New to forum

Welcome aboard, Ken. You’ll get plenty of help and advice here!

Hi Ken- welcome aboard.

Review the terms of service. Pretty straight forward and other than posting copyrighted material you should be good to go. Keep politics out of the discussions and you will find plenty of train crazy guys like yourself.

Pay attention to the forums you post to (3-rail toy trains, 2-rail scale), and use the search feature to look up old info. You will get several snide comments about looking up old posts if you ask bring up certain topics like TMCC/ DCS, scale size, best track cleaner, etc.

I've been on the forum for about 7 years and it's one of the best around for o gauge trains.

Feel free to post pix of your layout and ask away. Vertical videos are a big no no.

Bob

Hi again Ken,  Good questions.  I joined the forum almost a year ago and had wondered about some of the questions you're asking.  Here is a link to a topic I started that had many helpful responses. Forum Etiquette Help for New Members

@Artie-DL&W posted:

Welcome aboard, Ken. You’ll get plenty of help and advice here!

Love the eye patch, I'm missing right eye also

Ken

As encouragement to you to post your layout pix and/or videos to the OGR FORUM, I've attached several photos of my L-shaped train layout at home. Start snapping and posting pictures! 

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394

Good point Mike. We're not all rivet counters around here Ken. I have a humble 4X8 that I call a layout.

As a quick primer, when you post a reply or create a topic, there will be a small script at the bottom right of the window that reads, "Add Attachments".

Just click on it and it will take you to another small window where you can locate pic's and vid's on your computer/device and add them to your post. It will also allow you to incorporate the picture(s) into your actual post in "full" size if you want, rather than as an attachment. Alos, be aware there are file size limits, but they are large.

As I already knew:  Train people are awesome!  Thanks for all of the encouragement and help everyone.
Ken

Welcome aboard, Ken! This forum is a great resource for all things toy trains. Looking forward to seeing shots of your layout.

John

Great to have you here Ken. There are several recurring photo/video threads here. Things like Weekend Photo Fun, Boxcar Thursday (actually I forget the exact day!) But those topics are open for posting to and you will see many others in time. There is also a Rail Fanning one too. You will learn much and enjoy more being involved here.

Train ON!

Jim K

Yes, welcome aboard the most fun model train forum that I know of, the many threads about layouts, videos, for sale and want ad columns, pictures of the day, tail end Tuesday’s, Box car sundays, and so much more. Happy Railroading Everyone

Yo Ken, Welcome aboard.  Few real life experts here but we all play one on the forum.  If we can't answer your question we'll just make one up that sounds pretty good.    No charge, no guarantee.

We love to see new blood Ken, welcome to the forum!  We'd love to see your layout, so when you get the chance, we're all eyes.   BTW, what part of the country are you from?

Here's what I call home right now, still a work in progress.

Welcome Ken.  I take it from your forum name that you are perhaps from the Outer Banks.  Cool!  This is the best online forum there is, lots of good info and sharing.  From your respectful approach you will blend in just fine.

Earl       

Welcome aboard Ken!

Welcome to the forum..  you will have a great time..

Good lord GRJ what a layout.  How wide is that yard where the trains are staged?

@aussteve posted:

Good lord GRJ what a layout.  How wide is that yard where the trains are staged?

The yard is 36" wide, 3.5" center-to-center spacing on the ten tracks.

Welcome Ken, one thing to remember is we're all here to have and share our fun and love of trains! Everyone is correct that there is so much information here and a lot to learn for others!

That being said I sure hope to see some post of your layout and hope you have fun along the way!

Welcome. Sure you will love this forum.

Ken, welcome.   Absolutely you should post photos and videos, ask questions, post any hints/tricks that have worked well for you etc.   Glad you're here !    Chris A

Once again, thanks for all the support and encouragement, and yes Conductor Earl, I reside on the OBX of NC. Here’s a few pics of when I restarted my layout efforts after about a 17 years of hiatus.   

Wow, a lot of progress, I like what you're dong with the buildings.

One recommendation.  You might want to reconsider the curves right at the edge of the turntable.  Many locomotives will end up hitting the bridge sides on the turntable before they can get straightened out.  Don't ask me how I know this!

Also, you don't really need the whisker tracks to be substantially longer than the bridge on the turntable.  If you can't turn it on the TT, there's no point in having more empty track than you need to fit the locomotive

Thanks for the advice about curves and whisker tracks. I’m only planning on using shorter engines on the two garden tracks. As you will see in future pics, my room is small, not very much real estate for my right of way. At the time I had restarted the layout, I was trying to stay with original track plan. After two months of crimping then soldering every termination on the layout, I had to change from original three loops to two. Long story on that one. This was an unfinished room over garage. There was wall and door framing in place and the upstairs HVAC was out towards center of room. I moved the hvac and built knee walls. Because of this I built table to walk around 3 sides because hvac will have to be updated From R22 someday. I framed door at bottom of steps and built a banister and gate at top to open room up. I know it’s only an illusion but the room does appear bigger and I’m not claustrophobic now🤪 

I hope they're real short locomotives, I had a curve about 9" out for one and a GP7 ran into the TT bridge, I realized it was time to make a longer straight...

Welcome, Ken.......nice looking mountain tunnel!

Peter

Is there a way to pm someone here?

@obxtrainman posted:

Is there a way to pm someone here?

Only if you're a digital member, then you can PM other digital members.  However, if they have an email in their profile, you can send them an email.

Sorry, I found it. I’ll catch on. Lol, it took me 3 years to figure out FB doesn’t use a messaging type format, but to my surprise I had my own wall. 🤨.

obxtrainman,   Welcome Aboard!  Got questions?  It's a 99.9% chance you will get an answer right here on this Great Forum.  I have learned so much from these Super Great folks!

You have a nice layout!!

I'm a Tarheel neighbor of yours.

Robert

Sorry, old timers was setting in. Right at one year ago I was dry fitting, testing, and trying dearly to get off of that corner. After GRJ’s intuitive concern about the curves of my two garden tracks  at RH.  I remembered I used a MTH premier  passenger car to facilitate my adjustments to the tracks. I also manipulated the hand rails on the bridge a bit.  Keeping in mind this whole mess is scratch built, of which ended up with a 3.5 inch space between concerned area. Please excuse my excessive posts, I’m just really excited about finally after 20+ years getting my layout to this juncture. Not to mention coming out of the dark to interact with all on this site.

Ken, Welcome to the OGR Forum!  We are glad to have you, and it looks like you have really made some nice progress on your layout.  I like the interior of that building and like your town.  It looks like you have learned how to post photographs and videos.  Very nice!

It is quite considerate that you ask about etiquette right away when you introduce yourself.  Some folks online don't think of it, but the vast majority of folks here are like minded with you!  Feel free to ask any question or comment on others' work.  You have already seen how quickly folks respond.  Here's a video I took of my layout this week.