Model Railroad Store
Model railroading is a hobby that started more than a century ago. It’s one of those hobbies that will never go old as hobbyists could be as young as six years old or could be in their golden years. The fascination in the model railroading will always be here as hobbyists are growing exponentially in number in different countries all over the world.
That means you can be a hobbyist too and because of the options you have online, there’s a great chance that you can improve your collections fast. You just have to know where to start and how to improve so that your model scale trains will always be in near perfect condition.
The Model Train Starter Set
Any aspiring hobbyist for model scale train should buy a starter set with their preferred size. Starter sets are model scale trains that are pre-assembled and could be fully operational with little assembly required. Through the starter set, you’ll have a hands-on experience on the basic operations of the model scale required. It’s recommended to have a starter set with already a pre-installed DCC or Digital Command Control. The DCC is a simple electrical tool which will let you control your train’s speed as well as direction. Be sure to be familiar with this as this is important as you continue to expand your collection.
The Right Model Train Size
Most hobbyists focus their collection to one model size which is highly recommended to avoid incompatibility. Don’t worry if the model train design is not available because they often do.
Technically, there are more than 30 sizes for model scales but they are only derivatives of these model scales
* G Scale (1:22)
* O Scale (1:48)
* S Scale (1:64)
* HO Scale (1:87)
* N Scale (1:148)
* Z Scale (1:220)
The most popular model scale in US is the HO model scale. This type of model scale is small enough to fit smaller spaces but could be easily detailed. Because of its popularity, it’s also the most affordable model scale today. You can start your model scale in HO but if you wanted something smaller, the Z or N scale could be perfect for you although their tracks require constant cleaning to maintain operability. The G scale requires a large space and are usually expensive.
Model Train Maintenance and Upgrades
The basic philosophy for maintenance in model scale is; the smaller it gets, the more cleaning it requires. But this type of maintenance is usually geared for railroad tracks instead of the model trains. Hobbyists often leave their model trains to collect dust or whither so that it could have a natural look, they just take care of the rails to maintain operability.
Upgrades on the other hand could be additional buildings and people for scenery, additional train tracks or additional freights or coaches. For scenery upgrades, you have to make sure you are purchasing the right size (accessories also come in model scale sizes). In terms of additional trains, just make sure you have the same brand to ensure compatibility. For additional freights, you need to remember that you will be required of coupling to connect the freights which are usually sold separately.
Model railroading is really easy. You just have to select the right size for you based on your space and budget and slowly improve on it with different parts and accessories.