New heading?

[Papyrus]

Hello everybody, but especially Tank!

Having read quite a few topics lately from newcomers to the forum, it appears that there are a lot along the lines of "Where do I start?", particularly with regard to layout planning. It occurred to me that there was a need for a thread on the subject of "Layout Plans for Beginners". After much delving I found that there actually was one, but it's not particularly easy to find if you are new to the forum. (It also wanders off topic on to the bizarre subject of nuclear flask wagons, but that is beside the point.) Similarly there is a media album supposedly of member's layout plans, but 75% of it seems to be photos of layouts and models, and even full-size railways. (I can only assume they have been posted here by mistake, and the members concerned have wondered where they disappeared to!) Again, it takes some finding.

What I am proposing is a new subject of "Advice for Beginners", to be found as a sub-heading under Welcome and Introduction. As well as layout plans it could include advice on track laying, DCC vs DC, simple wiring for the layman, easy kits to build etc. In other words, nothing too complicated. Yes, the advice is already here somewhere, but it is scattered all over the place, making it laborious to find. Rather than repeat the information all over again, I envisage a series of links to relevant threads which members can add to as they go. Newcomers would then find basic information all in one place, rather than typing "layout plans" into Search and rapidly losing the will to live.

I commend the proposal to the House.

Regards,

Chris

[austinbob]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[Bealman]

Well this mp thinks it's a great idea. 

[Agrippa]

Yes, I think that's a good idea Mr P. Often someone says they're starting out in
rail modelling and they get hit by a blizzard of jargon about DC v DCC,
electro/insulfrog, code 80 / code 55 track, CDUs etc,  much of which can be
baffling if they just want to set up an oval and get a train running.

[Sprintex]

I seem to remember some discussion on this before, and the consensus was that having a separate beginners thread/section wouldn't encourage people to integrate and get involved in the forum. At least by asking they get helpful replies tailored to their question(s) and get to know other forum members rather than just reading reference material?

See what the Boss says


Paul

[Bob Tidbury]

I aggree with Sprintex if you do have a sub menu then new members would just find out what they wanted and then leave the forum ,however the search button is not always very easy to find out a particular thing and they might get fed up trying , so I'm not sure what the answer is .
Bob

[austinbob]

I aggree with Sprintex if you do have a sub menu then new members would just find out what they wanted and then leave the forum ,however the search button is not always very easy to find out a particular thing and they might get fed up trying , so I'm not sure what the answer is .
Bob

Maybe if you only allow access to the 'beginners' section only after 10 posts - like we do for the for sale section. Would that work do you think?

[Sprintex]

I seem to remember some discussion on this before,

Found it :-

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=27186.0


Paul

[Newportnobby]

I think most of the information could be found in the 'Wiki' section so maybe absolute beginners should be referred there