# The model railway/railroad thread. European & North American HO.



## Cycleops (15 May 2022)

I know @Andy in Germany has already kicked off with a thread about his model train making but I thought there should be a thread where everyone can post about their layouts, trains etc.
I've always had an interest but it's been rekindled recently so look out for some posts.
In the meantime let's see you pics about your railway modelling.

An Alco S2 (Santa Fe) and a Alco S4 (Southern Pacific). Alco is short for American Locomotive Company.







My main interest is North American outline but also like European.


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## MontyVeda (15 May 2022)

Cycleops said:


> ... a thread where everyone can post about their layouts, trains etc.
> ...


see the similar threads at the foot of this one


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## Sharky (15 May 2022)

Model working railway at Tonbridge.


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## rogerzilla (16 May 2022)

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/model-railways.186285/


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## Cycleops (16 May 2022)

Should have checked for other threads of course, so I made it a bit more specific. 👍


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## Smokin Joe (16 May 2022)

I've got some N gauge American Locos and rolling stock, packed away at the moment. I'll have to get it set up as a layout one day.

Though I have been thinking of getting into Z gauge.


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## Cycleops (16 May 2022)

Get it unpacked @Smokin Joe ! Get some sectional track, Kato is very good, and give it a run. 
Haven't looked at Z for a while but I know it must still be very expensive. You'll also get a better range of accessories for N than Z and it is very fiddly. Good for something like a coffee table continuous running set piece.


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## Cycleops (18 May 2022)

Here are a couple of my German locos. ‘Thor’ is a fire less shunter or ‘Dampfspeicherlok’ made for use in factories making flammable products. It’s a Lilliput model and running on DC at the moment but I’ll convert it to DCC. You might notice a problem with the motion, one of the rods has come out which I’m trying to fix:






The other is this 0-6-0 diesel shunter for DR. It is DCC and has sound which is very realistic. It won’t move until the engine starting sequence is finished. Runs superbly right down a barely perceptible crawl. Made by Roco.


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## rogerzilla (22 May 2022)

At least HO doesn't look a bit weird from the front like OO, a typically British kludge we seem to be stuck with. I see reviews going on about rivet numbers, exact chimney heights, cylinder lining, etc and think "but the wheels are much too close together".

It's a shame Hornby et al can't bite the bullet and adopt P4 standards. I can understand why not (legacy compatibility, mainly, although valve gear would need to be more finely made and fragile) but it's the elephant in the room.


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## Cycleops (22 May 2022)

That's one of the reasons I went with HO. The discrepancy in OO wheels standards put me off, plus the European and US brands are generally much better runners with better detail.


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## Cycleops (29 Oct 2022)

I never knew Jools Holland was into model railways and has a very impressive layout, rivaling that of Rod Stewart's.
Here's a few pictures of the London themed layout.


https://www.trains.com/mrr/how-to/model-train-layouts/jools-holland-and-his-railway-empire/


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## Smokin Joe (29 Oct 2022)

I see Hornby have released a new TT:120 gauge standard, said to be mid-way between 00 and N gauges. 

Could be a good way to go for indoor layout

https://uk.hornby.com/products/easterner-train-set-tt1002m


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## Jameshow (29 Oct 2022)

Where is the best place a go for large scale track and locos? 

A upmarket nursing home near to me is interested in one for thier residents.


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## stephec (29 Oct 2022)

Jameshow said:


> Where is the best place a go for large scale track and locos?
> 
> A upmarket nursing home near to me is interested in one for thier residents.



By large scale do you mean O gauge or above, and is it indoor or garden layout that they want?


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## Jameshow (29 Oct 2022)

Outdoor I would reckon unless it's to deliver the meals to the rooms!!


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## classic33 (29 Oct 2022)

Jameshow said:


> Where is the best place a go for large scale track and locos?
> 
> A upmarket nursing home near to me is interested in one for thier residents.


"O" gauge?
Try Hattons in Liverpool, The Signal Box or Olivia's.

And if it is for outdoor use, confirm before paying that the track is suitable for outdoor use.

Or consider On30 Gauge.


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## Cycleops (30 Oct 2022)

For Garden use LGB 'G' gauge might be more suitable than O. Always been a favourite with outdoor model rail fans. A bit larger than O.
https://www.lgb.com/products/product-information/catalogs/complete-catalog


View: https://youtu.be/Bd3FfLxjT00

All European outline though. Can be DC or DCC operation.


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## Cycleops (30 Oct 2022)

Smokin Joe said:


> I see Hornby have released a new TT:120 gauge standard, said to be mid-way between 00 and N gauges.
> 
> Could be a good way to go for indoor layout
> 
> https://uk.hornby.com/products/easterner-train-set-tt1002m


TT (table top) has been around for years and previously offered by Triang but seems to be coming in for a revival. Peco are supporting it with track and turnouts as well as buildings.
https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/peco-launches-tt-scale-range-track-buildings


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## stephec (30 Oct 2022)

Jameshow said:


> Outdoor I would reckon unless it's to deliver the meals to the rooms!!



It's funny you should say that as I once thought of building a garden railway that went past the built in BBQ so that it could send burgers to the patio. 😂

Outdoor stuff can get expensive though, do they have a budget in mind?


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## Jameshow (30 Oct 2022)

stephec said:


> It's funny you should say that as I once thought of building a garden railway that went past the built in BBQ so that it could send burgers to the patio. 😂
> 
> Outdoor stuff can get expensive though, do they have a budget in mind?



I don't know I'll ask next time I'm in!

Thanks for all the advice!


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## stephec (30 Oct 2022)

Planning and building a garden layout can sometimes mirror the real thing depending on the complexity of it. 

One thing I've just thought of is do they have a local model railway society? 

If they were to go and ask them for advice they might find that some of the more enthusiastic members with time on their hands offer a bit more. 😉


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## Smokin Joe (30 Oct 2022)

One of the things I believe with model railways is that simplicity is often best. A branch line with maybe two trains and a few passing loops can give as much pleasure to operate as a complicated system with multiple lines, roads and buildings crammed onto the layout. Many modellers overdo it and the setup looks an illogical mess.

I've often thought of a garden railway, and as Cyclops suggests, G gauge would be my choice. Last time I researched it it was significantly cheaper than O gauge and a pretty little branch line running round the perimeter of the garden would be quite relaxing to own and operate.


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