OK, I collect N scale, my wife prefers HO. I have been considering combining the two scales on one layout, in order to involve my wife more with the hobby. To do this, I was thinking one end of the layout could be HO, (primarily a circus/carnival/zoo/etc…wife’s interest). The majority of the layout will be N scale with long winding grades into mountainous terrain with a few assorted mines, mostly abandoned, and some “odd industries” of my own just for fun. To make the transition between HO & N acceptable, I thought of using a small river, then farm land & forest with gradually shrinking trees, rocks, etc.
Any thoughts or suggestions of this idea?
Does anyone know of any layouts I can view online where two scales have been combined effectively?
Thanks! -Rob
I am HO and use some N at the back and top of the layout to force the perspective. That works, but I do not think it has an application to your issues.
Art, just took a look at your photos…nice work! From the expansive cliffs with bridges, on down to the way you placed the figures. Also an interesting blend between scenery and background painting. Well done! I always enjoy viewing what folks come up with, as it gives me ideas for consideration when the day comes I finally begin building my own. -Rob
I built a layout years ago that used HO and N scale trains. The trau=ins were identical except in scale. Veiwers of the layout would see the HO train pass by on the front section of the layout and after a suitable pause the N scale train would pass by farther back on the layout. This made the layout look much larger than it actually was and many people thought they were seeing the same train.
Hello Rob,
here is a link of our club, West Bay RR association:
http://home.earthlink.net/~pesce/clubpics.htm
Most pictures are of HO trains, but there are a few that shows the 3 scales on the layout: O, S and HO. The club is 50 years old so there was no N scale interest back then. We have no N scalers today so no N scale tracks are on this layout.
The 3 scales are presented as follows: O scale first, S scale next and HO last. They are also separated vertically with O scale low and HO high, with S in the middle.
At the two ends of the layout (with is a big C) the tracks overlap and so looking from the inside of the C, the far section are again presented as O scale first, S scale next and HO last; they are also separated again vertically with O scale low and HO high, with S in the middle.
I am currently working on posting the layout plan in a web page so one can get a better understanding of the layout, but basically it is a big loop around the edges of the C.
Hope the above is not too criptic 
Cheers
Leo
One addtional suggestion: If the HO track is just ahead of the N scale track, I have found that raising the N scale, on a 2"x2" weathered wooden roadbed,adds to the forced perspective. Does anyone run the two scales from the same power source ?