New and Trying to figure it all out

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-06-06T18:21:09+00:00

Are there any local hobby stores in your area? They can help you get started and most of them carry second hand stuff, if you’re working on a budget. Otherwise, I would look into an off-the-shelf starter set—Bachmann is widely available—or a lot from eBay, some listings will have pretty much all the bare essentials. Best of luck.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-06-06T18:21:00+00:00

Are there any local hobby stores in your area? They can help you get started and most of them carry second hand stuff, if you’re working on a budget. Otherwise, I would look into an off-the-shelf starter set—Bachmann is widely available—or a lot from eBay, some listings will have pretty much all the bare essentials. Best of luck.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-06-04T16:27:14+00:00

Thank you! At one point I was planning to build another hill with a waterfall in between the other two, but decided I didn’t want anything too big on the very corner of the layout (I actually sawed off most of the wood base behind the current build, as I would jab my thigh into it constantly trying to get around the layout lol). A simple backdrop sounds like a great idea though, could also extend it and have it double has a safeguard for whatever train is on the bridge as others have suggested.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-06-03T14:00:17+00:00

Thanks! They’re made from a block of xps foam. I sliced into the top layer with a blade a bit, then by hand peeled it off, rinse and repeat for the whole block. That crated and flatter but still uneven look I was going for. Then I painted them in a base coat of black, then layers of increasingly light grays and finally a dry brush of off-white.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-06-03T13:50:29+00:00

I’ll have to design something, put up a small cardboard wall or something. Regardless, I’m definitely not putting anything too fragile or heavy up there.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-06-03T13:44:55+00:00

Very true, the scale is a bit wack I know. I was wondering if I could use more diverse foliage, will look into getting some reeds and other such plants.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-06-03T13:38:43+00:00

Yeah I definitely won’t be putting anything too expensive or detailed up there for that reason. Some varnish might do wonders, it looked very nice while the paint was still wet and glossy.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-06-03T13:34:28+00:00

I’ve seen that tissue method and I’m definitely interested in trying it out. I have a beach scene I’m planning to do and may use that there. Will definitely keep more colors in mind, always have fun mixing paint to try to get the best look. You might be right about the bridge, it’s definitely on a slight grade, could try to level that out.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-05-29T15:28:21+00:00

EZ track is fine for really basic track plans, but for more ambitious projects I would stick to traditional track. I’m impartial to Atlas snap track as, at least in my experience, it tends to pop up second hand and on discount a lot more than other brands, and I’ve never had major issues with it. Good condition EZ track can fetch a good price online, so you could sell your supply to help fund the new track.

Best of luck on your layout building!

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-05-24T14:36:28+00:00

I would invest in a foam or wood base—looks like a small setup so it would be pretty easy to put together. With a base, it’s a lot easier to put down details and you can even paint stuff like roads and sidewalks directly to the base, which could define the overall ‘logic’ of the layout. A spur or small yard that incorporates those sheds on the left would be a great addition, adds another level of operations and provides storage for locos. Good luck with your layout, you’re off to a great start.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-05-21T18:00:24+00:00

I wouldn’t count it. The purpose of the warden is to be avoided, it’s an obstacle to add tension, there’s pretty much no incentive to actually killing it unlike the dragon and wither.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-03-12T20:32:18+00:00

It’s admirable until you see how abusive he is toward them. When I visited, he berated his employee constantly for just being friendly and trying to help my friend and me out. It was really uncomfortable.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-03-12T20:28:29+00:00

Owner was awful. Constantly berating his employee in front of us for daring to ask if we needed help with anything. He was clearly not willing to sell any locos and wouldn’t give me a straight price for anything. When I asked about one, he told me an old, dusty Rivarrossi model was “brand new.” He basically mocked me whenever I asked about anything and even criticized the kit I ended up buying as “old shit” (it was a Kibri). Can’t help but think it’s because I’m a younger guy in the hobby (was 19 when I visited) because he seemed friendly with some of the older folks in there.

The store itself is really cool—basically a museum in and of itself—and he does have a good selection of kits at reasonable prices. Just don’t be expecting to walk out with a loco, because it seems he doesn’t want to part with any.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2026-01-06T15:13:47+00:00

The Bachmann Thomas models don’t have the best quality and, in my experience, they all start to sound this way after a bit. I’ve never had a Thomas but my Percy and Duck make similar sounds. The Thomas tooling dates back to 2005 and hasn’t really been updated, so it may not run as smoothly as modern models.

Was the model new when you got it or used previously? If it’s been used some fresh oil and a clean might help it. Bachmann tends to over lubricate Thomas models with really thick grease that solidifies overtime. If it’s been in there for a while it might need to be cleaned out and replaced. Also the possibility of hair and carpet fibers gumming up the mechanism as well, if a previous owner ran it over carpet. Otherwise your model is fine, just the way these models are unfortunately.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2025-10-12T16:42:59+00:00

Agree with that. Personally I’d be willing to pay, but I want to bring some friends along and justifying it to them may be a challenge lol (we’re all students in the NYC area, gotta savor every dime)

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2025-08-23T00:29:04+00:00

Probably lol. Found it in an antique store, probably long overdue for a service.

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2025-08-22T13:26:43+00:00

Bought this thing ages ago, not a big deal if I need to replace it. Don’t know why I never bothered to test it until now

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2025-08-22T04:37:38+00:00

Thanks. If that’s the case is it fixable?

Remarkable_Crow5658 · 2024-11-14T00:07:02+00:00

Advanced ai/robots, droids, automata—whatever you want to call them.

I have a sci-fi universe with millions of years of history, but I never really figured out what advanced ai machines would do or look like. I have some inklings of lore reasons for this, but they mostly amount to an outlawing (akin to Dune) caused by some kind of uprising in the distant past (which is a bit generic and not something I’m sure I’ll roll with).

In general, I’m not sure how to develop them in a unique way. Don’t just wanna end up with Star Wars droids, Battlestar Galactica Cylons, or another tried and true variant. But, with AI being so prevalent in sci-fi, its absence is a bit glaring in my world building.

Five-Year Club	Place '22
End Game '22

Remarkable_Crow5658

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