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N Scale Model Railroad Table

Here’s something we haven’t thought enough about, the surface where we’re placing our models.  I know, you like those little N scale trains so it doesn’t seem like such a big deal. Everything is so miniscule in N gauge that it just doesn’t seem like you need all that good a surface for it.  But hold up.  Give me a chance to set out my point.  I believe it makes a significant difference what type of table you place your layout on.  Here are some reasons why:

A weak surface will disappoint:

Straight off, you don’t want to choose a surface that is weak and that will tilt or that can be easily pushed over.  When you display your new setup to your younger family members you don’t want the little tykes to be able to inadvertently derail your trains with just an accidental touch.  Or even worse: what if your whole table gets knocked on its side. Imagine the possible damage and the amount of time you just wasted!  No, you definitely must have a nice firmly constructed surface. You’re good with your hands, you could probably construct the table yourself.

Cool Tip: Here’s a cool tip. Remember that unused ping-pong table that lays forgotten in the garage? Sure you do, it’s the ping pong table that became your new toy train table. Ping pong tables are nice and big so they open up lots of choices for your layout.  If you have HO or smaller, you will never need any more room than this.  Even if you have a Lionel O or one of those new S scale trains, you’ll find that you can really do a lot with a table this big.

Portable tables for going places:

Be ready to unburden your wallet a bit for a strong hobby table. A quick web search will pop up a gaggle of leads geared to train tables.

Cool tip #2: Here’s a space saver: Lower your table from the ceiling.  If you’re good with your hands and in need of extra space, the best way to save floor space is not to use it.   You can use pulleys to raise and drop your train whenever you would like.

Interlocking tables:

The best bet when it comes to tables, though, is domino style tables that can be used in any setup. These tables can be united in any shape or layout.  What these wonderful domino tables let you to do most however is to grow your locomotive layout in any way that you can imagine. You set out the dimensions of these tables. The light weight design is ideal for model train lovers. So light, its no problem to take your entire setup from room to room.  If you want to take this over to your brother’s house to show his kids your track, it is easy enough to be hauled. In fact, you might find yourself altering your track design over and over.

A well designed toy train setup is only as sturdy as the foundation it is set on.

Here is more information on N Scale Model Trains. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.

An Introduction To N Scale Model Railroading

One of the smaller scales of model train, the N in N scale model train stands for the number nine; the space between the rails used for these trains is nine millimeters. This scale is significantly smaller than the other popular scales of model train: O and HO, making this ideal for those model train hobbyists who don’t necessarily have a lot of room to devote to their hobby but want to maximize their use of space. N scale is also a good choice for those who want to run longer trains in their layouts. These trains have the advantage of being smaller and lighter and as such, they need less power than do the larger model railroad scales.

These trains tend to be highly detailed and very realistic. In some cases, they’re even more detailed than larger trains. They’re ideal for those who want to put together something truly realistic and complex - something that large trains don’t always allow. You can put together a really intricate N scale layout that’s still portable in many cases. That allows train hobbyists to take their track layouts to shows and fairs, as well as public places for holiday exhibits.

N model railroad scale trains may be small, but they are commonly used enough that it is easy to find plenty of accessories, scenery and other items for these trains and their layouts. N scale scenery is available which is every bit as detailed as the scenery you can find for the larger trains. You can even find steam locomotives in N scale which use real boilers. Since the trains are so small, they can use either a conventional model train power supply or a battery.

You can fit N Model Railroad almost anywhere, including small apartments or rooms dedicated to other uses. Even extremely complex layouts will fit on a single sheet of plywood, and are easy to move around. You’ll find many examples of layouts in photographs and in online video. Beginners can get access to books and instructional videos that can be a huge help in putting together their layouts.

Many people are of the opinion that a less popular scale such as N scale doesn’t offer a lot of choices to hobbyists in terms of accessories and scenery items - but as it happens, there is plenty available to N scale enthusiasts. While you might not see everything you’re looking for in a local hobby shop, you can easily find all of the N scale accessories you need on the web. There are websites which specialize in sets and accessories for this scale of model train.

For the beginner, Bachman offers a variety of N model railroad sets, such as the White Christmass Express, which comes with the track for a 34″ by 24″ oval layout and features a steam locomotive with tender car and working headlight, plus two cars and a caboose. The power pack and speed controller are included, and lots of other sets and accessories can be purchased, too.