Any model train set peeps?


Recommended Posts

Ok so ive recently decided to get into model trainsets and today i took the plunge and brought my first set, an extra engine and a passenger carriage

Im wondering if anyone else on the forums has the same interest? im looking for advice, pointers and places where I can get good prices on things (UK)

heres a few pics of what ive got so far (the track is a work in progress and when its done its going to be great)

post-97030-0-39888100-1328747861_thumb.j

post-97030-0-98249600-1328747874_thumb.j

post-97030-0-17005400-1328747888_thumb.j

post-97030-0-37397900-1328747907_thumb.j

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1056932-any-model-train-set-peeps/
Share on other sites

This is a fantastic hobby, only problem is that it can become very expensive!

Rod Stewart is one of the most famous model enthusiasts. His own creation is that of the iconic Grand Central Station set in the 1940s. The detail is fantastic.

post-23703-0-90732900-1328785068.jpg

Well ive had a few more replies than i thought haha

I spent another wad of cash today on more track and some buildings, i'll post a pic of the final layout when ive got it all nailed down on my plyboard base :)

@farstrider now thats a setup :)

I model in N Scale right now and plan on staying there. HO seems to be too big for the space I need but the details are still there and more space for what I want to do. And yes, the model train hobby can be VERY expensive. When I got back into it after 20 year absence, a fellow modeller told me the cost on average, about $100sq/foot... but the more elaborate, the more expensive. If you need anything, let me know and I'll see what I can do for you.

I model in N Scale right now and plan on staying there. HO seems to be too big for the space I need but the details are still there and more space for what I want to do. And yes, the model train hobby can be VERY expensive. When I got back into it after 20 year absence, a fellow modeller told me the cost on average, about $100sq/foot... but the more elaborate, the more expensive. If you need anything, let me know and I'll see what I can do for you.

$100 per sq ft seems average, when you think about this it drives you nuts... the average houe costs only $128 a sq ft to build! now you have a train set that cost almost as much as a house to build *lol*

$100 per sq ft seems average, when you think about this it drives you nuts... the average houe costs only $128 a sq ft to build! now you have a train set that cost almost as much as a house to build *lol*

I know what you mean. I dumped 3K into my layout already (its about 5.5 feet by 4 feet) and I'm barely there. UGH.

I know what you mean. I dumped 3K into my layout already (its about 5.5 feet by 4 feet) and I'm barely there. UGH.

I hope you are making a modular layout, i've seen people build these huge layouts then move and can't move the thing because they forgot to make it modular so it can be transported :laugh:

Out of interest... does the model Pendolino tilt as it corners?

Yea it does, heres a little video showing it tilting round the corners

I hope you are making a modular layout, i've seen people build these huge layouts then move and can't move the thing because they forgot to make it modular so it can be transported :laugh:

Already ahead of you :) im getting some plyboard soon and the tracks being nailed to that so i can move it if need be :)

This is a pic of the setup as it stands at the moment from the new stuff i brought today :)

post-97030-0-67786500-1328826607_thumb.j

I hope you are making a modular layout, i've seen people build these huge layouts then move and can't move the thing because they forgot to make it modular so it can be transported :laugh:

Mines small enough (n scale...) that I can get it out the door with ease. I'm also in the next year or so re work my bench so I can get to the wiring much easier :)

One thing I recommend to ANY builder is that if you aren't going to use foam for your layout, like I do, get corkboard for your rails. It will deaden the sound a ton from the train riding the rails. It makes a huge difference.

here is mine as of last november, but I have done a ton more to it since then.

2011-11-30_14-57-15_993.jpg

I'm running 3 constant lines: freight (CNW), Commuter (Metra) and Passenger (Amtrak, California Zephyr). I'm tempted to go DCC on my layout, but it cost so damn much money. UGH.

and here's a shaky cam from last november as well taken from my cell phone:

how did you get the trains running at the same time in diff directions?

simple... different controllers :) I have 3 different power packs running each track. You'll see them kinda on the right in the video. One brown (old bachmann power pack) and one MRC power pack with 2 controllers built on board. I've since replaced the brown controller with another MRC powerpack since I was having power issues. Now if I go DCC, then I'll change it to one and run them all on one controller. But that's *another* story. And expensive.

Talking about powerpacks im looking at making my signals powered, but the power controller which came with the set doesnt offer this feature so im going to have to buy another one, which one is good or are they all around the same standard?

how did you get the trains running at the same time in diff directions?

its easier then you might thing, you dont need different power packs or different track lines... if you want to do it the "correct" way, you have one large interconnected track that runs on a set voltage all the time, then each engine has a DCC chip (digital command controller) which has a unique ID for each engine, then you have a master controller that sends the commands through the tracks, speed, reverse, sounds, lights... DCC engines cost more but you can control everything about the engine on high end engines... like flash lights in patters, if it has a sound generator, you can say blow horn, make bell noise, make engine noise, rev engine with speed, etc you could run 100 trains on a single layout using DCC if you wanted to

Looking good man. I've hung on to my stuff from when i was a kid right through to now.

I've still got an original 80's Intercity 125, unfortunately i haven't seen the stuff in years as i currently don't have the space, time or money.

As soon as i do though, i'll be dusting it off and adding to it :)

  • 2 weeks later...

While not technically model trains, we have a huge collection of Thomas & Friends Trackmaster engines (and track, buildings, etc.) that I bought for my sons. I actually built an 8 foot by 4 foot table for them to set them up on, so we can set up some very large and complicated layouts. I'm not really sure what scale these are closest to though.

  • 2 weeks later...

This is a fantastic hobby, only problem is that it can become very expensive!

Rod Stewart is one of the most famous model enthusiasts. His own creation is that of the iconic Grand Central Station set in the 1940s. The detail is fantastic.

Before my grandpa died back in the 90s he had something like that. The whole attic was one huge train set, little detailed buildings,mountains,cars,rail yard working signals. It was awesome. Not my sorta thing but it was just an awesome sight to see.

  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • My father still uses a programme written in dbase3. Still manages to work with a little help from dosbox. 
    • Microsoft hides these secret Windows 11 performance boost settings available on every PC by Sayan Sen Windows enthusiasts often look for ways to extract as much performance out of their systems as possible, and it's often the case that they try and do so while trying to minimize the heat and power consumption. This is especially relevant in the case of mobile Windows PCs since laptops and notebooks tend to get hot and management of that heat and power is harder in such a form factor. As such users often turn to techniques like under-volting which can be used to squeeze out the maximum capabilities of a chip while also maintaining lowered power levels. There are official apps from AMD and Intel with the likes of Ryzen Master and XTU (Extreme Tuning Utility). While these are quite handy, most enthusiasts probably prefer to dig into the BIOS and play around with settings there like Curve Optimizer on Ryzen, which lets users set various frequency-voltage scaling values. These are essentially called P-States. If you are not familiar with them, Processor Power Management is done through Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) P-states and C-states. While P-states or performance pwoer states handle CPU voltage-frequency scaling, C-states deal with CPU sleep states so that some of the CPU functions, which are not necessary at that moment, can be disabled. The P-states and C-states work together to make the processor run more efficiently. It helps the OS and apps determine which cores can be parked and which should be boosted. Of course not every user is an enthusiast or knows the technicalities and integrities of how things like overclocking or undervolting work. Thankfully for them Windows itself offers something pretty cool, though it is hidden by default on all systems. By default, Windows only has two P-States, "Minimum Processor State" and "Maximum Processor State." However, this can be changed with a Registry trick to expand the options under a secret "Processor performance boost mode" dropdown. This essentially enables the HWP or hardware P-States available on a device, and these are not controlled just by the OS itself as the underlying hardware gets involved too. In total there are five Processor Performance Boost Mode profiles that control how Windows requests and allows CPU turbo/boost behavior under the different power policies. They are: Disabled: In this mode, processor boosting is effectively turned off. The CPU will avoid entering turbo or boost frequencies and instead operate closer to its base frequency ceiling. This can significantly reduce power consumption and heat output, but at the cost of reduced burst performance and responsiveness in short workloads. Enabled: This is the standard behavior where boost functionality is allowed under normal conditions. The processor can opportunistically increase frequency when workload demands it, balancing performance gains with power and thermal constraints as managed by the system. Aggressive: Aggressive mode favors performance more heavily, allowing the CPU to enter higher boost states more readily and sustain them longer. This should in theory improve responsiveness under bursty or heavy workloads but increases power draw and thermal output compared to the default enabled behavior. Efficient Enabled: This mode still allows boosting, but with a stronger bias toward energy efficiency. The system attempts to use boost more selectively, avoiding unnecessary frequency spikes when the performance gain is marginal. Efficient Aggressive: This is a hybrid approach where boost is still performance-responsive, but the system continuously weighs efficiency more heavily than in Aggressive mode. It aims to deliver noticeable performance improvements while reducing wasted power in less demanding scenarios. Here's how to enable the Processor performance boost mode: Open Registry Editor: Press Win+R, type regedit, and click OK. Go to: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power\PowerSettings\54533251-82be-4824-96c1-47b60b740d00\be337238-0d82-4146-a960-4f3749d470c7 (where HKLM stands for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE_) Modify the value of Attributes from 1 to 2 (you can find modify option by right-clicking) After that, exit Registry, you should now be able to see the new "Processor performance boost mode" dropdown menu: As you can see there are now five new P-States or CPPC states or power profile available that help define the boost mode processor setting on your PC. Wrapping it up here's a quick run-down of the settings as defined by Microsoft itself. Setting Description Disabled The corresponding P-state-based behaviour is disabled. Collaborative Processor Performance Control (CPPC) behaviour is disabled. Enabled The corresponding P-state-based behaviour is enabled. CPPC behaviour is Efficient Enabled. Aggressive The corresponding P-state-based behaviour is enabled. CPPC behaviour is Aggressive. Efficient Enabled The corresponding P-state-based behaviour is Efficient. CPPC behaviour is Efficient Enabled. Efficient Aggressive The corresponding P-state-based behaviour is Efficient. CPPC behaviour is Aggressive. Aggressive At Guaranteed Windows calculates the desired extra performance above the guaranteed performance level, and asks the processor to deliver that specific performance level. Efficient Aggressive At Guaranteed Windows always asks the processor to deliver the highest possible performance above the guaranteed performance level. In the next part we shall be comparing these settings to explore how much of a benefit or regression they can provide in terms of performance and power efficiency. If you decide to change the values on your system and are experiencing problems like crashes or an overheating PC, make sure to revert the steps back to the original state.
    • I think he means you haven't reviewed previous UFC games. Of course it doesn't matter... Every time you just report on something that involves the President even if just simply what happened you guys usually get accused of being anti-Trump. We live in fun times.
    • So how did you solve the problem? Disabling Secure Boot isn’t a solution.
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      Leroy Jethro Gibbs earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Conversation Starter
      flexorcist earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • One Month Later
      AndreaB earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Month Later
      agatameier earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      agatameier earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      518
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      198
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      147
    4. 4
      ATLien_0
      93
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      77
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!