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mewthree - 30 Mar 2006 09:01 GMT

i bought two books yesterday.

1 how to get started
2 a catalogue.

is there any where where i can look at a good set up to help me decide how i
am going to start a model lay out?

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Roy - 30 Mar 2006 09:13 GMT

>i bought two books yesterday.
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>is there any where where i can look at a good set up to help me decide how i
>am going to start a model lay out?

Look at any of the model railway rings on the net. Any number of sites
are based on planning and constructing individual layouts. It might be a
good idea to decide on a scale first to narrow your search as layouts
are in the main scale specific.

There are even sites with support forums based around layout planning
and construction such as

http://www.shaunsmodelrailway.net/

Cheers.

Signature

Roy Holt
roy@modelsteam.org.uk Http://www.nenevalleymodelrailway.org.uk

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Piemanlarger - 30 Mar 2006 09:23 GMT

>i bought two books yesterday.
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> is there any where where i can look at a good set up to help me decide how
> i am going to start a model lay out?

Your local model railway club may be a good point to learn first hand off
experienced modellers.

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simon - 30 Mar 2006 14:24 GMT

>>i bought two books yesterday.
>>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Your local model railway club may be a good point to learn first hand off
> experienced modellers.

One of the biggest problems with listening to many experienced modellers
(esp from magazines) is they can tell you what you must do and how you must
do it. You appear to be expected to be born with suitable knowledge and
skills that allow you to follow their ways.

I like David Jenkinsons book 'Historical Railway Modelling' in which he
explains what he thought is required to create a layout in both planning and
implementation, and how he did this himself. However right from the start he
says that its how he did it and whilst you may learn from it you must make
your own choices. Most important enjoy as much as you can.

Simon

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manatbandq@hotmail.com - 30 Mar 2006 16:33 GMT

> i bought two books yesterday.
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> is there any where where i can look at a good set up to help me decide how i
> am going to start a model lay out?

You local library will have, or be able to get, a huge range of Railway
Modelling books. From memory, the Dewey classification is 619 or
somewhere near there. You will also find prototype information
somewhere around 385. Ask the librarian. Many library services now have
on-line catalogues so you can search in other counties and get stuff
through an inter-library loan. It might cost a couple of quid. In
Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire) you can visit the "county reserve stock"
where they keep all the books they don't have room for on the shelves.
Heaven! Other counties may have something similar.

There are a number of monthly magazines covering the UK scene (you
don't specify which country): Model Rail, Railway Modeller, British
Railway Modelling , Modern Railway Modelling(?), Model Railway Journal.
At least one of these (MR) has a range of "how to" videos and DVDs.
Your library may even have some of these or you can request them. If
you get your request in now you may get them approved for the new
financial year in April.

Exhibitions and Local club. Look at http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/ for
lists of clubs, shops, exhibition dates, etc.

The web. Too numerous to mention but there are no end of personal and
society web pages with pictures and how to articles.

For free track planning software get a copy of XTrkCad from
http://www.sillub.com/ . A little quirky at first but has good demos to
show you how.

MBQ

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Model Forum / General / Railroads / March 2006

just starting