I just moved my family into a new home. Few basements here in North Texas so it’s back to the garage again. I am considering changing from HO to N. The pluses are:
Wider radius (gotta have continuous run, so it’ll be dog-bonish)
Longer linear tracks for more country side from scene to scene.
The negatives seem to be:
Narrower availability of products to buy.
More difficult to work with (my fine motor skills aint what they used to be)
Any pluses or minuses I missed?
Larry Carter
Keller TX
wtwcarter…" N " scale is a plus…I think there is so much you can do with it. I think you’ll enjoy it.
Stan.
Because of the size, I’m planning an N-scale shelf unit to learn my druthers switching. But I like customizing things too much so my long term goals are HO. I especially like making Lilliputians. The idea of mini-Lilliputians is well…dang they’s small.
I got sort of shunted into N when I started remodeling my home. The HO layout came down to be resurrected in a new room once the project is completed, and I built a 3x5 N layout to tide me over. I haven’t even done much planning on the new HO yet, because N is just so much fun, and you can do so much in a limited space.
well there is one more idea build an outside HO track with no switches ect ect and run n inside it so you could have both lol
Sry I’m O/O27 youu could even put a s scale down first and have 3 different scale/gauges to run lol
I really enjoy N scale. While the variety of products available is not as great as with HO, I think there is all the typical modeler would need. Even if your LHS doesn’t stock much N stuff, you can get virtually anything you want at Internet stores.
I’ve heard that N scale derails easily, but that has not been my experience. I rarely derail; the only times it has happened is when running across new turnouts. A little filing of the points and that is taken care of also.
The major drawback is the small size when working on your trains or building structures. I’m 52 years old and wear bifocals. Not even my bifocals allow me to see equipment I am working on. So when I am doing repair work on a locomotive or a rail car, or when assembling structure kits, I spend half the time with my glasses off and holding the part two inches from my face so I can see it.
I don’t wear bifocals, but I do wear reading glasses because my close up vision has deteriorated some. I use an optivisor (actually one of the cheaper knock-offs) for working on my N scale stuff. It really helps. You should consider getting one.
Regards
Ed
One of the coolest things about N scale to me would be being able to run modern equipment. In HO, the radius required seems to be pretty large for auto racks, etc.
The “cuteness” factor of N scale is also very appealing.
If I modeled in N scale, I think I would have to go all out and handlay track with code 40 rail. I just don’t like the look of the standard code 70 rail. The code 55 is better, but code 40 looks awesome.
Actually, the standard rail in N is code 80. The small stuff looks good, but I like the larger rail because it helps me see where it is when I’m trying to put something on the rails!!! [:D]
Regards
Ed
This can be both a plus and a minus.
Because N scale is smaller, you can see more of the layout at a time. This can be good, especially for spectacular scenery, but one must resist the temptation to cram as much track into a space as possible. But it can make the layout seem much smaller and toylike.
I have found that building the bench work so that when the observer sits, the track level is closer to eye level helps in some degree.
I thought about switching scales months awhile ago but because of the lack of available products for the railroad I model I stayed with HO. I do have a small 2’ x 8’ layout in N scale my wife and I are working on though, its her project.
Ed,
The Optivosor sounds like a great idea. This is maybe a stupid question, but would I wear it over my regular glasses? [8D]
Thanks
Thanks to all for the great input. I’ll consider all of this as I clear a place in the garage. Lots of boxes to unpack, still! Will probably purchase some inexpensive gear, set up a circle of track and see what develops.
Yup, I do. It has a headband, and the optivisor part can be tilted up when you don’t need the magnification. It actually has a second swing-down lens for greater magnification, and a single eye loupe on the outside for when you want to read the fine print. [:D]
I suspect the real Optivisors are more comfortable and maybe better built. But I got this knock-off version at a show for $10. Works for me.
Regards
Ed
I’d say get a starter set and run (trains that is).
See/ visit some N layouts in your area.
Make sure you buy a railer thing. I can’t think what they’re called, but it’s a ramp you temporary set over the track and roll railcars down to put them on the track. One (esp. in N gauge) is worth it’s weight in gold! Grade crossings are good for placing cars. But one of these ramps can be used anywhere, and can be pulled out from under an engine after the first axle touches.
Rix makes one? I have one in N and HO, and trying to find them in O and #1. Going to make me one for Thomas wooden cars. (I dapple in all sizes/ scales. Have even helped use one that was 1:1 when I worked in the Defiance, Ohio yard.)
Welcome to the forum[:)]
26 years ago i switched to n scale. i’ve built several small layouts over the years and now i’m building the layout that i have wanted to build since i started in n. it is based on the one track type layout. 12" wide with 48" long modules. a six track yard with an engine service area for 14 locos. i have 55’ of mainline in operation with 15’ more to go for continuous running. i was going to build it in my garage at a 56" level with two 8’ liftout sections for the doors, which would have given me over 100’ of mainline, but due to the dust that i make from my table saw i decided to build it around the walls in my family room. having just switched to radio dcc makes it easier to follow the trains around the room.
One disadvantage you may have missed is that the HO scale locomotives are naturally more detailed. Even if they weren’t, the details are easier to see in HO scale. On the other hand, N offers such fantastic scenic opportunities and you can build a very nice Nscale layout in the space you would use for a very small HO layout. And naturally, running longer trains is a plus in Nscale. I model Nscale, and in my book, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
I switched to N scale 1) my wife liked the “little ones” so it was a diplomatic concession, 2) space at our old house was more suited to N-scale. Alas, we moved to a place where the railroad area of the basement is 40 x 14, but I stuck with N.
An optivisor is a must, but probably so for either scale if you are going to work with details at all. It is also a great track joint inspection tool (as a quick scan).
The availability of equipment will always be greater in HO, but N has made some in roads in the last few years. Steam was sorely lacking 5 years ago, but that is changing.
Performance wise, HO locomotives seem to have a better “tractive effort” but I don’t really worry about that. A decent N-scale diesel should lug 10-15 cars up a 2% grade. Any more than that in the model world probably warrants a second locomotive, anyway.
I have an attachment to both scales, so I won’t weigh in other than to say you will find advantages to both. My 27" mainline minimum radius looks pretty darn good in N-scale. And my 2’ width around the wall holds a lot of possibilities, both operationally and scenery wise. But every time I do a decoder installation that is not a board swap, I say very kind words about HO!
If you go with N, take Dan’s (Altonfan) advice and don’t try to cram too much track into the space. For realism, the best bang for the buck is to use it for scenery purposes.
I stopped by the hobby shop yesterday to see their N stuff. It was refreshing to know I could model six-axle locomotives and even passenger cars. My period is late-60s and I’ve been reluctant to think of purchasing a model of one of the old “E” units, but with the larger radius afforded by N over HO, now I can. I had some six-axle on my last layout, but they were finnicky about the 18" curves. Passenger was pretty much out of the question.