Builder’s, let’s get started!
Please, just let your logic guide your sense for once. If you have the true desire to build a model of a railroad then by all means do it! You have no excuses. It’s not like we’re in the 1930’s, we’re in the 21st century! Even a child can do it today because you have a lot of pieces already assembled together; you only need to decide the layout. Back then I could understand why only few people had the patience to build such a thing because literally everything had to be made from scrap. Of course, now you have the choice to cheat a little bit. When you decide what you want (the rustic look or the ultra modern track) you can go to the store, hand out the green and be on your way to hours of memorable fun.
Do yourself a favor. Plan one hour of your schedule and go see a hobby shop just with the purpose of finding stuff for your model train table etc. If you are living there for a while and thought of your plan for a while you probably know how many steps to that store. If you cannot find out where it is, look at the yellow pages in your area. It may be helpful to buy a magazine designed for that purpose. It usually gives good tips like how to build the layout, new trains just invented plus the pictures inside are usually unfair because you will want to buy everything even if you can’t afford it. If you are very lucky, a fair will be in town and display such things and you might be able to buy a lot of stuff (What a chance that would be!) If you do attend, don’t be shy to approach someone if you find something that does interest you. They are as passionate as you are otherwise, they wouldn’t be there.
Like anything else, an advice is just an advice. You keep some and leave some. As for the nice persons at the hobby shop, they are more experienced than you probably so be wise and lend an ear. If you have a question, they will get you an answer. Yes it’s true some shops do offer some seminars from time to time so jump on the occasion if you can go. Topics usually range from the layout, to installation and just basic modeling to make a great scene. Obviously there will always be books from nuts like you that will also offer their two cents about modeling an electric train. From what I have heard, there is a good book for beginners and it’s called "HO Scale Model Railroad". This one is about the layout of the table. So what is for you? Do you want the satisfaction of doing absolutely everything from nothing or you want to spend a little more money but do like Gomez Adams do and play with his trains? The choice is obviously yours but keep your passion alive no matter how old you are. You never know, your offspring may take the torch when you decide you want to rest. One thing is sure; you will always have some that offer their experience and knowledge to help you.
