Model railroading is a fascinating science-based art form that has been appropriately dubbed by many people as the “World’s Greatest Hobby”. It is extremely versatile and incorporates many learning opportunities in the realm of artistic creativity with third dimensional sculpturing, painting, airbrushing, decorating and landscaping, and also in the scientific exploration of electronics, physics, mechanics, engineering and architecture, all combined with the humanistic qualities of humor, friendship, family activities, social interaction, the strive for achievement and the great sense of accomplishment that comes with it.
Who would be interested in this all-encompassing hobby?
• Anyone interested in trains and railroads and how they operate
• Anyone interested in history from the 1800’s to the present
• Anyone who likes art, but thinks s/he has no talent
• Science and engineering buffs
• Anyone interested in architecture, bridges and tunnels
• Those with interests in electronics, lighting and sound effects
• Families who want a hobby that everyone can be involved in
• Children of all ages from 1 to 100.
• Those who enjoy gardening and would like to have a train running through outdoor landscaping (Usually in G or LGB scale)
How do you get started?
The first thing to do is buy a train set. What scale you use is personal preference, but HO (1:87) is the most popular for indoor trains and would be a good one to start with if you don’t really have a particular preference right now. Z, N, HO, S, O and G are the more commonly used scales from smaller to larger. When you go to the hobby shop, you will see the sizes of the different scales that will help you choose.
Set up your train on a table or carpet and just have fun with it. After a while, you will start thinking, “What if I add a passing branch line here and a couple of spurs over there, and while I’m at the hobby store picking up the track and turnouts I need, I’ll get 1 or 2 structure kits to put next to the spurs so I’ll have some place for my train to go and something for it to do or accomplish in its journey around the track.”
So there you are. You have already started a layout!
Benchwork
After that, if you want to expand further, you will need to figure out a permanent place for your layout; and then, build some benchwork or have someone build it for you. It could just be a small shelf or a bench inside a closet depending on your available space. You could even do Z scale and put it in a suitcase!
Theme
Put a piece of plywood and some construction foam sheets from the local home building store on top of your new benchwork or shelf. Get the tracks that came with your train set and any additional tracks you may have purchased, put them together on your layout surface and start brainstorming about what you want your trains to do, how you want them to operate, what era they will operate in, and what general locale you want them to be going through. In other words, you’re developing a theme for your railroad.
Planning
Then sit down with a piece of paper and start drawing tracks. Start with a mainline – the primary route that your trains will travel. Add a freight yard and a passenger station. Use your knowledge of the history of the locale that interests you to figure out what industries you want to include and whether you want to model a prototype railroad or create your own railroad company. You may have to do a little research here, but this is so easy to do these days with the Internet, it should be breeze, and fun to learn about. You and the family could even take a trip to the area and visit the local railroad museum to gather information and take pictures of the buildings, the bridges and the landscape.
Learning
In the meantime, you can also begin gathering general information about model railroading, learn how to lay track to avoid derailments, how to use easy, inexpensive methods of creating mountains, tunnels, bridges, trees, rocks and other scenery. Learn how to improve your wiring so that 2 people can operate trains at the same time. A multitude of information is available in books at the hobby store or online that will help you gain this knowledge.
Building
Then, just start doing it. Continue to build your layout as you’re learning. If you make a mistake, that’s okay; that’s how you learn. Just go back and do it over, or leave it the way it is and do it better the next time. The idea mostly is to have fun, learn new things, and involve friends and family. The hobby is so versatile; almost anyone can find something about it that s/he would be interested in doing. Each project that is completed will give you a sense of accomplishment and achievement. Each building kit that you complete and place on your layout, surrounded by trees and shrubs and miniature people, all served by your trains coming and going, delivering supplies, milk, produce, grain, etc., will add to the enjoyment.
As you go along, you can start adding extra things like hobo campfires that flicker, buildings that look like they’re on fire, lots of different sound effects, sunset lighting – all fun things that add ambiance and realism to the scenes.
Enjoying
Now you can just sit back and watch the trains, right? No. Not really, because you’ll always want to keep doing things to make it better. Take out an old scene and put in a better one. Make a scene with river rapids and a waterfall – complete with sound effects of rushing water. Put up street lamps. Make lighted signs for your buildings. Add a roundhouse and engine service facility with yard lights. Make your railroad look as exciting in the evening light as it is in the daylight….
So it goes. Model railroading is a great hobby for all ages. It is always interesting and engaging. You may have times when other priorities get in the way, but you will always want to come back to it. Why? Because it’s fun, exciting, educational and allows an expression of creativity that makes us feel good about ourselves.
So, when are you going to start your railroad?
(This overview is brought to you by Building Your Model Railroad - A Comprehensive Guide.)
Who would be interested in this all-encompassing hobby?
• Anyone interested in trains and railroads and how they operate
• Anyone interested in history from the 1800’s to the present
• Anyone who likes art, but thinks s/he has no talent
• Science and engineering buffs
• Anyone interested in architecture, bridges and tunnels
• Those with interests in electronics, lighting and sound effects
• Families who want a hobby that everyone can be involved in
• Children of all ages from 1 to 100.
• Those who enjoy gardening and would like to have a train running through outdoor landscaping (Usually in G or LGB scale)
How do you get started?
The first thing to do is buy a train set. What scale you use is personal preference, but HO (1:87) is the most popular for indoor trains and would be a good one to start with if you don’t really have a particular preference right now. Z, N, HO, S, O and G are the more commonly used scales from smaller to larger. When you go to the hobby shop, you will see the sizes of the different scales that will help you choose.
Set up your train on a table or carpet and just have fun with it. After a while, you will start thinking, “What if I add a passing branch line here and a couple of spurs over there, and while I’m at the hobby store picking up the track and turnouts I need, I’ll get 1 or 2 structure kits to put next to the spurs so I’ll have some place for my train to go and something for it to do or accomplish in its journey around the track.”
So there you are. You have already started a layout!
Benchwork
After that, if you want to expand further, you will need to figure out a permanent place for your layout; and then, build some benchwork or have someone build it for you. It could just be a small shelf or a bench inside a closet depending on your available space. You could even do Z scale and put it in a suitcase!
Theme
Put a piece of plywood and some construction foam sheets from the local home building store on top of your new benchwork or shelf. Get the tracks that came with your train set and any additional tracks you may have purchased, put them together on your layout surface and start brainstorming about what you want your trains to do, how you want them to operate, what era they will operate in, and what general locale you want them to be going through. In other words, you’re developing a theme for your railroad.
Planning
Then sit down with a piece of paper and start drawing tracks. Start with a mainline – the primary route that your trains will travel. Add a freight yard and a passenger station. Use your knowledge of the history of the locale that interests you to figure out what industries you want to include and whether you want to model a prototype railroad or create your own railroad company. You may have to do a little research here, but this is so easy to do these days with the Internet, it should be breeze, and fun to learn about. You and the family could even take a trip to the area and visit the local railroad museum to gather information and take pictures of the buildings, the bridges and the landscape.
Learning
In the meantime, you can also begin gathering general information about model railroading, learn how to lay track to avoid derailments, how to use easy, inexpensive methods of creating mountains, tunnels, bridges, trees, rocks and other scenery. Learn how to improve your wiring so that 2 people can operate trains at the same time. A multitude of information is available in books at the hobby store or online that will help you gain this knowledge.
Building
Then, just start doing it. Continue to build your layout as you’re learning. If you make a mistake, that’s okay; that’s how you learn. Just go back and do it over, or leave it the way it is and do it better the next time. The idea mostly is to have fun, learn new things, and involve friends and family. The hobby is so versatile; almost anyone can find something about it that s/he would be interested in doing. Each project that is completed will give you a sense of accomplishment and achievement. Each building kit that you complete and place on your layout, surrounded by trees and shrubs and miniature people, all served by your trains coming and going, delivering supplies, milk, produce, grain, etc., will add to the enjoyment.
As you go along, you can start adding extra things like hobo campfires that flicker, buildings that look like they’re on fire, lots of different sound effects, sunset lighting – all fun things that add ambiance and realism to the scenes.
Enjoying
Now you can just sit back and watch the trains, right? No. Not really, because you’ll always want to keep doing things to make it better. Take out an old scene and put in a better one. Make a scene with river rapids and a waterfall – complete with sound effects of rushing water. Put up street lamps. Make lighted signs for your buildings. Add a roundhouse and engine service facility with yard lights. Make your railroad look as exciting in the evening light as it is in the daylight….
So it goes. Model railroading is a great hobby for all ages. It is always interesting and engaging. You may have times when other priorities get in the way, but you will always want to come back to it. Why? Because it’s fun, exciting, educational and allows an expression of creativity that makes us feel good about ourselves.
So, when are you going to start your railroad?
(This overview is brought to you by Building Your Model Railroad - A Comprehensive Guide.)
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