# total g scale newbie



## alcors110 (Oct 8, 2010)

hi all i have been into model railroading for years but finally gave in and ordered a usa trains alco s-4 diesel. so now i need to accumulate some cars and track and a power pack of some sort. here is my plan, i am going to make a very small indoor switching layout in the shape of an L. about 8 foot by 7 foot , very small but it will be fun to operate on none the less. i definately need sound in the s-4 so maybe qsi for that and kadees for sure. i am leaning towards using aristocrafts usa style track. any pointers you have, please educate me. thanks, dan


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## livesteam53 (Jan 4, 2008)

As far as sound their is a few to choose from but the king of them is Phoenix Sound. Aristo track is good. As far as power supply Bridgewerks is top of the line. 

You have found a great place to get information. I am sure you will see that the replies will very but in the end you will be more educated on this wonderful hobby.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Before adding sound, consider where you are going in the future. 

Right now it looks like track power is your choice, but people change their views. 

If selecting DCC for track power, there are motor decoders with programmable sound available as a single unit ( cost is under $200 for most units) and are just as good as the phoenix which is sound only, a separate decoder for motors has to be added. Cost goes to approx. $300 for the combo Phoenix and motor controller. 

Then there is battery operation and many choices on controllers, but these do not have built in sound like the DCC world, so the Phoenix is a great choice here. 

So try to see what your future needs may be before making a (informed) choice.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

You might consider remote control like Aristo's trackside TE so you don't have to keep running between your control and your train. 

You have lots of possibilities!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

With a layout 8 x 7, I would think running would be a minimum unless you were also in 1:29! 

You could do well with a tethered power supply, like the new one from USAT. If you are only running pretty much one loco at a time, stay DC. With a small indoor layout, no reason to complicate your life. 

Now, you could also go with a QSI in the S4, and you get "remote control" of the bell and horn just by toggling the reversing switch. Inexpensive, easy, and if you go to DCC in the future, it also does that easily. 

If you got a taste for more sounds, you can spend $45 for a "Quantum Engineer", a small black box that goes between your transformer and the track, which will control 30 sounds. 

Anyway, my basic recommendation is stay DC, and have fun! 

Greg


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## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

Welcome to the group Dan.

With that size layout, it would be fun to have a "TimeSaver" design. 

http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/sw-timesaver.html


Regards,
Mark


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## alcors110 (Oct 8, 2010)

thanks for the replies everyone, what a nice forum this is alot more positive then some i have been to.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome to MLS from The New River and Western RR


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I'd get code 250 track. Trains look better on it, it is cheaper also. It comes in brass/stainless and NS, so whichever you want. Set your engine on a piece of it, then on a piece of code332(Aristo/USA.LGB). I did it and bought code 250, pretty much a no brainer once you see how it looks. SVRR has it, as does Accucraft. 
SVRR


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Jerry, 
Where do you get .250 SS track? I've only heard of nickle. 
Thanks, 
John


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Sunset Valley RR should google fine... 

By the way John, fine distinction: Nickel plated brass, not solid nickle, not to be confused with solid nickle silver, a different animal. 

If I was starting now, I would go all code 250 stainless, if nothing else but the looks as Jerry says. 

Regard, Greg


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Greg, 
I agree. I went with 332 SS because it's robust, on my On3 I used code 70 rail... for looks. 

How long has the 250 been available? American made? Some of my chinese SS rusts! 

Thanks 
John


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I think 2-3 years, but I could be wrong, I believe American made. On SS, depending on the process, you can have bits of steel worked into the surface, which will rust once and then go away. 

Some can rust lightly, but usually it cleans off with no pitting. Lastly, some can rust, based on poor quality control (poorly controlled alloy). 

Anyway, I'd say, so as not to derail this thread, check out http://www.svrronline.com/ 

Regards, Greg


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Thanks, I did, was hard to believe SS was cheaper than NS! 
Also took the time to check on diff between Ni and NS.... erased another old assumption... 

I don't think we are a derail as much as a branchline as 250 SS would look better indoors too. 

My only pause is the rail joiners... aren't any and the clamp$ will add up fast. 

John


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## Axel Tillmann (Jan 10, 2008)

We use the designation NI for pure Nickel plated over copper->plated over brass. Pure Nickel doesn't show any form of corrosion. NI track is price wise between brass and SS. In a recent comparison the NI track was 30% cheaper than SS.

NS (as in Nickel Silver) corrodes - I have the switches in my yard that are 100% black and don't conduct at all anymore. I just took them out and replaced them with brand new 3-way switches in code 332 NI.

As far as code choice goes the above exchange also demonstrates my preferred choice. The new 3-way switches are replacing old 3-way switches in code 250. Why? Because from the day I put them in till today they have been a constant source of problems. Much quicker dirt and pebbles get in the way of a successful day to day operation.

As far as prototypical appearance goes?

I sincerely doubt that at 10' distance you can determine the difference between code .250" and .332" as the difference is .082" or in other words 1/12" or ~5/64". In edition .250" is two low for Mtergauge railroads which commonly used S54 rails and that would lead to .269" rails and if you are building modern mainline railroads they use UIC60 which is still in the common LGB scale of 1:26 .260" or on the 1:22.5 scale .300". If you were modeling 1:32 scale UIC60 comes to .211". But then you have to run 1:32 equipment with much lower flanges, the the average 3mm flange.

But even with that calculation we seem to always leave one important fact out:
Nothing in our rolling stock is really prototypical: friction, weight, centrifugal forces ....

So I rather err on the height of the rail and run my trains than on the 100% correct rail.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I've had the SVRR track for over 15 years. They do have slide on rail joiners, I mostly use clamps though. Check their web site. I do think the code 250 size is noticeable, especially it would be on an indoor layout where you are right next to it. Never had any derails because it is code 250, all makes and types run on it fine.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I don't discount another's vision based on mine. A lot is noticable and some becomes disagreeble the more one looks for it!








Coming from Fine Scale On3 I had to learn to over look a lot. Could never overlook brass track and aluminum ...too soft... so SS won out. 

To each his own. 

John


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Axel, I love your products and your commitment to quality. 

I can see the difference between 250 and 332 from 20 feet away. Maybe not everyone can, but each person is an individual. 

I'm with Jerry on appearance, and it hurts because I'm all code 332. 

Regards, Greg


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