Recently rediscovered Toy trains!

welcome c., and congratulations on what will hopefully be a Christmas day to remember.  unfortunately unless you want to stay traditional, the days of a simple box with black and orange handles is long gone.  my advice is to hang out in this forum and read, read, read before you decide to buy anything new; there are so many directions you can go.

 

cheers...gary

Ditto, and all I can say is as a no brainer, go with Ross Switches and Gargraves track.

I wish I had!

Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Please dont take it too seriously. You will go nuts. There has never been a better time for trains. you,ll be amazed. 

 

welcome back, 

Getting back into O-Gauge trains with your wife's support is a wonderful Christmas present by itself. Welcome back and Merry Christmas.

A hearty 'Welcome' from all of us here - you'll soon find that this forum is one of the best parts of this hobby. Please do as Gary (above) suggests - READ READ & READ some more..

Welcome aboard. Your dates of having a layout, the 20 year hiatus, and now your return coincide almost exactly with mine. I entered back in the hobby 2 years ago.

My email is in my profile, please feel free to email me or perhaps by phone after the email. I have learned so much in that time that could save you a bit of " newbie blues".

My return was a track around the Christmas tree with all items from my original collection.  With one exception, I used MTH Real Trax ( similar to Lionel Fast Track) around the tree. Wow...no more tacks pulling apart and you could walk on it without damage.

I then bought a Lionel Legacy engine not even knowing what Command Contol was. To me it was just a nice Diesel engine. I set her on the tracks and I almost went crazy hearing her come to life, lights and smoke. I remember that moment like the birth of my children ( tongue in cheek).

I now run the old stuff when feeling nostalgic or pensive but it is Command Control all the way for me. I have both the Legacy Command System and the Mikes Train House (DCS) command system; both have their good, or rather great, points and both have a few weak spots.

It's a long great road to travel being back into trains. I, and probably many here, envy you at being able to see all that is new in the hobby for the very first time...you WILL be simply amazed.

One last thing; you made the best of choices finding the OGR forum at the start. I was a year back navigating by myself and then found this forum. The forum answered my year long list of so many questions in no time at all. The guys and gals here are great and the OGR staff are very giving of their time both here and at shows. They make you feel like one of the family.

Jeff, & the rest of all the guys who are here, thanks so much for the great welcoming! I am going thru a metamorphis for sure...starting with a Christmass tree oval, and soon to be building a layout upstairs! I am so hooked on the post war and now discovering tinplate pre war, but I know what looms over the horizon...the command stuff...so I will travel slowly into the nexus and enjoy every day of it!

Another cheerful "Welcome Aboard" c. lee........do you have any of your original trains from your first layout?  You'll find lots of assistance here on the forum if and when you ask for it.  Have a very Merry Christmas.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

c. Lee,

   Welcome back to the greatest hobby in the world and the best forum in the world.

One of the many decissions you will need to make is whether you want a realistic or toy train layout, myself my layouts are always toy train oriented, no matter what size I build. Others like the realism, have fun no matter which you happen to choose!

Merry Christmas

PCRR/Dave

 

 

Tex, yes I do have some stuff from the past...and Dave, I was thinking of a combo toy-

ish realistic ...almost surreal!

I do want to use some of the post war accessories, and keep the scenery realistic...but run all types of consist's.

Welcome to the Forum, You found the right place to get all your questions answered.

Don't worry about the fact that a few folks are unswervingly dedicated to any one brand. They all have good and bad days.

Will agree with chipset on the Ross Switches.

Made in the USA, hand spiked rails on wood ties. VERY Well Made and absolutely the best support. I have a couple myself.

I'm building a new layout with MTH Scaletrax, which is awesome except not well available.

I've had Switches and track on back order for months.

I got the Ross O-72 wyes because MTH does not offer those in Scaletrax yet.

 

As Far as Command, I prefer MTH's DCS but have and use TMCC from Lionel as well.

No Legacy engines yet but only time will tell.

Both systems will work together on a layout but you will want to learn about wiring for DCS before building a layout as it is more particular in that area.

C. Welcome back in the hobby. Lot of new Tech stuff probably since you were last into it. Good luck with your latout.