Comments on: 7 Tips to Save Money on Your Model Trains

By: tommy tinney

tommy tinney — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:59:51 +0000

i,m just getting into model trains in o scale and there is some good advice in these colums thanks for the great work tltmountainman

By: Larry Denning

Larry Denning — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:02:33 +0000

Having started in the hobby back in 1955, most model trains were only available at retail hobby shops, and occasionally at a club open house. By the ’70′s more used trains were showing up in newspaper ads and hobby magazines. By the time of my divorce in 1980 I had accumulated over $155,000.00 in trains, much of it brass steam locos, no layout. I was forced to liquidate it all, and the buyer got a HUGE deal!!! It was only 6 years ago that I got back into the hobby after seeing all the trains on eBay. Many great buys can be found on EBay, however if you haven’t checked out eBid yet, you’re missing out! EBid is the number ONE competitor and is rapidly growing! As a buyer, and former power seller on eBay with 100% positive feedback for 10 years, I have purchased numerous model railroad items, from brass to scratchbuilt, and was rarely dissapointed. I got many items for 99 cents, and sold many at that price! But it looks like those days are dying for eBay due to all of their new requirements for sellers. Fees have been increased, minimum seller ratings are required now, restrictions are being put on shipping charges and shipping time, and ONLY electronic payments are allowed! They double up on their fees when you pay with PayPal as they now own it!
Sad to say, it has caused me, and many other sellers, to leave eBay. I’ve moved my store to eBid, NO seller fees unless YOU add them for additional features! Now I’m selling my 99 cent items again!
Check eBid out, we currently have 10 model railroad sellers with stores, and many other individual sellers listing items at great prices! It’s free to register, and most sellers offer all forms of payment!

Get registered at http://us.four.ebid.net/perl/normal.cgi?ref=460765&mo=register-main

I’m currently working on custom detailed, custom painted, graffiti’d and tagged rolling stock, locos, and name trains to be listed in my store as I complete them, along with many other items, details, and decals.
Find my store at http://us.ebid.net/stores/Larrys-Trains-and-Detail-Shop

By: John Suther

John Suther — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 01:14:18 +0000

I have read that a “swinging bridge,” such as the Golden Gate is not “desirable” for railroad transportation. Is this correct, as I am planning to build another HO scale layout soon, and I am beginning to plan it now! Thanks & GOD bless!

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:27:13 +0000

Hi Dan

Thanks for your correspondence. I decided about 18 months ago to have a go at building a model railway layout having for the 1st time ever managed to create some space in a spare bedroom after moving house. Having never done this sort of thing before I decided to buy a few books to give me a few ideas of ‘what to buy’ and ‘how to do it’. This approach believe me is NOT the way to do it. The so called experts who had written the books were obviously out to impress with technical information and the need for a bottomless wallet was paramount to buy all the equipment the writers thought one should have to paint things and stick things together etc. etc.
So what did I do? I stopped and thought….What do I want to do?…..and this is my advice to get you started..it worked for me;-

1) By all means read model railway (railroad) info books on how to do ‘it’ but don’t take it all as a rule of thumb, just get general ideas.
2) Have an picture in your own mind before you start on what you want your layout to represent, for instance modern traction with suitable rolling stock with up to date ancillary buildings around any station area and accompanying town shops and houses.Or alternatively picture the days of steam locos with all the grime of an old engine shed,, water towers, coaling stages and all the ash, rusty sidings old wagons that this era produced.
Just two ideas
3) Its so easy (spurred on by the enthusiasm to get started) to go out to the shop and waste money on buying track, engines and rolling stock without having first some idea of what you want the finished layout to be.
4) Having got started, if you get stuck for ideas then STOP, leave it for a while, then come back to it. Something will eventually click into place, but don,t plough on regardless, it can be expensive.

I started out knowing nothing about how to build a model railway, but I did know what I wanted to finish up with. It happened to be the mid 1960s when the railway in the UK was in the transition period from steam to diesel and was very ‘run down’ with acres of disused sidings, grass growing between the tracks, decrepit engine sheds and filthy locos and rolling stock. This is what I remember vividly and it has made the task of creating it that much easier.

Finally remember that all you need is a good mental picture and a fair degree of common sense

All the best

Bryan

By: Ron Gager NMA UK Southshore Group member

Ron Gager NMA UK Southshore Group member — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:53:00 +0000

Tips on the small things can be very useful too.

eg if you use a jug water filter such as a Brita, the carbon granules in the spent cartridges are just right for ballast or earth when painted over, costing nothing, and giving a warm re-cycling feeling.

eg Chinchilla dust available cheaply from pet stores is very fine and a sandy color making it suitable for pathways etc.

eg Mixing some talcum powder with glossy paint will produce a matt finish.

eg Do not mix lead solder with the new lead free types as they are completely incompatible.

eg Be very careful when using isopropyl alcohol (de-natired alcohol) when ballasting, track
cleaning etc. Plenty of ventilation is absolutely vital. See Wikipedia for the side effects
when ingested by mouth or through the skin or inhaled.

By: Jack Whitney

Jack Whitney — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:37:55 +0000

I have heard a lot about using a fast clock in model railroading. Just what does this mean?

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:10:54 +0000

The idea of a journal makes a lot of sense. Knowing what you have bought & paid for is great for the non-hobbist left with the estate.

By: Patrick Huot

Patrick Huot — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:06:44 +0000

Dan:
You are definately right. I’m a seasoned HO modeler myself and your tips are surely correct.
Especially when it comes to purchasing equipment for the first time. Ebay is prob. the best source to track down the best prices for what your looking for. For example. I had been contemplating buying the new Athearn Southern Pacific GP40X’s for about a year now. (I already had a brass one) $69.99 had been the cheapest advertised price each. I just purchased a set of two for 1- $38.00 and the other for $48.00.
The key when starting out (as you stated) is: explore what’s available, decide how much room you have and then pick a scale. After that it’s a lifetime of hobby enjoyment!
Also: Take a young newcomer under your wing and show them what to do and what there is available. It will be rewarding and they will remember it the rest of their lives. (I did)
Nice chatting with you.
Take care.
phuot@twcny.rr.com

By: Thomas Murphy

Thomas Murphy — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:30:31 +0000

I took your advice and am purchaching most of Atlas NickelSilver track and turn outs from e-bay at a big savings.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:49:49 +0000

Dan is probably correct, many modelers don’t keep a record of money spent and will be higher than one thinks. The articles are good and serve as a very good guide

I build UK steam 1900s to 1960s but manage to get some good ideas. Thank you.