just toy,s

[alanwhyte]

Hello all, a new member in trouble already.. I hope to build a g scale western themed line,
Question is ,i have two big haulers ,maybe about 7 years old ,i tried to do this line some
years ago , but i was told they were to toy like. not suitable for a realistic railway.

I ditched that idea and tried o gauge, wasted so much time and money on this,and dont want
to do it again

 

[maxi-model]

Welcome Alan. You are in the right place to renew your interest. This is the place, irrespective of any rivet counting tendencies any of us may have, where "Rule 8" applies. What is this rule? The following - It's my railway, I'll run what I like, in whatever way I like, when I like and how ever often I like. Well I think that's what it states. Max

 

[Zerogee]

Nothing at all wrong with a Bug Mauler, Alan - after all, we've got plenty of folks here who run stuff like Playmobil quite happily!
As Max says, you're free to do exactly what you want, it's your railway..... it can be as "realistic" as you want it to be.

Welcome to the forum, just ask anything you want to know and you'll usually get some sensible answers (among lots of less-than-sensible ones, but then we're like that).

Jon.

 

[mike]

Hello Alan... as maxi says rule 8.
It's my garden , I will run what I want when I want how I want and if you don't like it...please close the gate on the way out...well..that's the poilet and clean version. .
No such thing as a stuiped question..carnt say about the answers except there are some incredibly talented folks on here only to happy to help

 

[alanwhyte]

Hello again, just the type of encouragement i need to give the push to start again.

i am a 77 year old disabled trying to go back to serious modelling

thanks
alan

 

[Zerogee]

Good luck Alan, I'm sure that everyone here can help with advice on how best to work around what you can and can't do - and G is a great scale choice, because most stuff isn't too small and fiddly!

If I may ask, is it mobility that you have trouble with? If so, then some form of raised line would seem the way to go.....?

The general consensus is usually just to make a start, and get SOMETHING running - doesn't matter how large or small a layout, or how few bits of stock you start with - just run some trains and have fun!

Jon.

 

[Deleted member 4232]

Moved

 

[Zerogee]

..........

Noticed you are in the Essex area, a few of the contributors of this Forum hang their hats there!

I hadn't noticed that! Without giving away too much personal info, Alan, what part of the county are you in? There's a fair bunch of us around (or with connections to) the North Essex/Suffolk borders....

Jon.

 

[AustrianNG]

Welcome aboard Alan.
Are you intending to build outside in the garden or are you staying indoors ?

 

[Paul M]

Welcome Alan. Don't worry too much about your stock, everyone starts somewhere and Big Haulers are great. If you read some of the threads, you can see what people have done to theirs

 

[idlemarvel]

Whatever we may tell ourselves, at the end of the day to anyone outside the hobby they're all toys. And nothing wrong with that!
If you're into "serious modelling" you can do the fine scale stuff (albeit the "fine" is more visible to failing eyesight!), or you can just buy ready to run locos and tart them up a bit. For older starters it's a good idea to avoid ground level layouts, and there's no rule to say it has to be outdoors or indoors, whatever suits your level of ability.

 

[alanwhyte]

hello all.
your time and trouble you have gone to, thank you very much.
Hoping to run track half way round the garden, on a raised board ,same route as my 0 scale was.

My vision can see what i am aiming for,,but brain says do a little each day, see what happens.

Jon asks ,what is my disability? Never looking for special treatment from people .
I have general arthritic hand etc. Insulin dependent diabetis. , heart failure.and kidney failure.
i dont get out much.

Other than that i am quite well and live in braintree ,but going to ask a lot of questions.
thanks.
alan

 

[maxi-model]

What type of locos and rolling stock are your preference and how do see your power requirements - electric track power, battery, live steam or mixture of the previously mentioned ? While some of us, like myself, concentrate on 1 or 2 subject/scale areas and power systems a whole host run just what they like, using both "prototypical" and "freelance" rolling stock.

What seems to unite a lot of us is a liking for LGB's, and all the myriad of compatible makes', code 332/45 mm gauge track systems. That's not to say some run on 32 mm gauge, or even both. Max

 

[kedwards]

but i was told they were to toy like. not suitable for a realistic railway.

Realism for me is very important. My line was at ground level and ballasted with the planting around the railway as near to scale as possible. This was because I liked making films of my line and didn't want fences, sheds, the house or other 1:1 scale items to be seen in the background. Getting down and close to the action adds additional realism too.
Have a look at this video to see what I mean.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Hello all, a new member in trouble already.. I hope to build a g scale western themed line,
Question is ,i have two big haulers ,maybe about 7 years old ,i tried to do this line some
years ago , but i was told they were to toy like. not suitable for a realistic railway.

I ditched that idea and tried o gauge, wasted so much time and money on this,and dont want
to do it again

The Bachmann 10-wheeler Big Hauler is a model of the ET&WNC 4-6-0 loco, and is accurate at 1:22.5 apart from the gauge which, at 45mm is a bit too wide.

Therefore, go with the flow, and enjoy the Bachmann and Piko US style models and enjoy your trains.

If you want to be a bit more precise with your US theme, then you can model at 1:20.3 (US scale Fn3) but the ready to run equipment is sadly lacking at the moment, as it looks like Bachmann have withdrawn, and only Accucraft US are left

 

[PhilP]

I 'like' Keith's idea of 'realism'...



I talk to my trains, but they don't talk back!

 

[LGB-Sid]

I 'like' Keith's idea of 'realism'...



I talk to my trains, but they don't talk back!

You need to fit a sound card first then they will answer

 

[trammayo]

Welcome Alan. You are in the right place to renew your interest. This is the place, irrespective of any rivet counting tendencies any of us may have, where "Rule 8" applies. What is this rule? The following - It's my railway, I'll run what I like, in whatever way I like, when I like and how ever often I like. Well I think that's what it states. Max

I have loads of Big Haulers - from the original battery version, right up to and including the Anniversary versions. Those bought as separate (boxed) versions might have a little bit better detailing than those acquired as a set. I like them all. You can paint them if you acquire a Christmas version, they are easy to repair (generally), they can be a Jack of all Trades!

 

[Zerogee]

hello all.
your time and trouble you have gone to, thank you very much.
Hoping to run track half way round the garden, on a raised board ,same route as my 0 scale was.

My vision can see what i am aiming for,,but brain says do a little each day, see what happens.

Jon asks ,what is my disability? Never looking for special treatment from people .
I have general arthritic hand etc. Insulin dependent diabetis. , heart failure.and kidney failure.
i dont get out much.

Other than that i am quite well and live in braintree ,but going to ask a lot of questions.
thanks.
alan

Hope you didn't think I was prying, Alan - the only reason I asked was in order to help people give more relevant advice - for example, if you were a wheelchair user then easy access to reach the track would be the highest priority....
I think your plan for a raised line in the garden sounds an excellent way to go in the circumstances. I think you'll find that while good tracklaying always helps in any scale, in general terms G scale is much more forgiving tn O gauge in that respect!

There are several of the local G Scale Society members in and around the Braintree area, including Gordon who is the Essex area group organiser, though I don't think he frequents this forum much. If you haven't already joined the GSS then it would be a good idea, for around twenty quid a year you get four quarterly magazines, plus it will give you access to a lot of local contacts and a busy program of members' open garden events through the warmer months; I appreciate you say that you don't get out much, but if you do have access to transport then we also have a monthly get-together in Salcott (on the Blackwater Estuary, just South-East of Tiptree) during the winter months - our next one is this coming Saturday, the 3rd. If you have any way of getting down there, you'd be made most welcome and would get to meet a lot of good folks who can give you all kinds of advice and help.

As to all the questions, just ask away!

Jon.

 

[Gizzy]

Welcome Alan,

we'll try to help in any way we can....