Whatever scale you like best is best for you. For most people, a certain scale just appeals to them. In that case, go with it, even if logically a smaller scale, for example, would be better for your available space, etc.
Two scales and two different eras.
HO scale: mostly CN and CP, 1974.
N scale: CN and Great Northern, 1956.
Most of my HO locos are DC and run on my home layout. I also have a small fleet of DCC equipped locos for running on the club’s HO layout.
All of my N scale locos are DCC equipped and I run them on the club’s N scale layout.
N is harder to handle and maintain than HO, but I can rip apart and put a locomotive back together if I have to. For example, I was running trains the club’s N layout at a train show a couple years back, and one of my Baldwin switchers had some fibre tangled up in one of the truck gear assemblies. I had to disassemble the entire truck, clean out the gears, and put the locomotive back together - without the aid of magnification! The loco ran like a top afterward, but it is really awkward having to work on something that small.
All of them.
There is no best
Z - lack of variety of equipment, 9 volt power? whats up with that.
N - on board sound quality, too small for super detailing
TT - lack of available equipment & track
HO - abundance of equipment (never enough money for all the cool stuff)
- on board sound quality
S - Lack of availabity of equipment
O - space for layout, cost
1 gauge 1:32 - cost
1:29 - Quality of equipment
1:24 & 1:25 - cost, availabilty
1:22 - mostly European prototypes, cost
Fn3 - Quality of equipment or cost of good equipment
All the G-gauge(s) - cost of track.
…And you don’t need photoshop for realistic smoke!
TZ:N - on board sound quality, too small for super detailing
Actually there is a lot of super detailing going on in N as well as kit bashing and scratchbuilding so,that’s one myth that can be toss into the urban myth files …
BLMA and J nJ makes detail parts…There are others as well.
Hi:
You win the “Battle of the Scales.” Personally, I was unaware that there was one.
Ed K
The best scale is the one you like and use. I’ve never used anything other than HO, but I’d never knock another scale of train.
For me, On30: the same place than HO but more details, nice “presence”.
Apparently this topic doesn’t elicit the strong responses of yesteryear. There use to be a few topics that always started a fight. Ho vs N, DC vs DCC, and how do you feel about graffiti. Man, people just don’t fight like they use to![:D]
Maybe we have become more civilized? [swg][(-D]
Oh, shut up, Larry!!! [(-D]
And the winnah is…
ANDRECHAPELON!!!
Or, maybe, Warren Buffett.
Chuck (Who would love to model the Kiso Forest Railway with 1:1 scale models!!!)
Ok let me rephrase, as we are talking about a different level of super detailing. If one considers things like the HO Bowser “super detailing” kits as super detailing I will concede your point, but that is not what I am talking about. I mean things like the 1/4" cord from the cab to the bell, things that are hard even in HO scale and sometimes O scale. When I started “super detailing” N-scale I had to compromise in every area. I took the measurements for a scale 3/4" hand rail and did the math. Worse the 1/2" scale or 1/4" scale lines and tubes eyelets needed for things like speedometer cables, fuel tank venting, hatch lift rings, etc. I found 0.12mm piano/brass wire but how to attach? If one looks really hard there are drill bits smaller than 80 gauge (down to 97 I’ve found) but they are so hard to find, so hard to work with, and expensive. I felt like I was working with spider webs. Then breath on it wrong and 20 hours of work is crushed. All my N-scale hand rails ended up being about scale 1 1/2" diameter, totally gave up with the 1/8" rivet and screw heads etc. a pin prick dimple had to do. etc.
tsk tsk…
Excuse me, but I have never thought of the several scales that are available to railroad modellers ever featuring in a battle - well not in my small world anyway.
My thinking is that its all pretty subjective anyway with every scale haveing its followers who see a personal benefit in the scale they have chosen to model in. But in any event I doubt that there are many detractors - well not enough for any one to think that there is a battle of some kind going on out there in model railroad land. People choose a scale that suits them and they have an enthusiasim for. I don’t see too many modelers choosing a scale because of a negitive or hostile reaction to one scale so they model another - I believe modelrailroaders are more sensible and realistic than that.
If there is a battle of the scales going on then I have heard nothing about it - please let me know when it’s over though.
Bruce[:)]
No battle for me - just a peaceful co-existence!
I started out with a Marklin HO starter set some 48 years ago and have since then meandered into N scale, Z scale and HOe (European narrow gauge) and HOn3. Not to forget a short detour into G scale live steam!
Right now I am back into N scale - for reasons of space and also cost. I am surprised to see how much detail is possible in that small a scale - in my opinion, it has long surpassed the level of detail of HO equipment of the 1980´s and even maybe 1990`s.
Just take a look at this beauty:
It is certainly matching BLI´s Blueline Mike, if not exceeding it.
TZ,I am sure a bell and whistle cord could be done but,whew! it would be tiny…
I don’t know about you but,I wIll pass.
I don’t see where you listed the down side’s of HO in your post.
I model N Scale because I like modern era and long trains to scenery ratio.
It is harder to detail n scale loco’s and it does get frustrating at times.There is not as much variety available as in HO as far as product, but it is better every year. I’ve been an N scaler for 25 years so I can attest to that. Having said that, it is very satisfying when you can kitbash something you need .
N scale
Pros: Looong trains, big cities, smaller steel mills
Cons: getting harder and harder to see
Well maybe that should be Looong trains in a short amount of space. As I have run just as long trains in HO and O as I have in N. It just takes more space to do it.