Hi all. I just bought my first train set off Ebay. Now I know there might be some bashers that would say "you bought a cheap set and now you think your a model railroader" But hey you gotta start somewhere right? It was just a way to get a power pack, some track, and a few pieces of rolling stock and a loco to get me started and learn more about doing a full on freelanced layout without spending a ton of money. Plus I can use those cheap parts to experiment on for future upgrades. I have many newbe questions that may seem small but I want to learn all there is to know. I'm the type of person that picks up on things quickly and add my own flare to it to make it original. I think I have a talent for this and I'm ready. so I just wanted to say Hi, and I look forward to getting to know you and any advice you could give me. Craig
thanks r_i_straw. I should get my set in about a week. I'll post some pic's of it when I do. One of the cars has a missing wheelset but I was planning to upgrade all of them to metal wheelsets anyway. then I'll try my hand at weathering them. craig
Welcome to the fold Craig. Your right, everyone has to start somewhere and we're glad to have you and answer any questions you may have. IL is a great place to be a model railroader, many good shows. I'm training in NJ now but I live in DeLand IL. You should attend Galesburg RR Days in June. Lots of good 1:1 trains and a big model train show. Welcome aboard!
greetings Craig, let me join in the welcome to "The World's Best Hobby". You need not apologize for buying a pre-packaged layout. Some of them that I've seen lately are pretty durn good! One good thing about starting out with less expensive stuff is that you get a feel for the operation and gain "hands-on" experience that way. I have been model railroading since I was 8 y/o. I am now 69 y/o. I am also a retired railroader(BNSF-engineer). I started out with a cheap Globe kit of an F-3(?) and went upward from there. I enjoy trolley/traction modeling as well.Let me tell you that I STILL learn things from other modelers!!!! Seems like we are getting a few more folks from Illinois lately. Another chap from Chicago just joined the board last month. There are any number of forums and threads here to help you with your modeling. There are also prototype boards where you can learn about 1' = 1' railroading. I sorta host a thread on the Railroad Photography column on the "Railfanning Discussions" forum. I host the "Storytime with Charlie" thread. You are more than welcome to visit there and ask questions! Glad to have you in the fold! Charlie
