Please also tell me what railroad and the area that you model. If it is free-lanced (Made up), That is fine.

I model C&O.

nice! where?

I should have added the option "I don't have a set era." That is what I am. I love locomotives and rolling-stock from any era. I love old locomotives that would never have run next to another. For example, I have a Fairbanks Morse H-24-66 Train Master and an A-B set (Cab, no cab) of FM C-Liners, and I run an MP15AC along side of them. I also run a 4-4-0 American along side of a 2-10-2. I call my layout "The Pacific Eclectic"

I haven't built a real layout yet, but I've got some Union Pacific (steam and diesel), Pennsylvania (Diesel), Norfolk Southern (Diesel), Santa Fe (diesel) engines.. Then I bought for my son a Lackawanna (diesel), New York Central (Steam), and he has some Thomas Steam... All HO..

Miner Greg

No problem with some Thomas on a layout. I have a Thomas (I need a DCC one), and my plan is to get a film crew and place it along the right of way to make it look like they are filming a show. I got the idea from Classic Toy Trains (O and S scale and stuff).

I was thinking, once I have a real layout, converting the Thomas Trains to DCC. I've seen plenty of articles on the internet on how to hook up the DCC controllers to convert it over. Going DCC is really the way to go, I just haven't had the time or money to build a real layout. The Christmas tree will be the way to go again this year for my layout!

Miner Greg

That counts! To me, as long as track is laid, and trains are running, it is a model railroad. my first time was just a little dummy locomotive on my dad's yard section(that is all that we ever got done in our old house before we moved when I was 5, now we have the yard est up, with about 20 feet of main line, but I have a little 6x8 layout.) might I suggest LifeLike Powerloc track? it has roadbed and rails included, and you can buy switches and bumper tracks (that is what I call the stopping posts at the end of the siding). It also has lighting for the bumpers. the switches are remote, to a certain distance, and you can have 18" or 22" radius curves.that is what I have my mainline made of, and they make adapter tracks so that you can attach it to atlas or other sectional track. That is what I have for my industrial sidings because the Powerloc doesn't have a close track spacing if space is at a premium. The best part is that you don't need rail joiners for it, they have copper tabs that are at each end that will ensure electrical connections to the rest of the layout, and you can rearrange them anytime you want! (The track sections. the straights come in 9" or 3" segments.