News:

Please read the Forum Code of Conduct   >>Click Here <<

Main Menu

ho set recommendation

Started by raz, February 08, 2013, 02:00:35 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

raz

i was wondering if anyone could recommend a starter set in ho scale for a beginner? i may be interested in one that i could add more track to and maybe pull more cars.by looking at specs.how do you know how many cars can be pulled within reason? or is the amount of cars in set all that can be pulled?  my area for a  train set is 4x8 ft.   any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated thank-you.

jward

just about any set bachmann makes that has standard sized locomotives and cars should fit the bill.  they all use cars and track that are standardized. additional track can be purchased by the piece, and cars and locomotives pretty much meet a universal standard so that you can use most brands together.

some eceptions to this rule, in HO scale, are the early era trains like the john bull, and the thomas & friends line. they use non-standard couplings between cars. they will, however, run on standard track.

as for pulling power, that would depend on whether or not you have hills in your track plan. hills drastically cut pulling power of your locomotives, but i personally think they're worth the trouble. just make sure you keep them as gentle as possible, no more than 1/4" rise per section of track.
Jeffery S Ward Sr
Pittsburgh, PA

Balrog21

Bachmann EZ commander system. Hands down. The ease of running more than one engine is great. You can pull a lot more than what is inlcuded in the starter set be it no hills involved. I'll have to look at my vids on youtube or FB and see I think I got a 27 car pull with one engine and 4 engine consist stacked up. That is one powered engine, 3 dummy engines(with no motor) and 27 cars behind the powered engine, and it ran great!
I've seen some awesome 4x8 layouts though, but I just wanted a bigger layout. 1st and most important..do so2me heavy research...you will thank yourself later for it! Trust me. =)
I really don't know what kind of trains you will be running, but if you are going to add turnouts and such really do your homework this will play a very important role in which cars you use and how well they travel over the switches to avoid derailments. I won't go into too much detail here and bore everyone who already knows this stuff but if you want shoot me a message and I will make you a list to look out for and what to avoid if you are wanting to expand out from the basic set.
Ah, good ole inclines...gotta love em, but they can be murder if you dont' do your homework as well. If you want you can look in the Show Us your Layout thread and see where I started and where I am now and how it occured in a very short amount of time.
But seriously shoot me a message if you want, I want you to get the mostof your money and don't waste on 'certain' things in the beginning like I did. =)
Best,
Bal

Joe323


TimR

I would highly recommend the Bachmann Digital Commander set. It comes with two locomotives in the set and gets you started in DCC right away and in my opinion will give you the best value for your money. This set is available for well under $200 at certain "Spots" on the web. This set will give you a nice empire in the space you mention and easy to expand when ready. But right from the start you can run two locomotives at the same time without complicated wiring and that is one of the greatest things about DCC. Just plug and play.

Athearn was mentioned and I agree they make some very fine kit, especially the Genesis line. I just would not personally choose their sets as a starter if the plan is to expand. You can always add their fine locos and cars as your time, space, and budget permit.

Bucksco

Might be because this is the BACHMANN (not Athearn) forum.......  ::)

jbrock27

I get that YARDMASTER, but 2 things: 

I sang the praises of Bachmann EZ nickel silver track being supplied in Athearn starter sets.
I see posts here all the time that direct people to buy some other product over Bachmann's.  For example, buying Kadee knuckle couplers over Bachmann's version.

So what gives?
Keep Calm and Carry On

jbrock27

YM-

And why delete my post asking why my initial post of  6:13 AM on 2/9/13 disappeared?

I'd also like to add I did nothing in my original post that degraded Bachmann, just simply said my choice would be to buy an Athearn "starter set" over a Bachmann "starter set".

-jb
Keep Calm and Carry On

Bucksco

Okay. Let's say you go to work for a Chevrolet car dealership. As the customers come in the door you decide that a Ford Taurus would be a better car for someone than that Chevy Cruz that is sitting there and you proceed to tell customers that they should go buy the Ford ...... What do you think the dealership owner should do about this?  We do indeed tolerate a certain amount of discussion of other manufcturer's products but suggesting that someone buy another manufacturer's starter set instead of the Bachmann starter set on the BACHMANN forum is unacceptable to the owner of this dealership. We are sorry if you feel slighted over this but this is a private (not public) forum that is maintained and subsidized by Bachmann and as such we reserve the right to monitor and edit it as we deem necessary. 

jbrock27

Fair enough.

Don't feel sorry YM, I don't feel slighted.  I was just curious about the reason for taking out my posts.  Thanks to your explanation, I have now reached a level of understanding.   

I would like to add, that I don't agree this approach is taken with a level of consistency.  But, as you so well stated, these decisions are at the will of the Bachmann Overlords.

I would suspect I am not alone in coming to this sight for information, information about any train products or issues, not just about Bachmann.  I don't come here to Toad Up to any one, or any one manufacturer-just looking for the best, honest information I can find.  There is also opportunity here to express view points and sometimes I feel it is relevant to my ability to do so, so I do.  Whether that includes praising Bachmann or not is a case by case basis.
Keep Calm and Carry On

NarrowMinded

Hi Raz,

I also recommend the Bachmann Digital Commander set.

It will allow you to dip your toe in the water with out a huge expense and give you a feeling of how much fun this hobby can be.

and if you decide it's not for you if you list the items individually on Ebay you will likely get your investment back . (I have experienced this on ebay)

As to the discussion over who's sets you should buy, you have to look at apples with apple and oranges with oranges, if you do this with price in mind you will see that for the most part you get what you PAY for, in my experience I have found that sets from different makers at around the same price contain items of around the same quality.

And remember some people are Ford people some people are Chevy people and some don't care as long as it gets them from point A to point B

Desertdweller

In answer to the question in the OP, I think that on a 4x8 layout you would be limited by space long before you are limited by the ability of anybody's locomotive to pull a long train.

If you try to load up a 4x8 layout with a huge train, you will encounter derailments caused by stringlining before you exceed all but the smallest locomotive's ability to pull it.

This is not a result of which manufacturer built the loco and cars.  All have to follow the same laws of physics.

Les

raz

i would like to thank everyone for all their help and suggestions, i believe i am going to go with the digital commander set. this is something new and there is a lot to learn,i cant wait to get it i just may have to increase my budget(layout).

jbrock27

Keep Calm and Carry On

Balrog21

hehe...the bug has already got him, I feel safe to say! =)