am i wrong

[emt49]

but i thought modal railroading was suposed to be fun.


as some of you know i am the prosess of rebulding my HO layout with the help of posters here:thumb: and some verry "helpfull friends" :curse: that think my ideas arent as good as theres.but what gets me is this. one of them is relly good at bulding with wood as i am not so good but he has not layout and never has.
the other has a 4 X 8 layout setup in blocks (im am not saying a small layout is not good ) keep in mind my layout is 11' x 11' square the bench work is 3' wide

i like dcc and one is trying to talk me into blocks because he dosent like dcc "wich he has never used he has just been doing alot of resurch on it" and he also dosent like how my bench work is set up

i havent started laying track yet i am trying to figureout a layout that gives me what i want some main line and switching its just hard to get a plan when the three of cant agree on anything oh and by the way i am funding this layout


sorry for the rant but i just needed to blow off steam

 

[shaygetz]

...by the i am funding this layout


sorry for the rant but i just needed to blow off steam

As CEO, CFO, Landlord, Leaseholder and owner, the final decision is yours :thumb: It's great that folks want to help but...they ain't helpin', knowhuttamean? Time to politely lay down your goals and desires, lay in an invitation to join in said goals and desires or watch from the sidelines.

 

[Doc Holliday]

...when the three of cant agree on anything oh and by the i am funding this layout...

Unless you've formed a club with dues, officers, rules, etc, and it's in your house and you're paying for it, it's your railroad. You may need to ask your self what you want more, a railroad or these friends. Is their help and friendship worth it? While I subscribe to the philosophy that we should all try to get along and building a layout with friends can be rewarding, my railroad is gonna be done my way. That's why it is my railroad.
Doc

 

[emt49]

thanks guys thats how i feal i am paying its in my house i will listen to there ideas but when it comes down to it its my choice on how its run.i just want to make anyone mad cause i would like there help with the project.

 

[hudsonelectric]

I have a friend that is very helpful and just loaded with suggestions, some good, some not really for me. I try to read up and educate myself so that I know what I'm getting into. Especially when I'm paying for it! Everyone goes with Kadee coouplers...after doing my homework, I'm changing out to the Proto87. Most people are running DC and block...since I'm building my layout from scratch, I'm going DCC. Again, I'm doing my own research and asking questions of other people in the hobby who have experience. Look for constructive suggestions, not just opinions. Always try to find out the good and the bad when talking to someone about equipment, models, etc. They may go crazy over something, but there could be a detail so disagreeable to you that you can wish you never bought it! Sometimes ya just have to compromise, too. Like other members have said, hey, it's your railroad...you're the boss! :thumb:

 

[jim currie]

As CEO, CFO, Landlord, Leaseholder and owner, the final decision is yours :thumb: It's great that folks want to help but...they ain't helpin', knowhuttamean? Time to politely lay down your goals and desires, lay in an invitation to join in said goals and desires or watch from the sidelines.

well said i tell anyone thats it is my railroad and i'll do it my way.

 

[shaygetz]

i just want to make anyone mad cause i would like there help with the project.

That's what we're here for. Anytime ya needs our help, just ask. By the time we're finished fillin' your brain pan with our 90,000+ years of combined experience and "help", you'll prolly wanna take up stamp collecting. :thumb:

 

[kchronister]

My 2cents:

I can think of many good reasons not to convert an existing layout to DCC.

I can think of few (okay, none) to NOT do a currently-being-built layout as DCC. I'm not sure what your pal's reasoning is, but I absolutely disagree. Stick to your guns.

 

[wjstix]

Well I'm very much a lone wolf in many things, not just model railroading (I used to be in bands a bit when I was in school, but I got sick of the hassle of trying to come to group decisions about what songs we'd do etc, so I just bought a tape deck I could overdub with and starting doing it all myself) so I tend to do everything I can on my own.

I guess I would tell them "here's what I want to do, It'd be great if you guys want to help me do it". If they don't, do it yourself - if you're not good at doing benchwork, you're not going to get better by having someone else do it for you.

 

[emt49]

My 2cents:

I can think of many good reasons not to convert an existing layout to DCC.

I can think of few (okay, none) to NOT do a currently-being-built layout as DCC. I'm not sure what your pal's reasoning is, but I absolutely disagree. Stick to your guns.

just for alittle side note for my dcc system i am using the mrc command 2000. but i also dont want to do alot with it outher than run trains i am going to have all manual switch throws. i just want to run more than one train at the same time with out haveing to remember if the block ahead of it is on or in the right running mode for that train and its not going to get put in revirse.

i have run the command 2000 on my old layout the same way and was verry happy with it. it fits my needs cause i dont need it to do alot other than run my trains

 

[shaygetz]

i just want to run more than one train at the same time with out haveing to remember if the block ahead of it is on or in the right running mode for that train and its not going to get put in revirse.

That's why I don't think your friend has really experienced DCC. After having an honest for real " ops: cornfield meet ops: ", I could never go back. It just brought the human factor on shortline railroading back into the equation too well.

 

[dsfraser]

I don't know who said it first, but it's worth repeating — free advice is often worth exactly what you paid for it. Keep this in mind when you're friends start telling you how to build your layout.

 

[brakie]

Well,I agree its YOUR layout.So you must build that layout to please YOU with YOUR givens and druthers...

As far as DCC it still remains a choice a modeler must make for his/herself.I use DCC on my HO industrial switching layout even though I don't need it for a one locomotive operation I need it to use my DCC/Sound equipped locomotives.My N scale industrial switching layout is DC.Its also a one locomotive operation.This layout doesn't have any blocks or bus wires..Just 2 wires from my MRC CM20 to the track.Both layouts are 11'6" x 2'.

 

[Roger Hensley]

Briefly, I have no intention of going to DCC. I have a mature layout with a number of older locos. That said, for someone building a new layout, I highly recommend DCC. I have used it on a friends layout and am very impressed. You can get a system for simple needs on up.

As for the railroad, it's yours. When I owned a train shop in the 80s I gave this advice. "Whatever you want to do, it is YOUR railroad UNLESS you say that it is the PRR in Anderson Indiana in 1956. Then it better be because someone will know."

You set the parameters. As to construction, that is as varied as the builders. I don't think that there is only one way to do it. There are some ways that work better for most people, but it is what works best for you that matters.

Perhaps you might get some ideas about that from the NMRA 'Introduction to Model Railroading' pages at: http://www.nmra.org/beginner/

It's YOUR railroad. Enjoy!

 

[spitfire]

You have some friends who want to help with your layout - that's great!! The trouble is they want to help you plan the layout (with a lot of conflicting views) when what would be more useful is to have help to build the layout.

Here's a thought. Start building it, the way you want it, without them. If they want to join in that's great, but they'll be coming on board after you've already made all the important decsions yourself.

Val

 

[interurban]

As all the above have said so do I :thumb:
I have My own lay out.
My 5 pals in this great hobby each have there own. Plus together we built the Traction in Action show model.
We help each other when asked and offer advise, in the end we allways say
" it`s up to you let us know what you decide".

Friendship has been put to the test on many occasion, and that is,
I think ,what you are going through.

We as a group are still great friends and laugh at the past "events".


It is your L/O

 

[kchronister]

One more thought on the DCC question:

I most often see the "simpler" wiring put forth as the main reason to use DCC. While DCC wiring generally is simpler than DC, I don't agree that's the best/primary reason to use it. If it were, I'd be less of an advocate.

Instead, the thing to take into account is better operational ability. It's far easier to run a loco as if you were in the cab running it. It's far easier to work with reverse loops and other configurations that cause "shorting" problems in DC (they do in DCC too, but are easily set up to be automated. I have 3 reverse loops on my layout and just run through them as need be - the polarity switching is 100% automatic). Etc. and so forth. Just pointing out that the ability to operate easily AND more prototypically is probably the greater "yea" for DCC when considering your friend's "nays"...