I could use some help with my model railroad

Mason,

Welcome to the OGR forum.  As you can see there are many very helpful folks on this site that enjoy encouraging younger members of the hobby. A few things come to mind after reading the posts above.

1. If you can make it to Scranton, you are within striking distance of Allentown. Look up the "First Frost Meet."  Its a large meet in the Allentown area that has a dedicated following on the forum.  

2. There is nothing wrong with collapsible tables. Carpentry is a big part of the hobby, but at your age I wouldn't worry about it. Just make sure they are level. If you don't have access to a level, buy a small one next time you tag along to Walmart or a hardware store.  

3. Noise. In an old house noise travels.  If you can get some heavy felt or some outdoor carpet and put it on the tables before the track it really help reduce the roar.  This should engender a little extra goodwill between you and the rest of the family 

4. Funding is tough. At your age I shoveled a lot of snow and cut a lot of grass to buy trains.  I still have them all and enjoy running them next to my larger equipment. In time you will too.

Good luck and I will continue to check in on your posts.

Jhz

Moonman posted:

Mason Rascona posted:

On another topic I have this MTH FM Trainmaster that's kind of a mystery to me, it doesn't have a serial number and I've only found it on the internet twice, it's Reading 1831, if y'all would kindly help me find out the origin of this locomotive I'd greatly appreciate it!!! I found these pictures below on an auction website

It's an early MTH. Don't power it until you check for a battery. If it has one, replace it. It would be a PS1 system if it has the digital control option.

I've actually been running it for months and I don't believe it was stored with a battery but I'll check and post a picture of the inside

jhz563 posted:

Mason,

Welcome to the OGR forum.  As you can see there are many very helpful folks on this site that enjoy encouraging younger members of the hobby. A few things come to mind after reading the posts above.

1. If you can make it to Scranton, you are within striking distance of Allentown. Look up the "First Frost Meet."  Its a large meet in the Allentown area that has a dedicated following on the forum.  

2. There is nothing wrong with collapsible tables. Carpentry is a big part of the hobby, but at your age I wouldn't worry about it. Just make sure they are level. If you don't have access to a level, buy a small one next time you tag along to Walmart or a hardware store.  

3. Noise. In an old house noise travels.  If you can get some heavy felt or some outdoor carpet and put it on the tables before the track it really help reduce the roar.  This should engender a little extra goodwill between you and the rest of the family 

4. Funding is tough. At your age I shoveled a lot of snow and cut a lot of grass to buy trains.  I still have them all and enjoy running them next to my larger equipment. In time you will too.

Good luck and I will continue to check in on your posts.

Jhz

A video of the inside of the loco

Hello Mason, and welcome to the forum.  You perked up my ears when you mentioned Scranton.  I live in Wilkes-Barre, about 20 miles or so south of there.  Here in W-B (as we like to call it) there's Walter's Hardware on Welles St.  He sells MTH, Williams, and and other train stuff, may want to check it out.  

Mason Rascona posted:

On another topic I have this MTH FM Trainmaster that's kind of a mystery to me, it doesn't have a serial number and I've only found it on the internet twice, it's Reading 1831, if y'all would kindly help me find out the origin of this locomotive I'd greatly appreciate it!!! I found these pictures below on an auction website

Ok, no battery, just a qsi r unit. First catalog that I could find it in was 1996. (attached) They may not have shown all road names in the catalog.

Moonman posted:

Mason Rascona posted:

On another topic I have this MTH FM Trainmaster that's kind of a mystery to me, it doesn't have a serial number and I've only found it on the internet twice, it's Reading 1831, if y'all would kindly help me find out the origin of this locomotive I'd greatly appreciate it!!! I found these pictures below on an auction website

Ok, no battery, just a qsi r unit. First catalog that I could find it in was 1996. (attached) They may not have shown all road names in the catalog.

I actually looked at the manual, I don't know if that matters but the loco was a CNJ Train Master

Mason Rascona posted:

Moonman posted:

Mason Rascona posted:

On another topic I have this MTH FM Trainmaster that's kind of a mystery to me, it doesn't have a serial number and I've only found it on the internet twice, it's Reading 1831, if y'all would kindly help me find out the origin of this locomotive I'd greatly appreciate it!!! I found these pictures below on an auction website

Ok, no battery, just a qsi r unit. First catalog that I could find it in was 1996. (attached) They may not have shown all road names in the catalog.

I actually looked at the manual, I don't know if that matters but the loco was a CNJ Train Master

MTH does that. The engine and operating instructions are the same, only the shell/road name paint is different. The CNJ is one that is shown in the 1996 catalog. If you look for parts, you would search the CNJ FM Item # 2120. 20-2120-0

Does it look like a repaint by someone with decals or is painted lettering and numbers?

Moonman posted:

Mason Rascona posted:

Moonman posted:

Mason Rascona posted:

On another topic I have this MTH FM Trainmaster that's kind of a mystery to me, it doesn't have a serial number and I've only found it on the internet twice, it's Reading 1831, if y'all would kindly help me find out the origin of this locomotive I'd greatly appreciate it!!! I found these pictures below on an auction website

Ok, no battery, just a qsi r unit. First catalog that I could find it in was 1996. (attached) They may not have shown all road names in the catalog.

I actually looked at the manual, I don't know if that matters but the loco was a CNJ Train Master

MTH does that. The engine and operating instructions are the same, only the shell/road name paint is different. The CNJ is one that is shown in the 1996 catalog. If you look for parts, you would search the CNJ FM Item # 2120. 20-2120-0

Does it look like a repaint by someone with decals or is painted lettering and numbers?

I believe it has been repainted in the Chicago Northwestern scheme with Reading Lines decals and 1831 number decals. There is also "T       TAMAQUA      Little Schuylkill Route (cursive)       PORT CLINTON         PC" painted along the side of the locomotive, above the wheels and chassis 

Hey all, it's Mason here alive and well. I was wondering what you kind folks think I should get at my next train show (First Frost Allentown Show) I was thinking about expanding my HO scale things but since I want to complete my O Gauge CNJ Blue Comet set I thought that I'd just stick with O scale and make HO a side project. I moved my O scale trains to my Attic Floor because I could build a bigger layout instead of doing it on small tables. What do you think my min. Curve should be? I was thinking along the lines of O-60 or  O-72. I think that I might stick with fastrack and upgrade to Ross track later. Some of my more recent wish list items that I added to my already mile long wish list are two or three cars, the Atlas O Master Line Troop series car (Troop Sleeper, Troop Kitchen, and the US Army Hospital Car) and the MTH premier line Blue Comet Cylindrical Hopper. (As you can see I love the blue comet) if y'all could tell me what I should get at my next train show please leave a reply. 

Mason Rascona

Hey all, how would I upgrade my MTH train master diesel to DCS? I really want my loco to have sounds, would I just take the innards of mine out and put the innards of another in? HELP!!!

Mason Rascona posted:

Hey all, it's Mason here alive and well. I was wondering what you kind folks think I should get at my next train show (First Frost Allentown Show) I was thinking about expanding my HO scale things but since I want to complete my O Gauge CNJ Blue Comet set I thought that I'd just stick with O scale and make HO a side project. I moved my O scale trains to my Attic Floor because I could build a bigger layout instead of doing it on small tables. What do you think my min. Curve should be? I was thinking along the lines of O-60 or  O-72. I think that I might stick with fastrack and upgrade to Ross track later. Some of my more recent wish list items that I added to my already mile long wish list are two or three cars, the Atlas O Master Line Troop series car (Troop Sleeper, Troop Kitchen, and the US Army Hospital Car) and the MTH premier line Blue Comet Cylindrical Hopper. (As you can see I love the blue comet) if y'all could tell me what I should get at my next train show please leave a reply. 

 

Mason Rascona

You've got a while before the First Frost meet in Allentown.  I'd suggest making a list of what you want and how much you're willing to spend.  Try to keep to that budget.  Keep watching eBay and the buy/sell forum on here.  There are buy/sell groups on FB as well, but I'm not familiar with them.  Then, once First Frost rolls around see what's left on your list.

You might even consider setting two budgets for each item.  The price you're willing to spend and then the price at which you CANNOT pass it up (even if it means borrowing a few $$ from mom or dad).

Say, for example, you REALLY want the Blue Comet cars, but you haven't seen them at a good price yet...but then you come across a stack of O-72 Fast track switches for $10 each...you can't pass on that!  Snatch it up without delay.

Make sense?

As far as minimum curve...this is in the top ten most debated things on this forum.  The short answer is: make it as big as you can.  If you can fit O-72, then do it.  There's nearly nothing you wont be able to run.  O-54 is nice and many things will run on O-54 and that will take up less space.  Keep in mind, you asked about MINIMUM curve.  If you do O-54 min and you have 4 concentric curves, you'd need O-54, O-63, O-72, and then O-81 curves.  So, you should think about min and max curve...

Curve size is one of those things you need to keep in mind as you sketch out layouts.  You really can't commit to curve sizes until you have an idea of what you want to run.  Running on the floor in a free-style way is a good way to experiment with layouts.

Hope that helps keep the ideas coming.

Oh...where in PA do you live?  There are several train clubs in the state.  Joining a club could be one of the best things you do.  You can see others' layouts, you can help with club layouts, build your own module, or just bring your locos out to run somewhere else...

Mason Rascona posted:

Hey all, how would I upgrade my MTH train master diesel to DCS? I really want my loco to have sounds, would I just take the innards of mine out and put the innards of another in? HELP!!!

You might get more help posting this as a separate topic.  This thread is listed in the layout section.  The repair gurus may not see it.  If you post a new thread called "Upgrade MTH Train master to DCS--Advice needed" or something like that, you may get more nibbles...

Mason Rascona posted:

Hey all, it's Mason here alive and well. I was wondering what you kind folks think I should get at my next train show (First Frost Allentown Show) I was thinking about expanding my HO scale things but since I want to complete my O Gauge CNJ Blue Comet set I thought that I'd just stick with O scale and make HO a side project. I moved my O scale trains to my Attic Floor because I could build a bigger layout instead of doing it on small tables. What do you think my min. Curve should be? I was thinking along the lines of O-60 or  O-72. I think that I might stick with fastrack and upgrade to Ross track later. Some of my more recent wish list items that I added to my already mile long wish list are two or three cars, the Atlas O Master Line Troop series car (Troop Sleeper, Troop Kitchen, and the US Army Hospital Car) and the MTH premier line Blue Comet Cylindrical Hopper. (As you can see I love the blue comet) if y'all could tell me what I should get at my next train show please leave a reply. 

 

Mason Rascona

What space have you identified? The temperature extremes in a non-climate controlled attic can make playing trains not fun.

If that's all that's available, then go for it. Check to determine if there is an outlet for electric. If you have to put an adapter in a light socket or something like that, be sure to ask permission to do that.

I agree with John D. Save and hunt year round for the train items that you want.

Hi Mason,

I'd like to suggest you consider the following bits, which I think you might enjoy:

1. Don't leave here!  The OGR Guys are tops in information and comradery!

2. It's ok to look to different groups for different perspectives... that said,

3. Go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxmRjlbOF6E

In this video, you will find 3 nice fellas there, who are also young, O-gauge train enthusiasts, like you.

One of them is Jason, aka jdstucks, or Jason's Trains, who is also a Member of OGRF here.  Jason is in his late 20s.

RJ who is in this video is right around 20 and just started college.

Sam who is also in the video is about 18 or so and in high school I think.

RJ and Sam have started a podcast called "Model Train Talk".  They provide a podcast twice a week.  VERY COOL !

I suggest these three fellows, because:

A. They are your age or slightly older.

B. They are all building new layouts now, but have also built a few smaller layouts before, which you can learn about in their videos.

C. They love O-gauge as much as all of us here do, but they will provide a different perspective than many, because of their age.

D. I've learned a ton from these guys, but even more here at the OGRF!  It's easier for me to 'see' what folks are talking about, rather than reading about it.  AND you can ask questions online, real time.

---------

3. Go to www.menards.com, who is one of the OGR Forums Sponsors.  Great trains, for great prices!

4. You might find that MTH has incredibly detailed rolling stock (freight cars).  If you are VERY careful, you might try buying used MTH freight cars,  If you are NOT very careful, buy sturdier or less expensive brands for now.

5. Find a Model Train Club near you: ONLINE.  Ask your Dad or Mom to go online with you and get to know the Club Members.  Find a few Club Members your Parents approve of and hopefully you can video chat with the Club Members.  Maybe you and your Dad or Mom, can kinda make it a weekly family night thing, at least until this Covid-19 thing is done.

6. Remember, if you look to buy something at a train show or online and "the price looks too good to be true ... it probably is"  (to good to be true). 

-fyi, I'm 64 years old and in a wheelchair.  So find some young guys to share the hobby with.  The hobby is depending on you young guns to keep it rollin....

EB (from NJ, now living in NC)