Hello from Texas (and the UK)

[siclick33]

Hello,

I am originally from the UK but currently living in Texas. I recently visited the Georgia Railroad Museum and they had an amazing (and huge) model locomotive on display, and it got me looking into the hobby. I do have a background in other modeling hobbies but my only dabble in railways was 00 Hornby sets when I was a kid; I have no background with steam engines.

Can anyone point to any good reading links for beginners (rather than ask the same questions that have been asked before)? Reading through this forum has been great but there are still a load of simple questions that I have, that have presumably been answered before, such as:

How do I go about setting up a track in my garden? What gauge should I use? What are the ‘best’ and most common manufacturers (of locos, rolling stock, track and extras)? What pitfalls should I look out for?

I have a couple of ideas of directions I could go down (and I’ll probably pose a question in the main live steam forum), and I don’t want to take up people’s time answering the same questions over and over, but if anyone could point me in a good direction that would be appreciated.

 

[TTaannggss]

Welcome to the club. What part of Texas? .. if you happen to be in the area, and they are still open, check out the Galveston Rail Museum mate.

 

[Paul M]

I've just replied to your other posting! Welcome again!

 

[JimmyB]

Hi and welcome, lots of reading out there, and ideas on the forum, use the search feature to find what you are looking for, including books

 

[Martino]

Hi and welcome.
I’m also a Brit now in the US. Originally from South Bucks now in Northwest Florida . What part of TX?

Yes, many questions I can imagine. It all depends on what you want to model - standard gauge; narrow gauge; UK or US prototype? I get much info from the UK - this site/group plus 16mm NG assn, and other things. Always good to talk, shoot a PM if you like.

 

[siclick33]

Thanks for the welcomes.

I’m living a little to the west of Dallas so, unfortunately, a bit far from Galveston.

I’m still reading and learning and will, no doubt, have more questions in the future!

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Might I suggest my beginners FAQs?

11 pages of reading broken down by subject and a logical progression to help you make decisions...

Start here: (all comments welcome)

Beginner's FAQs

Greg Elmassian web site on large scale trains and garden railroads, cigars, and computers

elmassian.com

Note there are dates on each page, you will see that you are not getting 10 year old data, as in many sites.

Greg

 

[AJtheTeacher]

Hello Fellow Texas Area G Scale Enthusiast!

Please feel free to ask any questions. Our fellow G scale members are a font of knowledge. I live an hour north of Houston. Sometimes, I am in your area but lately I have been helping with a G scale layout (plus custom painting graphics and colors on a whole train) install in Jacksonville TX, southeast of you. Glad to have here. AJ the Teacher

 

[TTaannggss]

I did a Galveston Houston trip like 7 years ago. As part of the trip went to the Galveston railway museum and thought it was awesome which included a train ride. Down there the trains and chemical plants/refineries show lots of rust. Probably from the salt in the air being so close to G.O.M. ..along with hurricane flooding.

 

[dunnyrail]

I did a Galveston Houston trip like 7 years ago. As part of the trip went to the Galveston railway museum and thought it was awesome which included a train ride. Down there the trains and chemical plants/refineries show lots of rust. Probably from the salt in the air being so close to G.O.M. ..along with hurricane flooding.

Yes I did the Galveston Museum back in 1998, the Tram was trundling round the circuit in the town but not the line on the front due to recent (then) storm damage. Used the ferry to get across the sea inlet to continue on to New Orleans (more Trams) then Florida. Great trip.

 

[TTaannggss]

Ok ... I went on a train on the train museum site in 2013. The museum was out of commission a few years before that due to severe salt water flooding from a hurricane. ... I did the Galveston ferry thing too but not to New Orleans. I went as a guess 40 miles on the route along the ocean. When the route left the ocean I went to the beach and got green shells as souvenears.

 

[Madman]

Welcome aboard.

 

[dunnyrail]

Ok ... I went on a train on the train museum site in 2013. The museum was out of commission a few years before that due to severe salt water flooding from a hurricane. ... I did the Galveston ferry thing too but not to New Orleans. I went as a guess 40 miles on the route along the ocean. When the route left the ocean I went to the beach and got green shells as souvenears.

I think the ferry went from Galveston to Bolivar Peninsular, we then drove to NO.

 

[TTaannggss]

I think the ferry went from Galveston to Bolivar Peninsular, we then drove to NO.

Ya I went back to Houston on that trip. I went to NOLA on another trip but took a plane.