I Asked What Model Railroaders Wish They Knew When Starting Out

[@michaelpfister1283]

As someone coming back to the hobby 30+ years removed from my original HO-scale Tyco childhood trains, i find this video to be THE MOST helpful I have come across to-date. I am likely getting in N-scale myself due to size and because I also love scenery. Thank you for posting and I will be avidly following you for the foreseeable future!

[@diedertspijkerboer]

Maybe not important for most American modelers, but the main thing that affected me and wish I had known about was the AC versus the DC system in H0 scale. I was given an AC Märklin starter set as a child, for which Märklin is the only main supplier. But Märklin is and was very expensive, which eventually led me to give up my childhood hobby. I only picked it up again when I was 41 years old and I now only buy second hand.

[@CommentsAllowed]

When I was a kid I remember finding out a friend's father did model railroads. It was kind of looked down upon because it was seen as being childish for an adult to be playing with "toys". Now that I'm older I can see that there is a big misunderstanding about what the hobby entails. It's actually STEAM, not to forget the Art piece of it. My friend's father didn't like his job. He would say that he only works his job so that he can come home each day and pay for his model railroad hobby. His real world job was just a "means to an end" with the hobby being the real joy to look forward to.

[@elleryparsons2433]

My Wife and I Model Railroad Ho And N Scale The Reason why We Went To N Scale Is this This the Passion in Model Railroading. Model Rail Roading Is A Passion And Also Thereaputic as Well.

[@HumancityJunction]

I love the "conversations with a spider" that you included at the end!!

[@bernardc2553]

Hey Jimmy, I'm that guy that bought for yrs. (HO) Now finally have a place to set up AFTER I clean out this huge messy shop, I'm all in for DCC++ UP dating some brass, bowsers, Stewarts ect. I'm really untreated in u/r bldgs. Especially the Oil & gas PS grew up on WP & Cali Zephyr F's a few turbine's oh yah love all, steam..you & Tom are my go to ppls

[@TheGrover1968]

I've run across modelers on u toob that run both DC and DCC on their layouts because they like DCC as well as older blue box and Mehano power. It's possible to have the similar set up in N scale.

[@TheTrainFreak]

Jimmy, great job on the buildings. I am deffiantly interested in one, maybe two of them. Thanks for sharing this Q&A session with us and looking forward tonight for a 2nd chance on that HO scale prize! - Jason

[@panamrailfan4377]

Woah! My comment made it into a DIY & Digital video! Those buildings are looking really good!

[@billhudson7537]

A bit "behind the times", but that is typical for me. I have developed a fairly simple system for determining grades that you might could use. There are 8 eighths in an inch. Multiplied by 12 inches in a foot. The result being 96 eighths per foot. Grades are calculated in rise per 100, so there is a small error that over the years I have found to be insignificant. European grades are figured slightly differently, as 1 in 50 for 2%. The grades are the same, just the numbers are different. There must also be an allowance for beginning and ending a grade. I model in HO and allow for a foot at each end. Smaller scales would have smaller transitions. I use a maximum of 2% grades, plus the error. The end result for a 2% grade works out to be 1/4 inch rise per foot. At 2%, the error does not cause a significant problem. As grades approach 4%, it might become a bit of a problem. But if the transitions are figured in and the trackwork is well done, it isn't any real concern. Problems with grades are often encountered by beginners. Their eyes are often bigger than the space available. For HO, figuring 2% plus 2 feet for beginning and ending a grade uses 10 feet of run for one track to cross another. That's a long way but must be accepted. There are ways to "shortcut" that dimension, but must be calculated for every specific instance. Bi11 Hudson

[@txag007]

Great video. You touched on many of my items I thought about as I got back into the hobby and downscaled from HO to N. I am happy to say my jerry-rigged power station to an oval track works great! I had to purchase my soldering iron and solder power leads to the track to give it power as there wasn't anything reasonable on the market to slip on Atlas Code 55 track. My 2 year old son loves to make the train go around the track!

[@bobsturgis4674]

Jimmy,enjoy the questions,from your viewers.Keep them coming.To all of your subscribers,stay safe,and wear your mask.Jimmy,get yourself a fan,so you won!t be sweating so much.Stay safe,Peace for the world.🚂🌍✌

[@scottericcatalano596]

Funny blooper about the spider....who kills the spiders in your house...the wife?!

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

Lol. I will kill a spider if I have to (aka my wife makes me) but they keep other bugs away so I like to let them chill. This was just a massive spider 😄😄😄

[@wysiwygsd]

You said STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Math... I find that STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, ART, Math, seems to cover the bases a little more fully.

[@jolliemark6294]

Looking forward to seeing more....thanks for sharing....Jack

[@joeraderblackrockcentralrr]

WOW another chance to win a prize. Thanks for sharing all the answers to your questions, Glad you're into HO scale buildings. I will check them out

[@DinsdalePiranha67]

I definitely understand the "move slow" part. I've been in and out of the hobby for decades, but with my current layout it's the first one where I have an idea of what I'm modeling. As such, I've gotten very picky about which items of rolling stock, for instance, to purchase. Currently tearing my hair out because I have an SP caboose that I impulse-bought on eBay that doesn't fit the same era as my Black Widow GP9! Probably gonna keep this caboose, though, because it is a really nice one. Maybe I just need to find a GP9 shell painted in Bloody Nose...

[@diedertspijkerboer]

The tiny 1:450 scale you were referring to is T scale, whereas TT scale is between H0 and N scale, namely 1:120. I admit it's pretty confusing.

[@epicrailroad1960]

I have just started wiring on my model railroad. After seeing all the videos and pictures of the messy underside of other people's layouts I decided that i would do the extra work to keep things neat.

[@danpugatch]

Thanks for responding to my comment, I'm a new subscriber and enjoying the channel.

[@johnramirez5996]

No. 1 thing when it comes to soldiering. Keep soldier tip clean. 2 always use flux and pre soldier wire before soldiering to another wire or parts. 3 use flux again to attach pre soldiered wires to wires and equipment. 4 after 3 as flux starts to burn start Adding soldier immediately. You can learn this technique with pre-soldiering wire. Use exact same applications to attach to equipment. Follow these steps and you will become better at soldiering. The first time you get it right you will see the soldier melt into wire like butter melts into toast.

[@ericquasney8832]

Old paint schemes die slow death. This life long hobby Many thins to do and learn Evening a week day a month Few bucks here and there few years you got model railroad The research interesting as well

[@1babysag]

Great video! Just step on the spider, ha, ha, ha. Do you think that you could make a local railroad station with freight and passenger options? I love your 3D products.

[@the_trainman2334]

Hey Jimmy, would you consider posting the STL files for building you design on screen, such as the gas station and oil and tire center?

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

I will probably be making them available to Patrons when I have that Patreon level ready.

[@gravesclay]

Hey he got my facebook comment! Thanks! (Daniel Clay Graves) I also hate spiders my dude.

[@elleryparsons5766]

I am Dc And Proud of it I am not Fancy I use Bachmann for track of Choice why I saw it in a Hobby Shop it Looked good my Next Brand Will Lifelike N Scale I Will Never Go Kato Too High tech.and I can’t Find it in my Neck of the. Woods.

[@johnramirez5996]

Lol I'm from Florida. You should see a leopard spider. Non-venomous. But to set in a house with Arctic white tile to see this 6 eyed. 8 legged brownish spider that's almost 6 in across from leg to leg. Or hanging off shower head as to what happened to my wife after getting out of work. Screaming joooohhhhnnnnn get in here. Lmao

[@anthonyciotti3295]

Hi jimmy iam just starting Nscale rail roading the room is a10 x10 what would your intake be on this question my name is tony ciotti

[@larryludlow9660]

I understand the meaning of buss line. I just started my HO railroad but do not know where or what it is or what it is or how to run it PLEASE HELP KISS for me.

[@newjerseydiesel8962]

Anybody have a recommendation for an entry level 3d printer that is decent?

[@TheCreativeModellerHO]

Hallo 👋💯

[@NYandAtlantic]

By the way im a chock ful o nuts coffee drinker

[@robertanderson7982]

This hobbie has out prices the people they need in the hobbie in the first place. No kid can afford to get into modeling trains.

[@BipolarBear777]

The whole hobby is expensive so if you’re trying to save a dollar get into something else, and like he said going slow with it is key!