H.O. trains

[S.A. Boggs]

Anybody into them?
Sam

[Allen]

Welcome back Sam.

No. I liked the larger scale including slot cars, whatever that was. Over time all you could buy was the HO stuff so I lost interest.

[dryheat]

I was just at an estate sale. I picked up some wood and metal but the son took me in the very big garage and there was a train setup like you've never seen. It was 20 ft. long with all the brush and hills and water towers.

[dogtag]

Used to be. Built a model railroad layout in basement
of house I used to own. My Son and kid next door managed
to damage scenery by leaning on it (Wire and paper mache)

Marklin was the best method as they ran on AC so you could
run several trains at once, unlike DC where you had to run
tracks in blocks.

[5thDragoons]

I never did get into a layout, but I consider them an actual art form. It always amazes me how detailed some of them get. The main down side for me is how much room even a small one takes up. SW

[S.A. Boggs]

Used to be. Built a model railroad layout in basement
of house I used to own. My Son and kid next door managed
to damage scenery by leaning on it (Wire and paper mache)

Marklin was the best method as they ran on AC so you could
run several trains at once, unlike DC where you had to run
tracks in blocks.

I am going from DC to DCC to be able to control multiples. The mountain is built from left over board insulation, used dryer sheets, cardboard strips and plaster of Paris. Mom does the painting and I construct the layout.
The layout is built so that I can sit in my office chair instead of long time standing. The layout is three sections, the first is 12'x4', 8'x4',10'x2'. I figure to have it completed in say a hundred years.
Samthumbnail (22).jpgthumbnail (23).jpg

[S.A. Boggs]

Three years ago my wife and daughter asked what I wanted for Christmas, and I blurted out a train set. I had a Lionel 60 years ago and I thought it would be fun. I got a Bachman, an expansion set and 4 buildings from Menards. Then followed 18 months of watching YouTube tutorials. Last year I had a problem with spider mites, so I took out all of the plants and now turned my room into a toy room. I am relocating my reloading room out here and turning the old reloading room into a larger pantry.
Besides the amount of time spent researching what I want to design, I need to relearn soldiering for the bus wire for the track. Sometimes I have found myself sitting, staring at the layout trying to see what I want and how do I accomplish it. Coffee and doughnut help me to do the time. Time frame is 1935-1960, so I have a time of transition from steam to diesel. My son is an engineer/conductor for CSX so I can bounce idea's off of him.
Sam

[dogtag]

Years ago there used to be a model shop near me (Long gone)
Sold them my Hornby LMS set (Wish I hadn't) but I was
interested in the Japanese HO brass engines. I bought a brass tank
engine which I still have, but what I lusted after was their fabulous
brass model of Big Boy 4 8 8 4. Never got it - wish I had.
If I remember correctly, they also made a Challenger 4 6 6 4 but
I may be dreaming.
I later change to collecting cast iron buses.

[PWC]

I bought a train, "Little Switcher," to run around the Christmas tree at McChord AFB, WA in 1979. In 1981 in West Germany, at Kapaun AS, the BX Toyland had a bunch of trains but I didn't buy any. After Christmas I went back to toyland and they were clearing it out. They had a box of trains, tracks, cars and power packs thrown in a box. They said they were returns that didn't work. I paid $5 fdor the box.

Now you have to remember that Europe runs on 220 AC and for American appliances to work there they have to be rewired or use a transformer to step down the voltage to 115 AC. Lamps, you just change the bulbs. So, I took the box home and checked it out. Every engine worked and only one power pack was fried. I guess the original buyer did not use the 75 watt transformers that proliferated all over for the getting, and their trains didn't work, so they got returned.

I was surprised the engines didn't fry; I have steam engines about 4" long and diesel engines about 6" long. They've been put away for 15 yrs now, grand kids are grown. No room. I ought to get them down and buy some track cleaner for Christmas.

My boss had a little train smaller than N scale that ran around on the corner of his desk. His wife gave it to him, and I couldn't talk him out of it.

[barretcreek]

Guy up the road was into "T Rail", ran a retirement business making parts and restoring.