Model Train Help - The Basic Tools You Need To Build Your Model Railroad
Great model railroading starts with having the right tools.
You may have most of the tools already and if you don't they can easily be found at your local store and are not expensive.
Good tools go a long way in making your model railroading an enjoyable hobby.
Using the wrong tool or a blunt tool to do a job will only lead to frustration.
Don't make the mistake of buying the cheapest tool available.
I made that mistake when I first started model railroading and ended up having to buy replacements every few months.
Go with the better brands and buy the better quality tool.
The good quality tools will last forever if you look after them.
Here are the basic tools you need to start building your model railroad: A good sharp knife with replaceable and adjustable blades.
An X-Acto knife will do the job.
They come with spare blades, but you want to get a set of the pointed-tip blades and a set of the chisel-tipped blades.
This will allow you to cut anything on your model railroad.
A set of screwdrivers.
A set of screwdrivers with a flat head and phillips head are essential.
You will be using them for benchwork, electrics, fixing track and so much more on your model railroad.
I also suggest getting a set of jeweler's screwdrivers.
These are the very small screwdrivers you will use to undo the tiny screws on your locomotives or rolling stock.
A set of needle-nose pliers.
Needle-nose pliers are necessary to hold parts of your model railroad securely.
They are also handy for extracting items that have fallen down holes or bending wire or cutting electrical cable.
A scale rule.
You are building your model railroad to a scale.
So, a scale rule is needed to make sure everything you build is in proportion to the real life thing.
A set of tweezers.
Tweezers are great for handling the very small model railroad parts.
You will need straight-tip and curved-tip tweezers as they are used in completely different situations.
Model train parts can be fiddly so tweezers will help with this.
A set of files.
To shape scenery you will need a set of files.
Needle files are also great for shaping plastic, wood, and many other materials you use in building a model train layout.
A good set of files will always be handy.
As you progress with building your model railroad you will need to get more specialized tools, depending on what you intend doing.
You may start installing your own DCC decoders in locomotives or replacing the couplers on your rolling stock.
But, for now all you really need are the tools in the list above.
You may have most of the tools already and if you don't they can easily be found at your local store and are not expensive.
Good tools go a long way in making your model railroading an enjoyable hobby.
Using the wrong tool or a blunt tool to do a job will only lead to frustration.
Don't make the mistake of buying the cheapest tool available.
I made that mistake when I first started model railroading and ended up having to buy replacements every few months.
Go with the better brands and buy the better quality tool.
The good quality tools will last forever if you look after them.
Here are the basic tools you need to start building your model railroad: A good sharp knife with replaceable and adjustable blades.
An X-Acto knife will do the job.
They come with spare blades, but you want to get a set of the pointed-tip blades and a set of the chisel-tipped blades.
This will allow you to cut anything on your model railroad.
A set of screwdrivers.
A set of screwdrivers with a flat head and phillips head are essential.
You will be using them for benchwork, electrics, fixing track and so much more on your model railroad.
I also suggest getting a set of jeweler's screwdrivers.
These are the very small screwdrivers you will use to undo the tiny screws on your locomotives or rolling stock.
A set of needle-nose pliers.
Needle-nose pliers are necessary to hold parts of your model railroad securely.
They are also handy for extracting items that have fallen down holes or bending wire or cutting electrical cable.
A scale rule.
You are building your model railroad to a scale.
So, a scale rule is needed to make sure everything you build is in proportion to the real life thing.
A set of tweezers.
Tweezers are great for handling the very small model railroad parts.
You will need straight-tip and curved-tip tweezers as they are used in completely different situations.
Model train parts can be fiddly so tweezers will help with this.
A set of files.
To shape scenery you will need a set of files.
Needle files are also great for shaping plastic, wood, and many other materials you use in building a model train layout.
A good set of files will always be handy.
As you progress with building your model railroad you will need to get more specialized tools, depending on what you intend doing.
You may start installing your own DCC decoders in locomotives or replacing the couplers on your rolling stock.
But, for now all you really need are the tools in the list above.
