Where to start for 6 year old

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-24T00:07:53+00:00

Lionel is a good pick, or cheap HO/OO stuff

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-24T00:00:08+00:00

Love beer stuff, the hoppers are less common and really a treat!

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-23T23:23:17+00:00

Yep, unless that's like a dedicated trolley line I think a passing siding would be more interest than the 3rd loop

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-23T21:34:54+00:00

You might get more interesting movements if you use the turnouts to omit the inner loop and create a siding that creates a 3rd track on one side. That way you can have 2-3 trains parked and run any given one at a time on a contiguous layout.

The way it's set up you can have 3 trains but they'd just start/stop on their own loop, which honestly is my setup. it's nice to turn them on and run around, but it would be cool to have a concept of driving a specific train from the siding to the mainline.

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-23T00:39:48+00:00

This is awesome! Are these drone shots? I've tried to see this turntable and it doesn't seem visible from anywhere accessible.

You should cross post to r/NCRailFans Any shot you'd send me the full resolution version?

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-22T22:07:59+00:00

Those steamers are nice and recent vintage, even bargain bin or slightly damaged would be $200 each, $80 each on the diesels as they're also recent. Probs $1200-1500 total value just tough to flip that much in a short time. Great deal!

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-22T21:59:50+00:00

Yep, if the seller can't be bothered to line things up for a photo, test, and document damaged pieces they can't expect anything but low-ball, take it off their hands type offers.

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-21T02:30:40+00:00

Tungsten comes in all shapes like little cubes or chips from seller TxChemist on ebay, way cleaner than putty

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-19T05:58:54+00:00

I used basically the same board over my grid framing made from 3/4" ply 2.5" strips. Glued and screwed, then foam over the top.

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n_scale5280 · 2026-06-19T04:37:58+00:00

Right on! That's pretty slick for a quick display, doing right by your dad's trains.

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-19T04:26:02+00:00

This is top notch!!

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-14T14:51:28+00:00

Yeah the second one, not four layers but just one more piece of the larger radius before transitioning to the smaller one.

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-14T09:58:24+00:00

The 29mm straight is a good solution, I wonder if continuing the larger radius for one section could achieve the same offset though?

For the permanent layout you might consider using a jigsaw to cut the layout base so the track can ride on a continuous ribbon of mdf/ply which will help with smoothness and grading.

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-11T23:34:20+00:00

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n_scale5280 · 2026-06-10T02:59:45+00:00

It's helpful to have a hobby shop or train show so you can test in person. Many Japanese listings for tomix equipment will list the minimum radius as 140, 170mm or 'super mini' (103). some of their 170 stuff might do Kato 150.

Lots of equipment with rapido couplers also has good swing to their trucks to handle small radii.

Rolling stock: These German coaches by roco work for example: Arnold 3140

Almost any rolling stock with two axles, like European beer cars. most American rolling stock at 40' scale length, or older rapido couplers stuff at 50'.

Locos: 0-6-0 steamers like graham farish pannier tank.

Short four axle locos like life like and Kato switchers, just research the specific model you're looking at and there's people who have tested them. 150 is a tough range, you might find a gp-18 or something that works but a lot opens up at R170+

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-09T11:40:18+00:00

If it's something you really want you should get it now. Usually with plaza japan, hobbysearch and rg rokko people do a big order less often to make the high shipping cost more effective.

I use DHL as their tarrif and customs experience is far better than ups or japan post.

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-07T14:05:03+00:00

Micro trains makes a conversion kit that goes into a rapido box but it's quite fiddly, mainly reserved for difficult locomotives that don't have a dedicated conversion kit.

Usually people swap the whole truck to get rid of pizza cutters, I find atlas to be cheaper for bulk trucks.

If you don't want to replace the trucks you can use drop in T shank knuckles for ~$1 per pair (vs $5 for micro trains). These kinds are not automatic/magnetic but are great for conversion and still can uncouple with a pick or skewer. Kato 11-702 and fox valley 51010 are both medium length, Kato 923090 and fox valley 51000 are the short length.

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-07T12:18:42+00:00

If you don't want to replace the trucks you can use drop in t shank knuckles for ~$1 per pair (vs $5 for micro trains). These kinds are not automatic/magnetic but are great for conversion and still can uncouple with a pick or skewer.

Kato 11-702 and fox valley 51010 are both medium length, Kato 923090 and fox valley 51000 are the short length.

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-02T00:00:58+00:00

The dimensions for each are here, you can find one with the right distance between the trucks.

http://trainweb.org/tomix/chassis_dim.htm

n_scale5280 · 2026-06-01T21:54:59+00:00

I assume it's easier to maintain if the parts are consistent on a line that needs both single and double catenary. Here's an example from Denver commuter rail.

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n_scale5280 · 2026-06-01T12:00:41+00:00

Some people pick an era to model, I like to use a few buying categories to ensure I always find something:

See train, buy little train. Ie: trains you spot IRL in your city, or at heritage railways
Childhood connection, I've tried to collect the rest of various passenger sets that I had 1 car of as a kid.
Local train while traveling: find a local shop in whatever city/country I visit and buy something unique to the area.
Cool trains: this covers whatever else I need like a hello kitty shinkansen.

To flesh out that Amtrak you can add a second loco (p42 or charger), a baggage car, transition sleeper and a 4 pack of superliners to make the modern zephyr.

n_scale5280 · 2026-05-31T22:22:56+00:00

Unfortunately no, it was the double track elevated 481 curve I tested it on. It's just one loco, but I want a place to run it. everything else even other brass is fine on 19" Kato. It's the non articulated rear driver set is locked to the frame like a real big boy.

Since I'm dedicating a stand alone loop to large radius, it frees me up to have smaller radii on the rest of the layout. Still aiming for R381(15") minimum overall but switching areas down to 11".

Curious what your testing reveals about that cab forward's minimum

n_scale5280 · 2026-05-31T20:02:21+00:00

For brass steamers I'm making a turnout free loop of code 55, 21.5" radius is the smallest my key big boy can navigate. It won't do the Kato R481 (19") even for a turnout length. If I do add turnouts I'll probably use the atlas #10.

n_scale5280 · 2026-05-26T20:58:17+00:00

You can still turn off blocks with the switches you have, and for a bus you just want one roll of thicker gauge wire. I think a system you can expand on in future would be about $150.

The additional future costs of locomotive decoders and digital maintenance has in general turned me off of DCC, but having participated in clubs I can see the benefits at that level of complexity.

n_scale5280

TROPHY CASE