Starting from scratch

[rooster]

Hi,  What is the best what to get started into N gauge. Should I buy a decent set? and if so, what would the forum recommend.

Alan

[saddler]

i've just started matey and tbh unless you really want the loco in a set, the track included is often fairly minimal, i bought the peco setrack starter set as it has two sets of points and more track at around £40, my local shop did me a very good deal when i bought it with a loco, controller and some wagons, easily saving around 20%, worth shopping around matey to get the most for your money

[daveg]

Hi Alan

Good points raised by saddler.

I think you can ask yourself a few of key questions:

How much space do you have?
Is it a fixed place or do you need it to be portable?
DC or DCC?

After that you can start planning by perhaps using one of the software packages you can download, some for free. I've used AnyRail but there are others out there.

Ask loads of questions from the guys and gals on the forum. There's a huge amount of know-how as well as humour here. Use the search and knowledge bits too

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Dave G

[Lawrence]

Hi Alan

well there is a loaded question and I will try and give you some things to think about first then you can consider how to take it forward.
What do you want to model, British, European, American or Asian railways.  Are you going with steam or diesel/electric.  What kind of space do you have to use and will it be a suburban or rural scene.  Do you know what track you are hoping to use.  And finally but important to make this choice at the start, will you be going for normal DC or the wizardry of DCC.
Have a think  about all of those aspects, get an idea of what you want to achieve and someone a lot smarter than me will continue 

[rooster]

Thanks Guys, There is certainly a lot to ponder on!!

Alan

[painbrook]

I'll stick to basket weaving me thinks . Cheers john.

[Pengi]

I would recommend that you take a look at Kato track sets. Kato are a bit more expensive than Peco etc but are easy to clip together, very robust and the electrics is a doddle (e.g. point motors are built into the points) - particularly good if you are clipping and unclipping track together whilst you are planning your layout. It is not everyone's cup of tea though, so please search the forum for information on Kato and other tracks.

They also do starter sets with trains - US and Japanese outline. I can also recommend Kato's trains and they are one of the few manufacturers that I am confident about buying second hand trains from eBay etc. However they do not do UK outline (only Eurostar).

It would also be worth going to an exhibition as you will be able to see the different types of track, etc. I did this before I bought my first N gauge item.

[port perran]

I would echo what Pengy said.
Exhibitions will give you an idea of what is possible.
Start by asking yourself what space/shape is available to you and what sort of railway scene do you wish to model.
There are plenty of good layuts on here so have a good browse around and ask any question.

[rooster]

Thanks for the info guys.

Alan

[EtchedPixels]

I would echo what Pengy said.
Exhibitions will give you an idea of what is possible.
Start by asking yourself what space/shape is available to you and what sort of railway scene do you wish to model.
There are plenty of good layuts on here so have a good browse around and ask any question.

Just remember most exhibition layouts are built by small armies of people, sometimes over several years - don't try and start exhibition size!