If you had to restart collecting model trains...

At age 71 I'm not likely to start anything new or different.  I'm perfectly happy with my High Rail Semi-Scale conventional layout.  But if I could turn back time say 50 yrs I'd go with 2-rail scale.

1) I would have started earlier. The 2006 Weaver Catalog still makes me drool.

2) Should have never bought the first piece of Traditional and/or Semi-scale. My friend Kanawaha was right when he urged me to focus on scale.

3) Leave the FasTrack alone, listen to the guys on the OGR Forum and start with GarGraves/Ross.

4) Get a loop of track running ASAP. Were it not for our Modular Club, I would have just thrown up my hands and quit. I keep saying "maybe next year".

 

 

Build a 0.65:1 scale model of the Shaffers Crossing Round House. Build a point to point of the N&W from the coal fields, over the mountains, and down to the coast.

 

 

Wow ... what a cool choice for a model railroad! The area, the era, and the railroads!

 

Kinda the WM's Connellsville Line?

 

Hope you can start building in the not-so-far future, Michael.

I might have waited for American Flyer's modern era resurgence, TMCC's introduction, and limited the size of my collection, if I knew then what I know now.  

 

 

 

 

What, me worry?

 

Starting completely over is a big thing in this hobby, so much so that I think it's the default mode of some people in the hobby. They just start over every few years, no matter how happy they are with what they have.

That makes no sense to me.

I was recently asked when I'm going to tear down my layout and start a new one. I replied that I haven't even started the scenery yet and it hasn't been operational fully for a year yet. The person asking has never even seen the layout and was suggesting I should tear it all down and rebuild. At first I was starting to get pretty ticked as I assumed he was making a comment that I so far have a crummy layout. But later, I realized he mist be one of those guys who changes scales and rebuilds their layout every few years to keep having something to do.

That ain't me. Sure, maybe someday I'll tear it down and start over, but if I did it'd be only because I got a lot more room and could make it much bigger. The concept I have right now is really the only layout concept I ever wanted, for the better part of 25 years now.

I would go with tin only. Too many pesos wasted on crazy Lionel stuff,

 

As for layout size? I'd like an around and back layout that zips down one wall, with a passing siding in between, turns the corner and loops back like a bent bone.

But I'm proud of my current little attempt.

 

Edit: Not so much wasted but "invested at a loss"...

I suppose this is heresy on an O Gauge forum, but I would do the same. Love the heft and detail, etc, of O, but S is just as good on detail and it's just the right compromise between fiddly  HO and O that requires volume for storage and space to run.

I do not know if I would change anything... perhaps being a little more realistic in my goals from the start. That has set me back some, but I am fairly happy with where things are heading though. At age 30, I realize I have time ahead of me to build that dream layout and am hopeful that by the end of the year, I will have my first layout mostly built, a 4x8 tinplate inspired layout, and its opposite started, a 4x8 NYO&W inspired layout. The latter requires kit and scratchbuilding structures, so it will require a little more start up time.

 

As for the second part of the question... dream layout would be the NYO&W Utica Division and Northern Division from Utica, NY to Norwich, NY. Single track time table operation at its finest.

I wouldn't collect at all.

 

I'd buy exclusively what is needed to build the model RR layout I want and run those items appropriate to its era and prototype.

 

Everything else is a waste of time, money and resources.

 

 

Tim,

   Thru the years I have had many different O Gauge Layouts, especially in the Boys Club years of the 50's & 60's.  In reality I would not change the learning experience for anything, it's all been great.  I do especially like the Tin Plate Trains, especially at Christmas time, I still set up a Christmas layout every year, I do wish they could have been even bigger.

PCRR/Dave

I've always bought for my fancy at the time.  When that stage was over, I'd tear up the layout, sell everything, and buy again.  They only thing I've kept going from HO, to N, to HO, to O is the Harry Potter set.  My youngest loves HP!  Right now, I've been acquiring Marx M10005's.  Not sure why, but that's where I'm at now.  After I sold everything off a year ago, I saw a thread on the OGR forum about the streamliners and they were so dang ugly they're cute.  I'm in the process of scrapping my test-run track and building a small layout.  As yet, I've never done a permanent layout and I don't know that I ever will.  I change my mind too much.

I thought about saying "move to HO" for space reasons, but then dismissed that.  Every time I pick up (or attempt to pick up) my Chessie T1, I realize there's no comparison between O and HO.

 

I'll echo the "buying less" comments and add that I wish I hadn't collected across limited road names.  Having 50 Chessie locomotives is fine, but 50 locomotives across dozens of road names would have been pretty sharp too.

I agree 100% on this. I have no rolling stock that isn't intended for my layout and is specific for the exact time and place for that concept. Well, I have a Lionel HO scale Freedom Train 4449 in a glass case, but that's it. Everything else was bought, modified and weathered specifically for use on my layout and would probably look out of place anywhere else.

I simply don't get the idea of buying trains that you never intended to run (and yes, I did run that HO scale 4449 when I still had a HO layout, in my teens), especially the expensive ones.

I didn't 'collect' On30 stuff so much as stockpile it. I bought, painted, decaled and weathered everything while I was still planning the layout. So when the tracks were in, all I had to do is open a bunch of boxes and break out my re-railer tools...

I agree too!  It took me a while to see the light in that, but it has made all the difference.

 

Key words are "restart collecting."

I would have never let go of my first collection if it could have been avoided.

I would buy higher quality more expensive versions of items that I had.

Everything must have original box, liners, paperwork, and peripheral items.

This has been an evolution instead of a re-start.  When I started it was 027 post war stuff from my youth, then MPC (I know horrors) because that what there was, then more scale stuff, then everything that struck my fancy.  Along came technology but I was and continue to be a late adopter.  More exposure to other layouts, 2 rail scale, a narrowing of focus and 2 partial re builds of the layout gets me to where I am today.  I enjoyed and still do enjoy the ride, it's a process, not a task onto itself.

 

When I got back into trains as an adult, I bought a bunch of clearance-sale traditional sized rolling stock before I stumbled into the scale end of things.  The only thing I would do differently is not buy those traditional-sized pieces.

 

Andy

Jokingly I tell folks if I had to do it over again, I'd go with Marklin Z gauge.  Would save a ton of space for collecting, figure can fit 100 pieces of Z gauge rolling stock in the size of a typical O gauge freight car box.

 

In all seriousness I'd be fine with just focusing on a particular era, like late 1970s / early 1980s high end Lionel items.  Certainly made some great pieces in that time frame that can be found at bargain prices today.

 

 

Starting over I'd big or go home - standard gauge. Heavy metal.

I would  have went 2 rail from the get go and prototypical too.  TOO many toys in 3rail and all identical passenger sets sitting next to one another just aint right

I had the chance to buy a 15" gauge mining locomotive and the frames/trucks of two flat cars, along with some rail. I seriously considered it, thinking I'd build a 'dogbone' with a single track with reverse loops with spring switches at each end. Our property is totally flat and devoid of trees, and narrow/long, which leaves us with a back yard perfect for that.

I decided that since it might be possible that my employer could move us in the next 5-10 years, it'd be a bad idea to invest that much time and money into something I might never get to use again if we moved. That, and my wife made it clear that I'd have to sell my WW2 Jeep and many other hobby things to pay for it (not to mention she had me on a plan that would have me running trains about 20-30 years after the equipment showed up) made me decide against it.

I went with the On30 version of the layout concept I'd always wanted, but there are times I wonder what would have happened had I gone with something I could have riddenin, instead.

This won't be popular to say but I wish I had stuck with HO. O is too big not only on the layout but to store. I'm single and spent a lot of time making shelves and need more.

Although we all know the advantages of O and have gone over it many times.

I would have started collecting postwar earlier - in the 70's instead of the mid 80's. I would have built a bigger house, with a bigger garage and a train room. 

I believe I'd collect girlfriends.  They don't take up as much time or money and you can take them on the town once in awhile.

There is a puzzling amount of animosity against traditional Lionel/Tinplate here (especially given which forum this is).  You aren't required to like it, but why insult it?  Why is it somehow Cool to like scale trains and Not Cool to like non-scale ones?

Tim, another thought provoking question.  I'll go back and read everyone's answers later.  Didn't want theirs to sway my answer. 

 

For me, I did start over about 3 1/2 years ago.  I had modeled in HO since the late '60, but in recent years HO seemed too small.  I had been considering it for years, and had sold most of my HO trains, helping with our two daughters' tuition.  I went with MTH PS2 as a start and like it a lot.  Then Christmas two years ago, one daughter found two complete postwar sets at a thrift store, and gave them to me.  I have purchased some MPC era trains as well with an eye on running them for grandkids...if we ever have any.  I have bought some O gauge trains, sold some to buy others, but I have been happy with each deal.  So, I am feeling my way around all over again, and it has been refreshing.

Since size and $$$ are no restraint in this scenario......I'd skip ALL of this scale/non-scale/pre-war/war/postwar/tinplate/chromeplate, ect and go into the 1:1 scale size trains.  Why have a "toy" when the real thing is available????

Good Timing on this, actually I am in the process of doing just this!  Dumping off all the modern for prewar Tinplate!  Gonna start building my benchwork this coming weekend!!!

Also, I would have built a ranch style house instead of the 2-story colonial we did build.  It would have given me a bigger basement plus one less stairs to climb. 

If I had to start over ?  I would Not start over ! 

I started over after losing a job in 2002 ! It has taken 13 years to get less than half of what I had before !

 

 

I'd have sold my first house sooner because it limited my layout size considerably.  Meanwhile, I collected a ton of engines, cars, accessories, buildings, etc.. but it has sat too long in boxes.   I look back at all the years lost where I did not run my trains and think about how I've shortened the time remaining to enjoy them.   The accuisision phase was fun, but too long.   My $0.02 is try to get  beyond whatever is holding you back from building your dream layout and get started on it sooner than later.   Don't let "someday" take forever (or never?) to arrive.

Realizing that post war trains are poor investments and that there would never be enough room for everything purchased on a layout .

My layout can handle four trains running at the same time on four loops. I have another two train sets in the sidings so why are there 35 engines on the shelves?  I should  have purchased only what the layout being planned could use with a few extra spares.

Every postwar accessory that Lionel ever produced is in my collection. The layout uses less than 6 of these so why have all of them?  Working on a non-prototype corner but many accessories may never leave the boxes. 

Today the buying is more specific, purposeful, select and the hysteria has subsided.

quote:

 The layout uses less than 6 of these so why have all of them? 

 

While many people do both, collecting and operating are two different hobbies. I don't know how you came by your collection. My collection was built through years of activity, learning about the trains, and then trying to find them. Along the way I met many people, some of whom became good friends.

In other words there has been a lot of activity surrounding the acquisition of the trains I have. That's why I have mine.

Thanks! Yes, I would love to model both the WM Connellsvile Spub and the B&O Keystone Sub. If I had to model one though, I think I would go B&O.

To start over with room and money? Almost all our club members have layouts that lean towards scale. I guess I would do the same. I am from the toy train/Plasticville era and most of my modeling shows that. However I am not out of the loop. I have and run enough of today's offerings to satisfy me.

Money is no object with lots of room. I guess every caboose that was ever offered.

Jim

If I had to start  O scale model railroading all over again, I would not purchase any K-line products, 0-27 tinplate track and I would start with 1/48 scale products.

If I were to start collecting again, I would not change anything.

You can add me to the group that would not do this again.  If it were possible to "go back" I would concentrate on wood working and wood turning.  Although that equipment looses value too, it's a better use of the money.  IMHO

Build an exercise room instead of a train room.