for train sets?
I was talking to a british friend and realized that Hornby is their equivalent of Lionel>Banks heavily on Nostalgia>They have good models but their starter lineup is both way too expensive for what you get and full of licensed tat.
>>11273866Bachmann is not that different either, come to think of it.
>>11273721>It will not be if I cannot get a girlfriend to save my life lol. Even chris chan got a gf. Just go fucking outside
>>11273940You really take things at face value... I was jesting.That said, can you answer my question?
>>11274075No I was here to tell you to beat your ungreatful children or something.
>>11273341Loving your progenitors is impotent, anon.
>>11274236It definitely is. Mind you, it was a typographical your on my part...
Is the Hobby dying?
>>11274847The hobby will live, bit it will shrink after boomers are fine, save his with plastic modeling and slot car racing.
I was thinking about getting back into this hobby with Kato's Big Boy.Do trains produce ozone from being ran or is that only if the tracks are dusty?I've heard most locomotives have brushless motors nowadays so it isn't a problem with modern stuff
>>11275096Only brushed motors produce ozone.Personally, though this is only my opinion and my preference of scale, I would get an AZL Big Boy.
>>11275103Gotcha, thanks.I've heard Kato's super old stuff had brushed motors but not anymore so that's probably not a problem with this modern one.I went for Kato since my cousin is a big Evangelion fan and collects their themed bullet trains. He's the only other person I know who's into the hobby
>>11275131I see. In Z Gauge, Rokuhan has a line of trains that match his interest. Personally, none of the Japanese stuff has ever interested me that much.
>>11273366>57xx pannier tank engine>14xx 0-4-2 tank engineWait a second... This is just Duck and Oliver, isn't it?
What are your thoughts on Broadway Limiteds' expensive models?
>>11275223Personally, I prefer models as they are generally simpler and complex electronics do make me a bit nervous, but I think that Broadway is a good company, despite their prices, partly because their stuff is at least part brass and they seem to actually care about the customer (unlike a couple of companies that make O Gauge) and from what I have seen are generally problem-free nearly faultless locomotives. That said, I would still need to give considerable thought before purchasing one. The only issue I see consistently is issues with improperly adjusted tender pickups, but that can easily be resolved.I would sooner a BLI over something like MTH (yes, I know that they sold of their HO catalogue, I am using them as an example).
>>11273341>not allowed to own any model trainsWhy? Do they think there isn't enough room to have them or something?
>>11275613You said the reason, anon. No space, not even for Z Gauge (T Gauge is more of a gimmick than anything else, so I draw the line at Z).I was looking at HO and Z before then, mostly European rolling stock for HO and whatever I could find for Z. I even saved up enough money for Z (no job at the moment, but this will change soon). No means no, though truth be told, they said I could use my money for anything that was not a model airplane (which is the main thing that has taken over the house). They said no to trains before this, however.
You know if Menards is able to produce a decent passenger starter set and a steamer they might actually be able to be a decent viable alternative to Lionel when it comes to starter sets.
>>11275839I think so, though, truth be told, I have a rather low opinion of Lionel. They need better QC, especially for what they charge.
>>11275839Hasn't Menard's been starting and stopping their line for awhile? Like they can't make a decision on itAnyone have success or ideas to make a set more interactive for a 4 year old? I'll let him put stuff in and out of a well car in O gauge but wanted to see if what success others had
>>11275894Try to find some older Tyco and Lionel stuff, especially trackside. I would have suggested just getting him the Tyco Railroad Empire or Road and Rail sets, but those are pricey now. Excuse me for not having anything to specific in mind.
>>11275894>>11275903Depending on your budget I would suggest getting a few operating cars and light up buildings.
>>11275894They only really advertise it once a year around Christmas. Honestly a lot of it seems to be a passion project of the owner.
As a total novice, I have a question.Few years ago I bough my father used Fleischmann br18, with sounds and all of that. He never even unboxed it. I just found out, that the coal wagon is missing those two ladders at the back. Does Fleischmann provide spare parts like that?
>>11275223That image looks nice, and I would love an art deco looking set, if it also came with a good diorama for stations and stuff, but I grew up on Lionel.
>>11274875>>11274847The Hobby will go on. But I will say that the big train companies need to start focusing on new, accessible and reasonably priced starter sets again.
I know it's late but post pics of your trains under the tree this year
>>11277188The GG1 is always nice.
You know, I think I pinned down a reason why I've kinda been in and out of the hobby nowadays besides expense. Modern trains are kinda boring. Every freight railroad has the same EMD Loco, just in different paint schemes, and the only passenger outfits are either commuter rail, which more often than not have the same locomotives and bi level cars, or they have EMUs, which never really caught on in the American modelling scene. Which is a shame since I would quite love to see an O Scale LIRR M3 or M7 on my layout.
>>11277808Expense is probably huge for most and possibly the lack of a physical IRL community for some, it's not the kind of thing that easy to enjoy as a solitary pursuit, particularly if you live with family members (or even roommates/partner, etc.) who either don't appreciate or understand it as a hobby or are actually active in dislike of it, even if they try to keep that to themselves.Hasn't happened to ME but I've seen it happen to others.
>>11277188I see you too are a man of culture, anon.
>>11278473>>11277188You know O gauge may be bigger but it always seems to take up less space than HO layouts.
>>11277188>>11278473>GG1sLucky, hope to find one someday.
>>11278963Hunt around ebay for deals. I actually had to make a last-minute purchase this month on that GG1 because the loco I intended to run this year wouldn't run when testing the layout so I had to send it out to be repaired. It's a Williams reproduction of the Lionel Post-war GG1 that runs perfectly fine (Even though there's some paint scratches on the side here and there that're only noticeable up close) it only cost me $150 shipped.
>>11278979What is the ideal price for them? Trying to get one that could run on O27. Also, how common are Williams reproductions? Haven't heard of them before.
>>11278762I can confirm this. I used to use HO for this very setup many years ago before I inherited some of my grandfather's O gauge and started buying my own O trains. I think it's because your average HO track set has a wider turn angle. I personally use O48 as opposed to the more common O27 that most Lionel trains are made for. My GG1 is a full-size Williams, so it doesn't play too nice on tighter curves.
>>11278963>>11278979This anon knows his shit. I got a hold of both this GG1 and the silver streamline PRR coaches via EBbay. Wanted to model the Congressional for the longest time, and I finally came across a steal. Got the engine and the coaches for just under 500USD with shipping. Near prefect condition and everything. You just have to keep an eye out.
>>11278985Williams tend to be pretty common, yet also pretty desirable. K-Line as well. Both had a line of affordable semi scale stuff before they were bought out.
You know at least the Disney licensed stuff makes sense. Lionel and Disney do have a history and Walt himself was a massive train nut. I just wish they would make models based on the trains in the parks instead of just slapping Frozen or Toy Story on a starter set.
>>11273720Are you someone who knew me in high school?This sounds a lot like me but I actually did care. I only shipped smokes around with certain cheap cars and I took very good care of them. My dad is a busy dude, I did all the oiling and track cleaning and such. I just didn't want to bore all my friends making them watch trains all night.>>11273341I'm in the opposite problem. I got a job, moved out and now I live a state away from my parents. My dad and I worked on the layout. It's been ages since I've been home. Living in an apartment, I don't have any space for trains and I haven't held a CAB-1 in over a year.I love billboard reefers, here's some Chateau Martin wine cars. The two on the track are from Weaver, the other one is Lionel. I was supremely disappointed by the quality of Lionel's offering. Lacking detail and care, not even bothering to paint the roof black. Also just feels so light and chintzy compared to the others.
My entire set was stolen from storage except for two steam locos. I live in an apartment right now and have no room for O Gauge trains outside of a small oval. But I want to rebuild my collection out of sheer principle.
>>11279561>My entire set was stolen from storage except for two steam locos.Would love to know the kind of ass who would do that.A model railroader would have their own stuff, and wouldn't need to steal yours. Joe Blow off the street won't know what the shit is, and would have to unload at some estate and antiques dealer to flip on ebay or whatever.
>>11279807Or somebody stole it for the metals. Not unheard of, though surprising if this was the case. Still, the thief is a jackass.
>>11279816>>11279807Probably pawned it for drug money.
>>11275223From observation and talking with them at train shows, they are definitely a learning company. They've told me they intend on moving away from all plastic models and they are making that Berkershire, I'm hoping to see it at Springfield's Amherst Show to hopefully get my hands on it.Noone else in the industry is trying to do what they're doing and I hope one day they can feel that huge gap of plastic steam locomotives that are nice modern RTR runners. I'd say they're second to some of Athearn's offerings.
>>11279041>Both had a line of affordable semi scale stuff before they were bought out.I just remembered that I saw a video on what Williams was and it's been bought out by Bachman. Feels like a bad time to get into model trains. Just got into it early this year with a Lionel o27 starter set from the 90s, don't even know how to use wires for more track for a larger layout.
>>11280321I'm this guy...>>11279263Here's a YouTube video of the layout.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAFyzbtlROsI would be more than happy to explain wiring large layouts if anyone would like.
>>11278985Williams are pretty prevalent on eBay. They did reproductions of Post War Lionel along with some of their own stuff. These are Williams versions of the 773 Hudson and 726 Berkshire. They use big flywheel can motors instead of open frame AC motors.
>>11279242The two licensed sets that make sense are the Polar Express and Harry Potter. Lionel has gotten quite a bit of milage out of the Hall Class tooling over the years Withe the Shakespeare Express and several others. It can be argued the Polar Express saved the company, but it is annoying that they slap Polar Express livery on everything that moves and some things that don't. Pic is a Polar Express Berk with the Williams 726 Berk.
>>11273209I love hyper realistic, but as small as possible.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqqQcsX6y3s
>>11277188>>11278473https://streamable.com/ucdta9
>>11280767>I would be more than happy to explain wiring large layouts if anyone would like.How large of a layout would O27 have to be until it needs extra wiring? Asking this because I got extra track for my starter set (haven't tested the extra track yet). Does this require a new transformer than the one that comes with the set?
>>11277808They do make modern reproductions of old trains (pre-1960s). You don't have to settle on Amtrak and GEVOs. My modeling year stops in 1959 but all of my models were made in the past 20 years with modern electronics in them and I mostly do steam engines.
Is a menards set worth it for just starting out in O Gauge or should I just bite the bullet and get one of Lionel's sets? Or should I look on Ebay for O Gauge?
>>11283378i'd go with the pennsylvania flyer lionel for $369 on amazon before the menards sets. has 2 additional cars & the chugga chugga engine with smoke. like it better that the tulsa tank at $399 also.nothing against the quality of menards, i have a few menards cars and they are nice; compatible with lionel, couplers work fine and about 30% cheaper.menards use the old tube track, cheaper & easier to stockpile from ebay or hobby shops, lionel switched to fastrack which is at least an inch+ wider, so that will impact whetever setup you work towards.old o gauge will be tube track with dc transformer, some of them spark like crazy, but everything is compatible with tube or fastrack, ac or dc, transformer or remote control. can even attach dc transformer to fastrack or use remote on dc tube track with transformer on full.
>>11273940After spending 20 years as the Internet's court jester, some dumpy chick decided to pityfuck him. I guess it's better than nothing but it requires a total abandonment of self respect and pride.
>>11282744There's three tiers I suppose of needing transformers. If you have three large loops and lighted scenery like my layout, even just one ZW transformer will suffice. The mainline tracks on my layout extend about 30 feet down with a helix that is 8 feet wide and it does fine. The 4 handles will all be in series automatically. Above that, on MASSIVE layouts you might need to have multiple transformers wired in series. On smaller layouts, one transformer will be fine.For just one track the GW transformer will be be a-okay. That's the small one with the single orange handle. I tend to go overkill with my buss wiring and I have power drops every 2-5 feet of track.Two transformers on a small layout will likely cause problems, as they will overpower things and split one line into two odd power sections and they will overlap. That will put down too much power. The goal is to have a constant 18 volts throughout the line.I would suggest trying to build it out as long as possible, then buying a voltmeter to test the power around the loop. Anytime you start to see a drop below 18 volts you should add an extra power drop. This is especially necessary if you want to run trains with lighted passenger cars.My layout uses a ZW and a GW, the ZW's 4 handles operate 4 different "zones" so to speak. One handle powers the outer loop of the mainline, one powers the inner mainline loop, one powers the inner loop and the last one handles power to all sidings. I also have a GW to power my lighted accessories. At your point you should only bother with a second transformer for accessories.Long story short you should be fine with the one transformer and adding power drops as you see fit. If you need help or want me to explain buss wiring I can draw a crude overview of my layouts wiring scheme.Here's a video showing my start up process so you can see what I mean.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU67KyXHm3A&t=187s>>11282795Based, late steam era is my era too. Nice Mohawk!
Britt Allcroft died at 81.
I have $300 in cash convince me why I should or should not buy a Z gauge set. I do not have the space for N.
>>11283963> I do not have the space for N. How much do you have? N gauge can fit damn near anywhere. Pic related is a 2'x3' layout that a guy built on YouTube. The issue with Z gauge is that it is on the extreme edge of practically for normal use. The trains are way more fiddly to use and maintain. There also is far less aftermarket support. It can work but I wouldn't recommend it.
>>112842971'x1.5' about half the size you are talking about... I was looking at exactly the save thing as you were, but I would need it to be half as big.
>>11283685Are power drops the parts you clip onto the track? I have O27 tracks and just the starter set transformers (with a dial and 2 buttons). If I need to have additional power drops to the tracks would a GW be appropriate. My layout would probably be 1/3 a size of yours at best because the board it's going to be set up on is not that big.Also thank you for the tips and you have an impressive layout.
You know normally I'm not too into HO. I often find them too fiddly compared to the elegant simplicity of O Gauge. But Rapido doing an LIRR EMU set might convince me. Gotta rep my home railway.
>>11284442Not him, but the tack power clips are called "lock one" (pic)for larger layouts a lot of people do a power drop every five or six sections of track. You can also do blocks by using insulated pins on the center rail alone, of you use old school AC transformers. Your power wire goes the the center rail while the outer rails are a common ground. If you use separate smaller AC transformers, you connect all the ground or "common" posts of the transformers sharing a common ground so you only have to worry about the center rail block sections.
>>11285406Damnit, they're "lock ons." Autocorrect got me for not proof reading. Anyway, digram of three rail block sections and phased transformers.
>>11285406>>11285413Thanks for the tip, should probably invest in a zw or gw transformer because I only have this type from the starter set.
>>11285765By the way, do these buttons even work? I tried out a lionel Amtrak starter for the first time and didn't hear a horn. I also got it moving forward after flipping the switch on the locomotive as I was not aware that lionel had that since I used to play with HO starters that had a reverse switch on the transformer. Pressing those buttons felt like they're just a cosmetic feature since I didn't any click when pressed.
>>11285767The buttons are a 100 year old legacy tech. When all three rail trains used AC power, someone at Lionel figured out how to temporarily switch AC to DC using rectifier discs. In these old trains, the switch to DC will cause a relay to close powering the whistle or horn as long as the transformer horn button is pressed. If your locomotive doesn't have a horn or whistle, nothing will happen. The direction change button is simpler. It just temporarily interrupts power. The direction changing gizmo is called an "E Unit" and will cycle states when power is interrupted. Simple E Units cycle between forward and reverse while more complex versions cycle between forward -neutral- reverse -neutral- forward and so on. Most engines made before 1990 will have a mechanical e unit and there will be a silver lever sticking out of the top or underneath the locomotive. This is the lockout lever and locks the locomotive e unit into the last position it was in. It is possible to lock a locomotive with a three position (F-N-R) into neutral, so if the lockout is on and the engine is in neutral, it is possible that the headlight will come on and the engine will just sit there. If it was a silver switch sticking out of the top, the engine might have been locked in neutral.
>>11281362I've been meaning to ask about something related to that.I have the original Polar Express with the massive wired controller from about 2 decades ago as a Christmas gift when I was a very young kid. Is there any physical difference between this version and all the current revisions of it besides the wireless remote and features? Something about the photos of the new one just feels off and I can't put my finger on what's different. Film-inaccurate proportions, cheaper build quality, or am I just insane from looking at the promotional renders?Not counting the shitty redeco of different unrelated locomotives with the movie's title and branding slapped on it. No idea who buys those when getting a replica of the thing you see in the movie is the main draw
>>11285765I'm the first guy that gave you wiring advice. Definitely upgrade from that starter set remote.How big do you plan on making your layout? If you are keeping it small, get a GW. If your going to expand it greatly just get the ZW. You'll want one eventually if your making a larger layout so save yourself the time and money of buying two transformers.>>11286892All of them are kind of off. I started out with a Polar Express like picrel. Now I use the transformer to power my accessories. The only REAL Polar Express set was the Legacy equipped version from a while back. They are cool but not worth 3 grand unless your a turbo-goy.
Hey so I ordered an 027 Passenger car. A 2412 Santa Fe Dome car. it came in fine and is in good condition safe for the plastic transparent shell that comes in the dome. Those are easy to replace right?
>>11286892>>11287377I'm reminded of the Polar Express fantasy scheme for the most recent Acela. I'm not against fantasy liveries, the Pennsy Acela looked really cool IMO. But that one was just weird.
>>11286892There was a change in the body shells when they went to Lionchief remote control. From 2004 to, I think, 2013, the Polar Express was a conventional control set like yours. All of them had separate wire handrails on the locomotive and tender. The Lionchief remote versions have the handrails molded in. In 2017 of so they started painting all the passenger car roof partly white with footprints to simulate snow. The proportions have always been a bit off, but deleting the add on details definitely made it look cheaper.
hey /traing/, sorry to intrude but i got my dad an old ass train set made of metal for chrismas and when he turned it on sparks started flying everywhere in my living room. he said this is normal but it seems sketchy as fuck.is it actually normal?
>>11287807The motor brushes might need cleaning.
>>11287807Pics of the train?
Okay so The plastic piece in the dome seems to have come undone. What do I need to do to remove the roof on these post war 027 coaches?
>>11287807Sparks flying everywhere or just occasionally. Small sparks by the wheel do happen from time to time. On a train that hasn't been touched in ages it's even more likely. You definitely should clean the track, the locomotives wheels and apply lube to the wheels sparingly.
>>11287807You mind posting pics of the train?
>>11288139If it's early post war there will be what look like two circular vents on either side of the dome. These are actually thumb screws to remove the roof. If it's a later car, the roof is held on by a Phillips screw underneath each end of the car.
>>11288164Thanks. It was an easy fix though I discovered some slight warping of the roof. Not enough to be noticable unless you are looking for it. I heard you can fix that with a hair dryer and a clamp right?
>>11288035I got a whole box of stuff but heres some of it, he has most of it in his garage now. these weigh a shit ton. amusingly if has a bunch of old instruction manuals from the 60s with one ominous "exploding box cart" i guess.when hes done tinkering with it ill post pics of the sparks flying everywhere (unless he fixes that)
>>11288180Oh those absolutely need a cleaning. There should be a bunch of tutorials online.
>>11288185he said he's going to sandblast the tracks, unfortunately he's the type that hates taking advice from any one
>>11287377>How big do you plan on making your layout?Not that big since the board is about 7-8 feet long and about 4-5 feet wide, can't tell because I keep it at another family member's house.
>>11288327You should be able to make a decent sized setup on that. Not everything needs to take up an entire room
>>11288327At that length I might just spring for a ZW, especially if you plan on having any switches, yards or multiple loops.
>>11273721>Anyway, is Roco better than Piko for train sets?Both are fine. I personally prefer Roco, but they have a different lineup anyway, it's complementary
You know, I miss the shadow silhouettes in the window that used to be in O gauge passenger cars. Sure it was a way to cut corners so they didn't have to model the interior, but there was a whimsy to it.
>>11280767>>11277188>>11286892I thought that the Märklin third rail was ugly, but damn this manages to be even worse. Sorry anons
Are Marx trains worth collecting?
>>11288998That depends. Marx tried to fill ever possible market niche possible in the low to mid range and always tried to undercut Lionel and others on price when possible. One thing about that is while they were cheap, they were also well build with simple components and designs. With rare exceptions, few of them are really that valuable, but if you want to run post war three rail trains, they're usually inexpensive, parts are readily available because Marx made a LOT of them, and they are easy to repair and get running. The highest quality Marx are probably their 7/16 scale tinplate line. They're stamped metal lithographed cars that are basically S scale running on O gauge track. The best steam locomotive Marx made was the 333, a 4-6-2 Pacific (pic) that is also 7/16 scale. There's also more whimsical for wheel tinplate cars made well into the 1960s.
>>11289010I know a lot of old Marx tooling ended up with K-Line and later Menards.
>>11289071Yup. When they started making starter sets in the early 1990s, they used Marx tooling from several freight cars. They also had the tooling from the 333 Pacific Steam locomotive, so their base model steam set had a 4-6-2. They also used the Marx ALCO S2 tooling for their basic diesel sets and had tooling from Kusan for the ALCO FA and some freight cars.
>>11288606So far I just have manual switches.
Wish there were more Electric locomotives available in US model trains. Then again this is probably more because outside of the east coast, electric locomotives just aren't a thing.
Anyone know how to incline tubular O-Gauge tracks? Does it require any special tracks or just the grades accessories? Haven't had luck of spotting them yet at train shows.
>>11283685Thank you. The steam engines belong to me. The diesel belongs to the club president. I have almost 200 locos all from the pre-1960's era.
>>11289535The other issue is the cost and tediousness of setting up catenary wire. It looks dumb without it if you run electrics. Also, they only tend to work in a city scene with a birthday cake/multi-level layout because the catenary wires blend in with it. Trying to set up catenary out in the country "between cities" would block the scenery with the wires and poles making it look ugly.
>>11283378Only go on eBay if you have some knowledge of the market and you know what you want. Also, make sure they offer free shipping or under $30 for shipping if you really want it because those big boxes take up space and are heavy so shipping can go in the stratosphere with them plus the sales tax on top that eBay charges too makes it almost not worth it. Better to go to a local train show if you have any nearby to haggle a better price.
