Many people say that one of the more rewarding and enjoyable hobbies that you can become involved with is “the wonderful world” of model trains. What first comes to mind when you think about model railroading is that it is a form of entertainment for children, and nothing could be further from the truth.

Certainly, when we were children there was nothing more delightful, and exciting than when we walked into the room where our parents had set up the Christmas tree with that amazing model train chugging around it! This time in our lives was the most magical of times, and for many of us the catalyst for the beginning of a venture that has stayed with us to this day.

I am of course, referring to our commitment to the hobby of toy model railroading. As most of us have learned, model train collecting is both a very serious hobby, and can at times be rather expensive. None the less, it is a hobby we would be very unwilling to exchange for another. For the serious enthusiast this hobby involves a myriad of important issues to consider.

Embarking on this wonderful journey requires an initial evaluation of the area that you’r going to use to construct and setup your model train set. How much room you are going to need will be an important consideration and in particular, if you plan on expanding your layout in the future.

In addition to your decision about layout size, you’ll have to select a type of theme for your layout. Will it represent an era or will it be a contemporary theme? With this said, a decision just as important as the others will be choosing a train scale. What scale you select will relate directly to the type of theme you’ve decided on, and what model railroading layout would be complete if it wasn’t complimented with magnificent scenery?

Whatever your final decisions are, one thing is for certain, selecting toy model trains as a hobby is one of the more enjoyable, fulfilling, and satisfying experiences that you can share with your family! Also, it is really worth repeating that it is very difficult to cover all of the information that relates to model trains in one article, and further research will be required by the enthusiast to fully appreciate how rewarding this hobby can be.