Answers to questions we get frequently asked.
"I have some old trains from a family member's collection that were left to me. Do you know where I can sell them and get them repaired?"
Americas Best Train and Hobby Shop in Itasca, Illinois does consignment and can direct you to those doing model train repairs.
www.americasbesttrain.com
"I'm interested in getting my child a train. Where do I begin?"
Your local hobby shop is a great place to start! They will have all the answers you need. A hobby shop here in Elgin specializes in trains.
www.bgtrainworld.com
"Model railroading seems a lot more expensive than I remember. Can I afford for this as a hobby?"
It doesn't have to be expensive. As with most electronics, the technology has exploded. You can buy computer controlled system and engines with microchips in them that have sound and lights, or even talk to you. The tried-and-true basic model trains are all you really need to enjoy the hobby. An engine, a few cars, power pack and some track can provide you and your family with years of reliable pleasure.
"What is a good layout to start out with? What size trains should I go with?"
Model trains are made to scale. Not just small but accurately sized in comparison to the real thing. There are three common sizes are frequently modeled in America: O scale is the largest, HO is medium, and N scale is the smallest. A 40 foot box car in real life is about 10 inches long in O scale and approximately 3 inches long in N scale.
A reliable standard is a sheet of 4x8 plywood for an O or HO Scale layout or a hollow core door for N scale, from your neighborhood lumber yard or home improvement store. Both will offer enough room for an oval track plan with room for expansion. For students or apartment dwellers, consider a shelf layout. It has the advantage of going with you when you move, and its smaller footprint is cheaper to equip with track in the first place. Of course at KCMRC, we're fond of belonging to a club where a group works together on a layout and has ample room to run long trains.
"Where is a good place to get ideas?"
Train shows and swap meets like the Great American Train Show in Wheaton Illinois and the Rock River train show at Belvidere North High School in Belvidere Illinois are great places to see many things model railroading and shop for something used.
There are also some great online resources for track planning as well as my routing section of your local library.
"Is model railroading dying as a hobby?"
No, not at all, but it has been through some dynamic changes in the last ten years. With the advent of ebay, online sales, and 3-D printing, brick and mortar hobby shops have had to face competition with more vendors including mom and pop cottage buisnesses and several historic locations have closed. Free online magazines have posed challenges to revered print publications and some of the low cost, minimum quality model companies have embraced modern technology, making more expensive, crisper products - at a higher price.
At the same time, a generation of millenials have embraced online gaming and smart devices, while stores like Radio Shack that supported the equipment used in modeling have decreased in number.
Fortunately podcasting, a DIY audio magazine recording technology, has exploded promoting railroading like never before. New products including bluetooth equipped locomotives operated from a smart device have recently been released, and greatly simplify running trains. Rechargeable battery locos that plug in like iPhones and tablets are increasing in number too, which eliminates almost all of the wiring associated with a layout.
"I have some old trains from a family member's collection that were left to me. Do you know where I can sell them and get them repaired?"
Americas Best Train and Hobby Shop in Itasca, Illinois does consignment and can direct you to those doing model train repairs.
www.americasbesttrain.com
"I'm interested in getting my child a train. Where do I begin?"
Your local hobby shop is a great place to start! They will have all the answers you need. A hobby shop here in Elgin specializes in trains.
www.bgtrainworld.com
"Model railroading seems a lot more expensive than I remember. Can I afford for this as a hobby?"
It doesn't have to be expensive. As with most electronics, the technology has exploded. You can buy computer controlled system and engines with microchips in them that have sound and lights, or even talk to you. The tried-and-true basic model trains are all you really need to enjoy the hobby. An engine, a few cars, power pack and some track can provide you and your family with years of reliable pleasure.
"What is a good layout to start out with? What size trains should I go with?"
Model trains are made to scale. Not just small but accurately sized in comparison to the real thing. There are three common sizes are frequently modeled in America: O scale is the largest, HO is medium, and N scale is the smallest. A 40 foot box car in real life is about 10 inches long in O scale and approximately 3 inches long in N scale.
A reliable standard is a sheet of 4x8 plywood for an O or HO Scale layout or a hollow core door for N scale, from your neighborhood lumber yard or home improvement store. Both will offer enough room for an oval track plan with room for expansion. For students or apartment dwellers, consider a shelf layout. It has the advantage of going with you when you move, and its smaller footprint is cheaper to equip with track in the first place. Of course at KCMRC, we're fond of belonging to a club where a group works together on a layout and has ample room to run long trains.
"Where is a good place to get ideas?"
Train shows and swap meets like the Great American Train Show in Wheaton Illinois and the Rock River train show at Belvidere North High School in Belvidere Illinois are great places to see many things model railroading and shop for something used.
There are also some great online resources for track planning as well as my routing section of your local library.
"Is model railroading dying as a hobby?"
No, not at all, but it has been through some dynamic changes in the last ten years. With the advent of ebay, online sales, and 3-D printing, brick and mortar hobby shops have had to face competition with more vendors including mom and pop cottage buisnesses and several historic locations have closed. Free online magazines have posed challenges to revered print publications and some of the low cost, minimum quality model companies have embraced modern technology, making more expensive, crisper products - at a higher price.
At the same time, a generation of millenials have embraced online gaming and smart devices, while stores like Radio Shack that supported the equipment used in modeling have decreased in number.
Fortunately podcasting, a DIY audio magazine recording technology, has exploded promoting railroading like never before. New products including bluetooth equipped locomotives operated from a smart device have recently been released, and greatly simplify running trains. Rechargeable battery locos that plug in like iPhones and tablets are increasing in number too, which eliminates almost all of the wiring associated with a layout.