# Total Beginner



## jstrodl (Nov 30, 2010)

I have recently purchased an entry level LGB train set. It is G scale. After my purchase, I have questions I probably should have asked before I bought the set. First, is G scale better than others? Are the foreign train brands better than American ones, for instance Lionel? Is the smaller 3 rail track size for Lionel (I'm afraid I don't know the apprpriate scale size) a good alternative to G scale? Is there a greater variety of trains available for a particular scale versus other scales?

John


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## ChaoticRambo (Nov 20, 2010)

Posted By jstrodl on 01 Dec 2010 02:23 PM 
I have recently purchased an entry level LGB train set. It is G scale. After my purchase, I have questions I probably should have asked before I bought the set. First, is G scale better than others? Are the foreign train brands better than American ones, for instance Lionel? Is the smaller 3 rail track size for Lionel (I'm afraid I don't know the apprpriate scale size) a good alternative to G scale? Is there a greater variety of trains available for a particular scale versus other scales?

John

Wow, that's a lot, lets break that up:

"First, is G scale better than others?"

This is a very subjective question (and probably a bad forum to ask it in ), it is completely based on what your tastes are, and how much room you have / will have to model in and what you want in that space. If you have a small area and want a large railroad, a smaller scale may be a better choice, if you have a large area and want a medium size or small railroad, G is a good choice. Its really up to what you want to do in what space you want to do it in.

"Are the foreign train brands better than American ones, for instance Lionel?"

It depends on the company, I am no expect on this but I do know that some American brands are better than others, and some Foreign brands are better than others - again this has to do with your tastes. Do you want American model trains, or European - and even with that many companies make both.

"Is the smaller 3 rail track size for Lionel (I'm afraid I don't know the appropriate scale size) a good alternative to G scale?"

Lionel is O gauge I believe, and this question is basically like above - it depends what you like. If you are a scale model railroader (you want things like they are in real life), you probably wouldn't like the third rail, if you just want to run trains - it may be an option.

"Is there a greater variety of trains available for a particular scale versus other scales?"

Yes, there are what I would call your primary scales that tend to have more than others, these are (but many will argue with me) - N, HO, G

Other scales such as Z, and S are not nearly as well stocked with options. (My dad and I model in S, and it can be very tough to find what you are looking for)


G gauge is a fantastic starter set because it tends to be a little easier to set up (especially LGB sets) and deal with - from there you can determine where you want to go.

Good luck!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

You picked a good, quality brand in LGB. I have been in Z, Ho,N, 027, and I like G scale the best, nothing like runnin trains outdoors, and or indoors. I have owned several LGB items, and liked them all. So I would stay in G, I do agree though HO probably has the most items to purchase, or variety, but I still like the G-scale best!! Oh and price less on the Ho stuff!! Regal


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi John,

Welcome to large scale. LGB makes good starter sets. That's how I got my start in this hobby 25 years ago. 

I have recently purchased an entry level LGB train set. It is G scale. After my purchase, I have questions I probably should have asked before I bought the set. 

First, is G scale better than others? 
That's a subjective question. Personally, I like all the scales, but for running trains outside, I prefer large scale. 

Are the foreign train brands better than American ones, for instance Lionel? 
Yes and no. The only truly american made train is Hartland. The rest are all fabricated elsewhere. USA Trains, Aristocraft, Bachmann and Accucraft seem to be engineered in the US and manufactured in China. LGB was made in Germany, but now is Hungary, perhaps? LGB's German made quality was what made them the standard for a long time. Not sure about the new product, but it seems a bit pricey for what you get. 

Is the smaller 3 rail track size for Lionel (I'm afraid I don't know the apprpriate scale size) a good alternative to G scale? Is there a greater variety of trains available for a particular scale versus other scales?
3 rail O gauge track is too small for G scale trains. 
The greatest variety for US outline models in HO scale. 

Again, welcome to MLS and to large scale. LGB trains are good for getting started! 

Mark


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Greatings, that’s a lot of questions packed in such a small statement 

LGB vs Lionel? Wow where to begin? First the scales are vastly different. Lionel is 1/48 scale, LGB is 1/22.5, almost twice as big scale wise. Lionel are mainline standard gauge trains where most LGB is narrow gauge. Lionel is 3-rail A/C current 110V, the center rail supplies power and the side tracks return the current. LGB is 2 rail 12V DC, one rail supplies power, the other returns it. 3-rail layout are easier to wire power supply if return loops are used, DC can get tricky with reverse loops. Lionel O track gauge is 1-1/4", whereas LGB G gauge track is 1-3/4"

The simple answer is...it depends on your long term goals, lets start with the simplest 2 questions. 

1. Do you want to build indoors, or outdoors 

Indoors: LGB or Lionel are both OK, Outdoors Lionel will rust to nothing in no time without expensive track options and 110V A/C current outside isn’t that great an idea, all LGB is designed for outdoor use and is 12V DC, much safer. 

2. What kind of trains do you like? 

This is the elephant in the room few will ask, but it has a huge impact because if you start with LGB only have room for a small loop and small trains but really want to be running big mainline steam or giant PA1 diesels then your going to be disappointed in the long term. 

This also gets back to question one. If you want to run big engines, your going to need a lot, and I mean A LOT of room, those big G engines eat up a prodigious amount of space very quickly. I could also mean most mainline indoor layout biting the dust due to space constraints if you don’t have a full basement capable of housing 8' diameter curves. This is where Lionel might have a slight advantage, even though those big Lionel engines on O-42 curves can also eat up a lot of basement in a hurry. Sometimes its better to go with a smaller curves to get more layout into any given space. 

And now as to selection, G scale cannot hold a candle to O in terms of availability and selection, just about EVERYTHING has been made or is available in O, where G still has a tremendous dearth of basic items, try finding a Sharknose in G, doesn’t exist never has never will the way things are going, same for smaller standard gauge steam, if you lucky you will get ONE(1) version of it, IF your lucky, and that version could be the price of a used car. 

There are lots of things to choose from in G but they tend to favor either very modern standard gauge or funky narrow gauge items. Lots of G stuff is freelanced by the manufacturers. Now be advised while O has tons and tons of stock available, I’ve always called O the BMW gauge….meaning B-ring M-oney W-ithu. O can be frightingly expensive. 

There is tons of neat small sized European narrow gauge rolling stock available in G, a good supply of modern standard gauge freight and passenger cars and a very good supply of realistic narrow guage US profile cars. So options are out there, but it really depends what you want to do long term. 

I am doing indoor, US narrow gauge, with funky small stock, my entire layout is only 5’-6” square but it has 3 levels of track, so I think some basic long term questions need to be asked by yourself, but for the time being, given that this is a whole lot of info to digest, heres my short term advice, DO NOTHING..for now. Instead just set up the oval track the set comes with, put the train on, and just let it run, and enjoy that. Try setting up the oval on the porch, see how you like sitting out there watching it, try setting it up indoors near where you might use it most, and see if you enjoy it there, or try setting it up out in the landscape and try that out, you'd be surprised just how much you can learn by just setting it up and watching it 

While your doing this, read up on the forums, find out more about what your interests are, you may find that O suits your desires more, but you may find the simple charm of a big train on a little track to be relaxing enough to build a permanent layout, indoor or out. And always remember Rule 1, there is no wrong way to build a model RR if your happy with what you are doing and enjoying the process and like the end results. So have fun.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

PS my indoor layout:









Only 5'6" square but you can see what can be done in a very small area, also there was this:



This was only 5' x 9' area to start, which also shows you dont need a great deal of area to do a decent outdoor layout.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

John, 

LGB is in G-scale what the Beetle is on the road. nothing very exciting but reliable. for starters the best choice possible. 

about the expression "G-scale" or "Largescale": 
on the same 45mm track you can run trains in different scales. 
the largest is 1:19 and the smallest 1:32. (LGB is 1:22.5) 
so beware, what you buy (once you start to combine products from different brands) 
if you live somewhere near a club or near a trainshow go visit! 
you will see, what exists - and what apeals most to you. 

and ask questions - you will get more answers than you want... 

in the end it is simple: 
it will be your layout, do whatever pleases you. have fun!


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## borsig1963 (Dec 27, 2007)

my suggestion: before buying, visit shops, layouts, clubs, forums...get more and more info for a better choice 

find out this blog about LGB, with news and informations about LGB world, may be it could help you: 
http://theworldoflgb.blogspot.com/


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## Dwayne (Jun 10, 2010)

John, welcome to the forum. 

Another thing to know is that "G" is generic in what it describes. Basically it's understood that the gauge of the track is 45mm. From there you can model several scale ratios starting at 1/32 (represents standard gauge of 4'8-1/2") on up to 1/13 (represents 24 inch gauge). The majority of large scalers work in 1/20 which represents 36 inch gauge since Bachmann began producing their product in this scale en masse. 

Something else to consider is the amount of real estate you'll have for a layout. Indoors? Outdoors? If outdoors, what is your climate? Do you want to model modern trains or an earlier era where steam was king? Shortline or Class 1 railroading? 

The point of my answer is to figure out a starting point and build from there. Nothing is more frustrating than spending hard earned funds on something that may not take you where you eventually want to go. 

Should getting into "G" scale be this difficult? No... but because of the many differences in scales, eras, controls & power... it's a PITA to get involved in large scale because of all the differences. 

Start small, learn the vernacular as best as you can. Ask questions and take notes... lol.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By jstrodl on 01 Dec 2010 02:23 PM 
I have recently purchased an entry level LGB train set. {snip...}[/i]
John

Which specific LGB starter set was it that you purchased?

What was it that prompted you to purchase that particular starter set?


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## SLemcke (Jun 3, 2008)

John, 
Let us know your location. There might be someone close that would love to show you his layout. 
Steve 

Oklahoma City


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## jstrodl (Nov 30, 2010)

Hey everybody, thanks so much for your answers and help with my questions. You have all been great and more importantly all of you have given me the info I needed to make some choices. I have been out of town for a few days and have been unable to access e-mail until just today so I couldn’t respond before this. I guess I’m leaning more to G scale for my purposes since reading your responses. I don’t have much room for a layout but in looking at some of the info-pictures, etc-you have sent me I feel pretty confident that I don’t need as much space as I might have thought.

I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. Do you know of any clubs or other interested people here who might not mind a interested person taking a look at their layouts? There doesn’t seem to be any local retailers for G scale equipment-except Lionel, but that’s not really all that much of a problem I guess. Looks like I could buy anything I might need or desire online. I have been told that US G scale manufacturers use AC current and therefore will not run with foreign G scale power supplies because they use DC. Is this true; can one use 2 different types of transformers and equipment on the same track? If I do purchase more equipment, is there a more recommended brand. Obviously I have LGB track, but not very much of it. Its ties are brown and I have been told more difficult to obtain that some other brand which is similar but has black ties. Any ideas on that?

I don’t know off hand which beginner LGB set I purchased. I’m not in Las Vegas right now but will be on Tuesday and can check on it then. The set included an engine, tender, and 2 passenger cars. I bought it a couple years ago right around Christmas so that I might be able to amuse my grandkids. They really do enjoy the heck out of it. I also added an additional flat bed car that was loaded with Christmas trees and that’s a big hit as well. Funny thing though, I’m not sure who gets more enjoyment from the trains-the kids or me. I have always enjoyed model trains although I was not an active participant in the enjoyment part since I was about 13 or 14-long time ago.

John


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## Big John (Jan 4, 2008)

Having a large scale train for Christmas is always a hit with the kids. If you want to start building a larger permanent model indoors you might want to consider 0n30 or 0n3. This is 0 scale trains running on HO scale track. This is a growing scale with a lot of new equipment being introduced by manufacturers every year. The advantages of this scale is the trains are the same size as the old 0 gauge Lionel trains but it runs on the very inexpensive HO gauge track. All of our current trains have track that is larger than they should be for the scale we are running except for this relatively new 0n30. The HO track is very realistic in size to the 0 scale trains. There are a lot of accessories such as buildings, cars, people, etc" available for 0 gauge that works perfectely with the 0n30 scale. You can get a lot of train in a small area with this scale. There has been a large increase in the number of people switching to 0n30. This is a very convient scale to make small 2'x4' modules that can be transported to train shows and hook up to other modules from different people. There is probably a train club for G scale as well as 0n30 in Las Vegas. Do a google search. 

To answer your question on DC versus AC all large scale trains (also called G scale) run on DC power. Only trains with three rails run on AC power. The 0n30 scale trains also run on DC power. 

Good luck with your trains Big John


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## Biblegrove RR (Jan 4, 2008)

John...... All Aboard! Welcome to the Hobby and the Best G-scale Forum in the world. I am only a few years ahead of you and have learned everything from the experts here on MLS and from visiting shows and friends layouts I have met on here as well. It's an extended family to me and although it feels a lil too much like family sometimes...lol If you hang around and take your time, you'll learn lots about our AWESOME Hobby of G-scale Garden Railroads!


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

Yes, John, there is a garden rr club in Las Vegas. They did the national convention a few years ago. Go to Silver State Trains or go online to get info about the club. It's name is probably something like Las Vegas Garden RR Club, or Southern Nevada GRR Club. 

A club is a great place to get ideas, swap ideas, etc. Also, read Garden Railways magazine.


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## jstrodl (Nov 30, 2010)

Thanks for the info on the club in Las Vegas. I'll check it and the magazine out as well.


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## jstrodl (Nov 30, 2010)

I've been following the different threads on the forum since my original sign in and it is VERY informative. So may different topics and so much information it's a little mind bogeling at times. I've seen several diferent posts that refer to engines with things 0-4-2. I have no idea what that means and I need some enlightenment. I'm really a total beginner. 

john


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

John

Maybe the following historical information will be of some help with the wheel classification of locomotives. It's in a PDF file format so you can download a copy to keep if you like. To download a copy, right-click the following link and on the context menu select & click the 'Save Target As...', after the 'Save As' dialog displays navigate to the location on your local computer where you wish to save the file to and click the 'Save' button. If you just left-click the link if you have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer it will download a temporary copy and open it so you can read the document.

Locomotive Classification & Nomenclature[/b]


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## jstrodl (Nov 30, 2010)

Thanks for the article reference. It helps a lot. I'll read through it. 
John


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