| The hobby of model trains is a relaxing and | | | | The next thing to take into consideration when |
| satisfying hobby. When you get started in train | | | | building your layout is the scenery. There are |
| modeling you will discover that there are many | | | | several factors that you need to look at before |
| different types of trains, scales, gauges, and | | | | starting your layout. If you are modeling early |
| many different era you can model. The first | | | | steam trains you will need to use timber or stone |
| model railway trains were steam driven. They | | | | bridges, whereas most modern railroads have |
| were small and could only pull one or two cars. As | | | | steel and concrete bridges. You will also need to |
| time went by the locomotives became bigger and | | | | make sure that the building, cars, trucks, and train |
| bigger pulling more and more cars. The first | | | | stations match the era you are modeling. Another |
| steam locomotive was the Puffing Billy which | | | | thing is that all trains need a reason to be there. |
| made it daub on February 13, 1804 at the | | | | You need some type of industry that the train is |
| Pen-y-Darren ironworks. This locomotive could | | | | supplying products, and a place for the finished |
| only pull a 15 ton load at a speed of 5 mph. In | | | | products to go. |
| 1952 the last 2-8-8-2 was assembled being the | | | | After deciding what type train and the era you |
| last true locomotive. The following year the last | | | | are modeling you will need to design your layout. |
| steam switcher 0-8-0 was build. There were | | | | You can have a single track design with a siding |
| numerous locomotives between these two | | | | track, or you can model a double track design. |
| locomotives. So if you are going to model in | | | | Then you will need to decide what terrain will look |
| steam you have many locomotives to pick from. | | | | like, whether it has mountains, hills, streams, lakes, |
| Now let's look at the diesel locomotives which rely | | | | timber, or grass. Probably the most important |
| are diesel-electric locomotives. The first diesel | | | | thing to take into consideration is how much |
| -electric engine was a motor car design for the | | | | space you have to set your layout up in. That |
| Jay Street Connecting Railroad. This motor car | | | | brings us to another question. What scale train will |
| was made in 1918 when the American | | | | you model in. If you use Z scale you can model a |
| Locomotive Company (Alco) joined with General | | | | lot in a small area. But from my experience Z |
| Electric and Ingersoll-Rand to produce this | | | | scale is hard to model. You are working with very |
| locomotive. In 1924 the three companies | | | | small parts. The next scale N is fairly easy to |
| produced a 60 ton boxcar type locomotive for | | | | model in and is very realistic looking, but it is still a |
| the Central Railroad of New Jersey. The modern | | | | very small train. HO scale is the most popular |
| diesel-electric locomotives are fuel efficient, pulling | | | | scale and easier to find more products for. If you |
| a100 cars or more at a time. Therefore; when | | | | have more room O or G scale can be used. The |
| you model diesel-electric layout you have many | | | | size you use is entirely up to you. |
| different locomotives to choose from. | | | | |