N Scale Modeling Mistakes

[@kristophergoad2135]

The one thing I'm glad for is I have the patience to practice. Every little technique, I'll just do junk over and over until I get to where I know what I'm doing before I actually apply it. Winter terrain is not easy, so I'm glad I understood that right off. Practice and research is so important with terrain.

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

you know, you hit another mistake modelers make... research! it's difficult to model something you know nothing about. for instance, if you've never seen a desert RR like UP, how could you model it? maybe photos, videos, books - but nothing is like getting there and taking your own photos and actually seeing the land and how it works. i thought about modeling UP a while ago and opted for East-coast lines because i know what they look like. i couldn't convincingly model a UK railroad - i would end up with some stereotypical but generic european look that would be close maybe, but someone familiar with them would notice the problems right away.

[@kristophergoad2135]

@AlleghenyNorthern I'm struggling to recreate the look of slushy, trudged muddy brick/cobblestone roads because I have no good references presently. And it's been months since I've seen it even though I've seen a million in my life, our downtown has walkways like that all over. Good reference pics that you take yourself are invaluable.

[@joesestito4342]

I think as modelers we’re always learning. KZbin has become a great tool for learning from others . I think most of us have an obsession with buying models, paints, kits, tools etc even if we really don’t need them, I know I do ! I have a problem of getting frustrated because I go for perfection and keep doing things over, but at the end of the day I step back and say … this is supposed to be fun and it’s your model layout and you can do it anyway you want. Great video thanks for sharing…..joe

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

excellent point. at what point is enough enough and it's time to move on? that's tough and extremely subjective for modelers. some will fuss over little details only they'll notice while others rush through a scene so fast you wonder if they're even enjoying it. personally, i find it best when i don't like a scene but maybe can't figure out why - to just step away for a while and work on something else. let the scene cook a minute and then come back. sometimes it becomes obvious what needs done, sometimes it doesn't and that just means it's not ready yet. or you make a trip to a hobby shop and you see the perfect little thing it's missing, or you see something on your drive to work, or on a YT vid and boom! Perfection.

[@tommynorwood5184]

Hi C Mastracci , boy you hit the nail on the head. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t make mistakes and if they say they don’t that’s just BS. Just trying to get stuff figured out and making sure it works is a pain. But you have to do those sort of things. Thanks for sharing. Have a good weekend. 😎😎 👍

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

what i've noticed is the more advanced you get in the hobby, the more advanced the mistakes! then come the advanced solutions and before you know it... progress!

[@dakotaziegler4]

Awesome video i believe you touched every aspect or close to of the hobby and challenges people have with the hobby also enjoy the video and slide show cant wait for more !!!

[@wilzdart]

You touched on mistakes everyone has made or will make all true statements. Like you pointed out about bench work, I visit a lot of layouts big and small, funny story a guy asked me not to lean on the layout because it would move. You touched on one tropic about planning ahead that is the biggest mistake of all! like not drilling out wire runs in your bench work, Color coding your wire buss for easy access to find shorts, weathering have one method stick to it and practice it, building kits having nippers and files and sand paper so the walls are square. I will tell you I disagree about using code 55, yes the turn outs are not the best but I use code 55 in my yards with no road bed. Thanks for the pictures of old layouts it shows how you progressed

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

Some people love that code 55 - I saw a freemo layout in altoona that was all code 55. it looks good but yeah, give me the clunky code 80 and i'll try to build enough scenery and spectacular trains that no one is looking at the rails. a layout that wobbly really makes me wonder at what point does it say "that's it, i've had enough" and it's on the floor? I was amazed in taking my layout apart how tough one little missed screw could hold on for dear life. But, eventually they'll wobbly enough to pull apart and that's going to be a sad day. sloppy wiring is bad for sure - not color-coding or labeling is a headache waiting to happen. but the real problem i see is not knowing how to read an electrical schematic. I wish more products would give the schematics - i'd have a much better time following that than some of the written descriptions provided. you know, we didn't talk about having proper tools - but that is absolutely a mistake. using what you have is not always the best choice. some tools are a little bougie and unnecessary and some are a must. weathering is one of those constantly developing arts. just like model building. the more you do it, the better it gets. i'm at a cross roads now - do i sell off some of my older models or do i use them for weathering practice? or do i practice weathering and then sell them?!

[@sernajrlouis]

Awesome video

[@readingthebible5413]

I’d throw may hat in the wiring ring. I’ve only made one mistake, but not with track. Track is relatively easy. It’s when you start with your layout wiring and making sure you’re matching the voltage of your wall worts with what you’re connecting them too, and especially adding resistors….yeah….bleh. Lol

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

oh yes, forgetting to attach a resistor to a circuit... oops. not that i have a dead signal and a street light on my desk because of that or anything but I could see where that ends poorly. electricity is very unforgiving - thankfully, we deal with low voltage after the outlet so mostly we're limited to blowing LEDs or decoders and not rearranging our heart rhythms.

[@acrranscaleandlifejourney4330]

I’m still making mistakes.

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

Me too. usually spectacular now that I'm trying bigger things.

[@sams2960]

YUP you hit it exactly when it comes to trackwork and planning. Been there done that and now part of the Kato unitrack happy family and no more train wrecks. LOL But I have no desire to run a gazillion trains at once so my small/medium size U shape layout is good old DC twin cab with rapido (yes I said it) couplers. Why? Because it all works without any programming hassles and I spend time operating train sessions instead of working just to get the dang trains to run. Besides, on eBay I can get 3 older freight cars for the price of one new MTL one. ha ha ha Not cheap, just frugal. I would go out on a limb tho and say stay away from #4 turnouts and plan on using #6 everywhere, then you will have no issue even pushing truck mounted coupler cars through them.

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

I so want to make fun of you for rapido couplers BUT every modeler on here i'm going to bet started with them. they work - clunky as they are - no moving parts, no little springs, and virtually no adjustments so there's something to be said for them. i swore i'd never change them out for MTL. I also swore I'd never do DCC. I also swore i'd never get sound. i swear a lot and probably should stop since everything i was never going to do i've done and then swore at myself for not doing it sooner. Kato unitrack has been the idiot-proof solution for me - although i've been stupid enough to make it not work in rare instances. but it offers something flex track doesn't - i don't have to plan - i can just know i want an industry and click track together, try it, change it, try it - and repeat until i like it. HUGE advantage and gets trains running fast. I love the #4s though - they look great in the yards and industries. i have very little issues with them but when i have an issue with a turnout, it's always the #4. The #6s are virtually flawless.

[@sams2960]

@@AlleghenyNorthern Yup and as my layout will never be "magazine quality", I go with what works consistently. Almost every youtuber with N scale out there I hear them discussing Kato vs MTL vs Scale Trains vs Bachman coupler compatibility and I have none of those problems. LOL I swear a lot too, like I would never make anything bigger than a switching layout and now have a 15' x 7' space full with a U shaped sectional benchwork system that has 60 feet of single track mainline. 😳 I call it my switching layout on steroids with 14 different industries to service. LOL Once the model railroad bug bites, it seems the swelling only gets worse and doesn't go away. ha ha ha aka infectious (and a lot of fun).

[@Ianshandle999]

Model UK with rapid couplers and kato track. No 6 “points” are the minimum that seem to work well. Avoid No 4….