Need recommendation N scale Books/Magazines

I'm new to the hobby and would like to purchase some N Scale books and/or magazines good for beginners. Something that covers all areas of the hobby like wiring, trackwork, etc., would be nice. Anything in particular you can recommend?

 

This one:
Kalmbach Publishing: Model Railroading: Books: Model Railroading for Beginners: N Scale Model Railroading: Getting Started in the Hobby
is a pretty good introduction and overview of most aspects. There was a predecessor called the N Scale Primer, by Russ Larson that is long out of print, it was also good.

This one:
Kalmbach Publishing: Model Railroading: Books: Home Layout Ideas: N Scale Model Railroad That Grows
I have not actually seen, but I have heard positive things about it.

I don't think any of these is going to cover DCC at all, which you will want to know about at some point in time, if you ever plan to run more than one train. A source of DC info is here:
DCC Primer | Tony's Tips at Tony's Train Exchange.

Jeff

 

You can add these two to your list:

"How to Build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery" by Dave Frary
"How to Build Model Railroad Benchwork" by Linn H Westcott
Both are also from Kalmbach.

Cheers,

 

Welcome to TB,EveretO. Your living where I'd like to live someday.:thumbs_up:

 

I'll be sure to check those out. If anyone thinks of anymore, I'll be checking back.

Thank You!

 

Yes Boxcab, I love reading and that's about all I can do until I get some train stuff to play with.

 

Track Planning For Realistic Operations, by John Armstrong. This is a must-read for most any model railroader. A little more intense than some books, but it really is a valuable book and will explain a lot of concepts that you might not have thought about.

 

Making a note of it, thanks. I was also wondering, is there anything available in DVD form?

 

Yep!

http://www.sceneryexpress.com/products.asp?dept=1164


Excellent company, with very nice alternative products to the Woodland Scenics line.

 

I also highly recommend Armstrong's book. It taught me most everything I know about track planning.

Welcome to N Scale and Trainboard!

 

Thanks to Tony and Pete

 

I did not like that one. There were a lot of things missing from the text and the plan didn't fit together like they said it would as far as track pieces. It got rather frustrating for me.

 

I just picked up this book yesterday, entirely on the recommendation of campp and Pete Nolan and others on this board, and it is RAD if I may be allowed to lapse back into my adolescent vocabulary for a moment.

I would agree that it introduces and explains a lot of concepts I may have not thought about, plus it is made for modelers so it has several suggestions for making realistic layout in tight spaces, simplifying certain track plans from the prototype but still getting something useful and interesting.

Adam

 

I have learned quite a bit just searching old topics. The search functions are pretty good here, and there's just TONS of stuff, plus I don't see a lot of newbies getting ridiculed and I think it makes a good environment for exchanging information.