Introductions

[pdash]

Hello, my name is Paul. I'm new to the site and to N-scale. Actually, the folks at BANTRAK recommended this site to me. Recently, I relocated from Southern CA to Southern MD. I mentioned that I new to N-scale because I started off in O-scale and now have a passion for N-scale. My interests are modern diesel engines pulling intermodal consists. I'm looking to get advice from experienced N-scalers on product information and layout plans.

Regards,
Paul

[seusscaboose]

Hi Paul
Good to see you here.
Jump on in, the water's fine!

Eric

[Plumcrazy]

Hi All ,

I have been lurking on this site for sometime now ,and thougth I would finally become a member . I have learned a lot from this forum ,and

hope to contribute in the near future .

Alex

[DKS]

Welcome aboard, Alex. Good to know you find the rants of our assorted resident madmen worthwhile. Looking forward to your contributions.

[chicken45]

Hi.

Derrick from Pittsburgh; N scaler modeling the Pittsburgh South Side in the 1950s. I have PRR, P&LE and B&O as well as the Allegheny and South Side and Mon Connecting on my layout. So far, only the PRR Whitehall Branch exists, center reservation trackage on South 21st St (and the industries along it). Planning more construction when we improve the house a bit more.

Welcome! You've been to Ester's Hobby in Millvale, I take it?

[basementcalling]

Hi to everyone. Just registered here. I teach 6th and 7th grade in Virginia in the N scale wasteland between DC and Richmond.  That means this time of year my modeling time is limited by the papers I have to grade. In summer when it's too hot to fish, I retreat to the basement.

I've built a few NTRAK and oNeTRAK modules when I used to be able to put up with traffic to get to northern Virginia, and had some type of small home layout since the age of 12, which is longer ago than I like to admit any more.

I am currently redesigning a layout for my 19x20 N townhouse basement using Anyrail for the job. The large sections of empty benchwork convinced me I didn't like my last design enough to keep working on it. I love the modern era so the layout will likely feature a proto freelanced modern western themed layout with UP and BNSF traffic. I may create my own railroad, or imagineer a new joint line built by the two giant railroads to relieve congestion and open new north/south rail routes to expedite shipments from Canadian sources.  I've been scanning Bing and Google Earth for likely routes to locate the new construction, which might involve upgrading previous secondary or branch trackage to modern mainline standards. I just can't find a prototype location with the combination of features I like: good industrial base, helper operations on a grade, mountain scenery with one big bridge, and an active branch or interchange.

I plan to feature the paper industry in a large mill scene, with a working branch that interchanges with a modern shortline to a sawmill and perhaps a rail transported logging area for operational variety. While I would love to work in a loads in empties out coal and power plant industrial pair, it might be too much for my space to do convincingly.

The rough plan now calls for around the walls with a J shaped peninsula in part of the middle of the room. I am unpacking a helix, which should prove interesting as I am hiding three laps of one inside Armstrong style blobs, if my experiments with wrapping other tracks around the outside of the loop locations in 6-8 inches of narrow benchwork prove doable.

Wish me luck. I need it. I hear the trains crying in their boxes wanting to get out and chase the cat out of the layout room.

[magi46]

Hello
Dan from Arizona, born in Connecticut. New Haven is my road. N scale off and on since 1970. Retired. Boating and travel when not running the trains.

[Philip H]

Dan & "basement" - welcome to the fray! We have a ton of n scale folks here to help you, inspire you, and kick you I the pants.

[PRRATSF]

Hello Everyone, I'm Sam,
I've been lurking around here since the Atlas forum shut down and figured it was time to introduce myself. I live in central Pa. work as a Powerhouse Engineer, and I model the PRR between 1958 and 68. The nickname is in honor of My Grandparents, PRRATSF are the railroads they took to see me when I was born. Officially I've been in N scale since 1967 when my Grandfather bought me my first train set, of which one lowly boxcar is all that's left. I got back into N when I bought my home after getting out of the Army in 87. I still don't have a layout, something always gets in the way, a 200 year old log house mostly. I did belong to an Ntrack club for awhile but they lost their home and everyone sorta went their own way. In Sept, I was all set to start a layout, basement room all finished, drywall, drop ceiling, finished floor, just what everyone says to do first. That's when my Grandmother, who is 97, decided that she didn't have it in her to do another winter in her own home. No hurry. The delay has actually been beneficial, since what I've learned here has sent me back to an earlier and better design, Thanks Cody. I'm not sure what's attracted me more, the outstanding work I see here or the Unique Individuals that belong. Thanks for your time.
 
Sam 

[Philip H]

Sam,
Welcome to The Railwire!  With all the old house enthusiasts here, and ll the powerplants we all seem to be building for all the excellent hoppers we seem to be getting, you'll have a lot of insight and expertise to contribute.

Philip

[basementcalling]

Thanks, Philip. Names Pete, but I forgot to share that.

Damn basement keeps getting a busy signal when it calls.

[Swing Motorman]

Hello, I'm Steven, a longtime Weekend Update reader who finally wants to contribute.  I model northern and central Pennsylvania in N, and work with electric streetcars in 1:29 and 1:1 scale.  Since I'm a trolley museum volunteer, I almost left N-scale to focus exclusively on the streetcars.  But, I chose to get back into N after all; Can't just turn my back on my lifelong hobby!

As a modeler, my skills are awfully simple.  For having worked at a hobby shop and later for Model Railroad News magazine, you'd think I'd have learned something useful, but nope!  The only thing I'm really good at is jerry-rigging things.    But I do focus heavily on sound.  EVERYTHING in N that I run on a regular basis is sound-equipped, and I plan to keep it that way.  Here's hoping I can learn from the many masters out there, and possibly contribute a useful tidbit or two.  Have a great day, all!


-Steven

[magicman_841]

Hey,

I'm Mathieu from Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec. I got here after this website showed up in my flickr referrers (someone posted one of my photos).

I was on the late Atlas forum before (with the same user name), and I am happy to see many familiar names here.

I have HO and N scale trains, but no proper layout for now.

Check out my choo choo pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nabot

Mathieu Tremblay
Saint-Hyacinthe, QC

[gpumph]

Hi all, hope this is the correct place and format to intro myself.  I have been in N scale about 6-7 yrs now and am a retired math teacher. I have a small 4 x 8 layout.  I live in Barnegat Light NJ with my wife of 42 yrs and we have 3 kids with 4 grandkids and #5 any day now.  I will be doing a bit of lurking while I learn the lay of the land, I am active on Nscale.Net under the user name epumph.

[rickb773]

Yeah Gene, you made it. Welcome aboard. You and DKS now control the Jersey shore!