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Track
For track, there are several options: sectional, flexible and hand-laid. My advice is to leave handlaid for later, as it requires some practice and patience to master. Handlaying involves purchasing rail and ties and bonding the two together using track gauges, glue and/or spikes/solder.
Sectional track (or set track) is consistent, but lacks flexibility. Flexi- ble track is a good choice, but takes some care to put down. Many of the project layouts use a combination of the two. Most model railroaders use nickel-silver rail in plastic ties. In HO, Atlas, Micro Engineering, Peco, Shinohara, and Walthers track products are reli- able and look good. In N, Atlas, Micro Engineering and Peco make great track. Poor track and good track poorly laid, especially turn- outs (also called switches), lead to derailments and frustration. You should also note that track has rail of differing sizes, usually code 100andcode83inHO;code70andcode55inN-careshouldbe taken not to mix them up. Micro Engineering does track in codes 83, 70 and 55! Adapting joiners can be bought to ensure smooth transition. Peco, being British, is commonly available in the UK – other manufacturers less so.
Regardless of the manufacturer, regular cleaning of rails is essential. Do not use steel wool or sandpaper. For oxidation (and scenery spills), use a solid cleaning block. Life-Like, Peco and Walthers make good track rubbers. Although more expensive, Atlas and Centerline Products makes excellent track cleaning cars in a variety of scales and gauges. These are a great choice for larger model railroads. Alternatively, (and this is best practice as some of the above have a degree of abrasive) use cleaning fluid rubbed on using a fine cloth – no abrasions and thus no dirt traps! A low pressure vacuum will not go amiss either. Wheels on locomotives and cars will also need to be cleaned occasionally. It is also recommended that you use metal wheels on all freight and passenger cars as plastic wheels not only attract dirt through static electricity but also deposit plastic on the rail head over time.
Power supplies
Without proper control, our trains remain static displays. Almost all model trains today run on 12-volt DC power. This is provided by a transformer or power pack that reduces the AC voltage in your home. Like motive power, cheap power packs do not perform well and lead to frustration. Power packs come in different forms: inte- grated transformer and controller; separate transformers and con- trollers; handset controllers and plug-in panels etc. A visit to your local hobby store is essential to see what meets your needs and your wallet.
You might also consider going straight into DCC (digital command control) where you drive each locomotive independently. Since this involves a significant investment, not only in the control system but also decoders to fit into locomotives, guidance should be sought from fellow members in your area and of course the local hobby store if they supply DCC. Like rolling stock and locomotives, there are various suppliers of DCC products. Whilst many will carry NMRA conformity certificates you cannot use all products across manufac- turers – generally you have to opt for one manufacturer’s control equipment including all handsets but they should be able to operate all locomotives regardless of whose decoder is installed – there can be exceptions but again take advice from fellow members. Each will have their own preference.
Locomotives
Your motive power (locomotive) is one of the most important pieces of equipment you will buy. Without it, your trains won't move. It should run smoothly, get good pickup from the rails and have a good finish. For HO-scale and N-scale diesels, engines by Athearn, Atlas, Bachmann, Kato and Walthers fill the requirements. There are many other makers of motive power, so it is always best to test-run any locomotive before purchase. Steam engine enthusiasts (as op- posed to diesel enthusiasts) must choose their motive power care-
fully, as the complex mechanisms of a steam loco- motive can be finicky. If you choose a steam locomo- tive, be sure it runs well and compare it to others before buying.
If that choice was not hard enough, you also need to
be aware that most model locomotives manufac-
tured today are either DCC-ready or are DCC-equipped. If you want to run locomotives with sound, DCC is your best option but some manufacturers’ locomotives run with sound, albeit a little limited, in analogue or DC mode. Again seek guidance at your local hobby store or from fellow members before you commit to buying.
Rolling stock
There has been a revolution in the way rolling stock is now offered for sale. Fifteen years ago, all HO stock was in kit form, either “shake the box”, with just a few details to add, or craftsman where all parts require assembly and a higher degree of skill is needed. Today virtu- ally all rolling stock in all the popular gauges/scales is offered in “ready to roll” (R-T-R) form. Indeed, there is a wide degree of quality within that also with at one end fairly basic and robust freight cars and at the other end far more detailed and delicate models that re- semble competition standard cars. You can even obtain R-T-R freight car models in HOn3 today!
HO manufacturers include Athearn, Atlas, Exactrail, Intermountain, Kato, Tangent and Walthers. In N scale you have Athearn, Atlas, In- termountain, Kato, Con-Cor and MicroTrains. There are other manu- facturers but these are the main ones. Some kits are still available, usually from manufacturers who produce more obscure or specialist cars. These still require a higher degree of skill to assemble. Passen- ger cars are not forgotten with many quality products available from manufacturers such as Athearn, Rapido and Walthers – the latter even produces complete trains on an annual basis as a theme for the year.
For both rolling stock and motive power, it is good advice to look closely at the couplers that come with the kit or R-T-R product. Al- most all HO-scale model railroaders use a "Kadee-equivalent" cou- pler. Most manufacturers now supply them, or an equivalent, as stan- dard. Kadee also makes couplers in almost every scale and gauge, from N to G, but they are not used as universally in other scales as they are in HO. By following the directions, it is easy to replace the kit -supplied coupler. These Kadee couplers work consistently, provide for easy uncoupling and are much more realistic. MicroTrains supply a similar coupler to the Kadee in
To further improve the operation of rolling stock and locos, learn how to gauge the wheels with an NMRA standards gauge. Consider using a Kadee coupler height gauge to set the correct elevation of each cou- pler, too. Again, enlist fellow modellers for this.
Buildings etc
Structure kits are as varied as the modellers that buy them. Materials encountered in most kits include: plastic, wood, some metal and plaster. Most advanced kits have a combination of materials.
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