No matter what kind of layout you are planning, there are certain tools that will serve you well in the hobby of model railroading.
Let's start with tools for dealing with the track because we all know that without the track, we have no trains.
First and foremost, since no track you purchase will ever create the layout you envision without some modification, you will need a tool with which to cut the track.
I am a big fan of rail nippers by Xuron. They are easy to use and make nice, clean and accurate cuts.
If you don't care for the nippers, there are saws designed specifically for cutting the track.
No model railroader should be without wire strippers/cutters. Mine are able to cut wire, strip it and can be used with crimp connectors - you know, those little plastic thingies you stick two ends of wire in and crimp using pliers ... or a crimping tool.
Also in your toolbox should be needle-nose pliers. These have a multitude of uses. I recommend a set that has regular needle-nose as well as long, curved and short pliers. 
A good set of precision screwdrivers is a must. They are small enough to be used for the tiny screws on locomotives. Make sure your set is magnetic. Trust me when I tell you that you do not want to go hunting for that tiny little screw you just dropped because your fingers are simply too big to get it back to where it belongs.
That brings me to another tool. It's a little unconventional, but I picked one up several years ago and wouldn't be without it. It looks like a cross between a small screw driver and tweezers.
To use it, you hold it kind of like you would hold a cigarette. Pressing on the top of the picker pushes out and spreads to thin pieces of metal that are bent at a 90-degree angle at the end. You place the head of the screw between the pieces of metal and release the top of the picker.
You can now get that screw anywhere you want it, even in the tightest of spaces. A little turn of the picker will get the screw started at which point you can take over with a regular screw driver.
The above las led me to yet another useful tool - tweezers. Long or short, they, too, have a multitude of uses. From providing delicate assistance when building models, to placing small detail items on the layout without getting glue all over hour fingers and everything else, they are extremely handy to have around.
A good hobby knife is a must as is a package of paint brushes of all sizes.
Other tools I have found useful include:
Hot-wire foam cutter
Heat gun
Airbrush
Soldering iron
Small files
Pin vice (also known as a tiny, hand-operated drill)

Next week, I'll talk about some neat items I have used from around the house to help me with scenery.

I feel so ... limited.
Going to Railfest 2011 has made me realize just how much I wish I had a money tree in the back yard.
But I don't. If anyone out there does have such a tree, I'd be happy to help you with the harvest.
Once again, the show did not disappoint.

While I find myself wishing there had been more vendors offering scenery supplies, I was not unhappy with what I did find.
More prevalent at this year's Railfest were reading material and railroad-related clothing items.
Not something that I am intensely interested in, but for those who enjoy reading about their favorite railroads or for those who want to display a railroad's logo on a shirt or sweatshirt, those items are always a good find.
As is always the case, several working layouts were on display for patrons to enjoy.
Taking a look at these layouts always gives me ideas. Some have worked out, others not so much.
While I didn't necessarily have anything in mind that I felt I needed to purchase, I still managed to drop a few bucks and come home with a couple buildings, some park benches and some figures that will soon have a home on my layout. OK, maybe not soon, but eventually,
One thing I have to say about the people I come into contact with at Railfest is that they are always friendly and willing to offer advice and knowledge.

Delving into the hobby of model railroading is kind of like joining a brotherhood - or sisterhood - of sorts.
For those of us who enjoy the hobby, there is a connection, a common bond.
Whether you enjoy the technical end of the hobby, modeling a prototype railroad, freelancing or just setting up the train on the dining room table on weekends, we all speak the same language.
At shows like these, you can ask a question, get an honest answer and walk out with a little more knowledge than you had when you walked in.
That kind of stuff is priceless. I have found that the best way to learn how to do something is to ask someone who has been doing it for a while and these shows are crawling with such individuals.
If you didn't get to Railfest 2011, and even if you did, it's time to start looking ahead to Railfest 2012.
Until then, I have some work to do.

For those of us who have been interested in the hobby for years and for those of you who might be considering entering the world of model railroading, this weekend offers an event that is second to none.
I have been to hundreds of train shows over the years and let me tell you that the show at Lakeland is the best around.
The Western Reserve Division of the National Model Railroad Association is hosting Railfest 2011 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 19-20 at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland.
The show offers up hundreds of vendors selling everything from books shirts and memorabilia to trains, track and just about every accessory a person can imagine.
This is the show I wait all year for.
Hop aboard and spend some time at Railfest 2011.
Visit www.railfest.org for more information.

It's time to talk turnouts.
You first need to decide if you want a "switching layout" in which usually short trains serve industries. These types of layouts can provide hours of endless scenarios as train cars are moved from one industry to another and back.
If you opt for a "normal" layout, you still will likely need to add turnouts to your plan as they can be useful in providing more realistic operation.
In real life, two trains often use the same mainline - going the same direction or, well, not. Now, lets assume we all understand why not having a way for a train to pass another would be bad. Let's also assume that we all know why serving industries parked along a mainline could be a bad thing with only one track to use.
It'd be like having the loading dock to a grocery store right on the street. Trucks park to unload and traffic is backed up forever.
In our miniature world, we should keep this in mind.
If you are planning a railroad with a single-track mainline, you should consider "passing sidings."
These are sections of track that include a turnout at either end allowing a train to enter and leave the siding to allow faster trains, or trains traveling in the opposite direction, to pass.
Suppose industries are a part of your railroad. You should consider spurs, either off of the mainline or off of passing tracks. Spurs are tracks that don't reconnect with the mainline. They simply end at or near an industry.
Turnouts come in a number of radii, they come in lefthand, righthand, wye and even 4-way/crossover. They can be curved or straight. They can be operated manually or electronically.
Turnouts with larger radii should be used along the mainline as curves with larger radii make mainline runs look more realistic. Those with smaller radii are good for industrial sidings.
For turnouts that will be situated where you cannot easily reach, go for the electronically operated model. If it is close enough for you to reach, I recommend a manually operated turnout. There's something about moving the switch yourself that makes you feel more connected with the railroad ... kinda like you work there.
My layout is constructed in such a way that all turnouts can be operated manually. I never have to wonder if they are set correctly to make the train go where I want it to go.
For manually operated turnouts, I recommend those without the throw switch attached. I like to add my own throws (made by Caboose Hobbies). They are made for HO and N scales and are reasonably priced and easy to use. They look kind of like the real thing and ensure good alignment of the turnout.
I know, I know, there are a lot of options. There's a lot to think about. Don't just go out and start buying turnouts. This is where a little planning comes in handy.
A little advice ... Don't overcomplicate your layout with too many turnouts, passing sidings and spurs. It'll make your railroad simply look like someone dropped a bowl of spaghetti. A good place to start is to decide how many and what industries might be served by your trains.
Look at some of the track-planning books and magazines out there. That's a great place to start.
For more on model railroad turnouts, visit http://modeltrains.about.com/od/layoutconstruction/tp/turnouts.htm or mrr.trains.com and type "turnouts" in the search window.
Before we go any further with thinking and planning, next week, I'll take a look at some of the tools that no model railroader should be without - unless frustration is something you enjoy.

By now, it is possible you have a home for your new world. You might have picked a space, decided on how you will construct a base (benchwork) and are ready to get to work. Maybe you're still in a thinking stage.
Whatever phase you might be in, you can't run trains without track.
If you are dealing with a larger scale, say S, O or even G, your track choices are relatively limited. Most track for those scales comes in sections of predetermined lengths. Some is on molded plastic roadbed, some is not.
When dealing with HO, N or Z scales, though, you have some options.
Some companies offer sectional track that is attached to its own roadbed. That is to say the track mounted to molded plastic made to look as though the rails are sitting atop mounded gravel - also known as ballast - just like the real deal. Railroad ties are also part of the molded plastic roadbed. This track is easy to set up, rearrange and is pretty stable when running trains.
Next in line would be sectional track that does not include its own roadbed. Such track can be mounted to the surface of your layout using several methods. It can be placed directly on the surface of the wood or other material you have used for your layout base. Doing so can mean a somewhat noisy operating session, but it works.
Most model railroaders employ roadbed made of cork or a foam-like material. Either of these provides a good base for track while helping to dampen noise as your trains traverse your world.
Before going much further, it might be a good idea to talk for a second about flextrack. This track comes in relatively long sections- usually about 3 feet in length. The sections, as the name might imply, are quite flexible and can be used for long, straight runs or sweeping curves. Flextrack has many uses as it can be easily cut to fill gaps, flexed to form curves and used in single, long sections to help you create a mainline run with relatively few track joints.
The use of flextrack might be determined by what kind of layout you are planning. I don't recommend it for a switching layout - one serving many industries and using many turnouts. That is best left to the sectional track options. It is also important to remember that when using flextrack, one must use care not to create curves that are too tight or to twist the track, as either will surely cause your trains to jump the track.
If you are a beginner and want something that is relatively simple to assemble, look into the sectional track that is already mounted to its own roadbed - made by Atlas, LifeLike, Bachmann and Kato.
Next week, I'll discuss turnouts. Not sure what that is? Well, let's just say that unless trains want to run into each other on a given track, they are more than necessary.
Have a question? Leave me a comment and I'll see if I can come up with an answer.