new to hobby

old retired guy who dug out a box of ho stuff i bought 25 yrs ago ( still new in boxes ) . i hope to get enough help to get started in ho trains, so if i ask dumb questions bear with . ive been reading a lot about ho modeling on the internet but its still all greek to me and a lot of times not very helpful . an example of that to me was when i was looking at layouts ( 4 x 8 ) they show the layot but no explanation of the track needed so like i said bear with and hope to gain a lot of knowledge from site .
mike

 

Bristolman,

Welcome to the hobby and to Trainboard.

A lot of the plans you are looking at may be based on the idea that the person recreating them is going to use mostly flextrack and turnouts. That may be why you don't see a "parts list." For N scale I know that Atlas has lots of stock track plans that do include shopping lists of their track. They may do the same in HO. One of my favorite products in N scale for testing layout ideas is Kato Unitrack, which comes mounted on a plastic "ballast" that clicks together easily. I know HO has similar products. Track plans from manufacturers of track are probably your best initial source for track plans with attached shopping lists.

Adam

 

Kato makes unitrack for ho as well. If you are just interested in testing designs out Bachmann ez track is also useful.

 

John, is Kato Unitrack not favored much in HO? It seems to be much more popular in N scale. If I see someone using snap together track in HO it is almost invariably Bachmann EZ Track.

For Bristolman, is there a brand or two that has a lot of stock track plans to choose from in HO?

 

Bachmann ez track is cheap. Kato is not. EZ track is also available at most lhs in individual sections in big bins like flex track.

Honestly, I can't think of any HO scale layouts beyond beginner layouts that have used it. I think maybe MR did one years ago.

Seems like an interesting topic to discuss.

 

As for track plans. I don't know. I'd assume atlas would be best for that.

 

Sorry, was posting from my phone.

I think Atlas is best for plans, because as far as I know their roadbed track is the same dimension as the classic snap track (which you can still get and is probably more popular in HO than it is in N as well) so you can build a layout using a mix of the products from one of their hundreds of plans and know that it will work out.

Bachmann track is slightly different, but I did find this:
http://www.thortrains.net/marx/funlayez2.html

 

thank you so much . you dont know how much this helps . this will make ordering track so much easier ( wont overorder ) so i can have all when im ready to start . how much is the differernce atlas and bachmann ? i have 5 powered rights and 5 powered lefts code 100 so im sticking to that type as i checked price of those . edit just tried to fnd difference atlas / bachmann / holy smokes what a difference in price .
mike

 

The big difference is in the dimensions of the curves and I believe Atlas has more intermediate snap track and roadbed track options.

I might ask how comfortable you are with both basic woodworking and basic electrical soldering.

The reason I ask is that if you are comfortable with both of those things, I'd skip the track that has roadbed attached and just use atlas snap track code 100. (it will work with whatever you have already) This way you get the most options.
The difference is that there will be added work soldering track together and laying down roadbed. But if you are comfortable as I said, it would be less expensive.

 

woodwork for a hobby ( too much money in this ) / electrician when i was in the service . like i said the stuff sitting in the box 25 yrs . code 100 stuff .
mike

 

In that case, stick with standard Atlas Snaptrack. Code 100. Atlas has the most available track plans using their products in books and online. Avoid older brass stuff.

If the stuff you have is atlas and it is nickle silver, it will work with everything currently available. If it's bachmann, you want to double check the dimensions for the curves and the switches.

It sounds like you should be able to hand laying cork and soldering track.

The next step up is flex track, but there's no reason you can't use the snap track.

 

im going to get 1/2 birch plywood for base ( going to try and draw layout ) and then go from there . im going to get 10 pcs of flex to use where ever i can . want to run 2 trains at the same time .going to get a mrc transformer .
mike

 

If you want to be able to run 2 trains at the same time, I suggest looking in to DCC. Your old stuff can be converted and it will make running multiple trains easier.
Not to say DC won't work it will work fine and dandy, but dcc is worth the look.

 

already looking . thought i might look for bnsf stuff . still dont want to go wild until im sure ill enjoy.
mike