I have a 10’ x 4’ bench to use for my layout. There are no windows or doors to worry about. Have left room on both sides for these. Is going to run along the back wall of spare bedroom.
Here is where I am stuck. I am trying to decide between HO or N. I have seen the track for the N gauge, not for the HO gauge and have read the dimensions, just having a hard time visualizing them. What is the best one for this size layout. I would like to have a couple good runs of tracks than just a basic layout. I am kinda leaning towards N to get the big layout with alot of different runs of tracks.
If the size of N is okay for you, then I would go with it. As you have noted, you can get more railroad for a given space.
Access to the back of the layout can be a problem. 4 ft is too far a reach. Either put the layout on wheels or use access hatches. Or, if you have the room, having the layout 18 inches from the wall allows access to the back.
My best advice would be be to throughly research N Scale and be sure that’s the scale for you.
As a side note I have either dabble or modeled in N for years and seen to many new N modelers become disillusion because of the limited detail items that is so common in HO.Sadly the majority of the cars still have truck mounted couplers as you may know.
Now then
With 4’ you can have sweeping curves and nice scenery to hide that curve however,I do warn about building a track filled spaghetti bowl type layout which is easy to do in N.
HO your best curve would be 22" which is ok for medium size HO equipment.-SD24,SD35,SD40/40-3 SD50 and up to 65’ cars or for steam up to a 2-10-0.
Although I am sure that everyone means well, many of the replies you’ll receive on this forum will be of the “damning with faint praise” variety when it comes to N scale modeling. Posting your question on a forum with a larger proportion of N scalers (such as The Railwire or Trainboard) might yield more enthusiastic responses toward N scale.
Tens of thousands* of people happily model in N scale around the world, so it can’t be all bad, even if some of the couplers are truck-mounted.
There’s no question that much more may fit in any space in N scale than in HO. But to be sure that you’ll be happy with it (and you are the only one who matters), you should go to a hobby shop or train show where you can see and compare the actual equipment in each scale. Train shows often have operating layouts in different scales and are a great place to see the differences.
Best of luck with your choice.
*Edit: Probably more like hundreds of thousands, come to think of it …
I’'ll freely admit my own bias towards HO. I think cuyama’s suggestion to see both of them operate is the very best point made here. Even better would be to build and operate a small module in N so that you get an idea of the standards, skills, and craftsmanship needed to enjoyably operate an N layout, rather than be frustrated by it.
Ultimately, if you build it in N and aren’t satisfied with it, you’ll certainly regret doing that. But if you’ve already established you’'re ready to face the challenges of N by getting a module operational, then the sometimes impatient period needed before trains start running realistically will be more easily endured than if you’re harboring any doubts about your commitment.
The module could very easily be included in building the layout. If you build it to whatever a local N module group’s standard is, you could also use it for that.If you decide you really want to do HO for the layout instead, having an N module on hand will let you participate in both scales, win-win.
How Old are you? If you can remember when the Beatles were hot, then you are far too old to even see N scale. LION has enough trouble seeing anything in HO scale. But Him runs a subway layout, and the only cheap plastic subway trains are in HO.
That’s laughably untrue, based on the great layouts built by folks older than 55 in N scale, including my friend Steve Van Meter’s layout in the November 2012 MR. (Among many others)
I run N scale because space is a precious commodity. but it’s ultimately up to you OP HO or N, hopefully you can decide and be happy with what you chose, even if you don’t feel happy with what you chose I’m sure you could always change.
I want to thank everybody for their nice responses. I just ordered a pack of N track and a pack of HO track and am going to put each pack on the layout and see how each size looks.
In 1987 I decided to leave O after 15 years. I looked at both HO and N and found HO the better choice then. Faced with the same situation today, I’m pretty sure I’d opt for N scale. The N-scale engines available today are much improved from that time, and it’s easy to find nicely detailed engines that are very smooth running. Back then the normal advice was to model long trains with 3-4 engines, so that when you hit a dead spot or dirt on the track, the engines could take turns pulling each other over the dead spot.
I’d say N-scale would probably be best for you in your layout area situation. 22" radius curves are fairly sharp in HO, and a lot of equipment won’t run on it or will look bad doing it. In N, 15-18"R curves are ‘broad’ and will allow you to run anything you want.
If you have a 10’x4’ bench, I assume that it will be placed as a peninsula, with the 10’ extending from the back wall, since the reach is limited to 2’. You say a “hatch”. Does this mean a duck under access hole to reach the far side of the 10’x4’ against the wall? You lose valuable area, this way and the continuity of the scenery is lost. I was picturing a 4’x10’ peninsula with a scenic “S” shaped divider, so that you have twice the background area and have to go around the divider to see the rest of the track and structures. But,it is your layout. It is getting so that the amount of N scale locos, rolling stock, and structures available is quite plentiful. With a 4’x10’ area, I would go for N scale. On my AVATAR, note how I placed N scale on a 2"x2" directly behind my HO scale. With the paper photo of low distant hills, one can achieve realistic forced perspective. I matched the color of the upper sky to that of the photo “electronically” at the paint store. Bob Hahn
I was ask the bold question of “How Old are you?” with the idea of really getting at the answer to “how good are your eyes?” and “how good is your finger dexterity?”
There are staunch N scale supports as well as those in HO scale who have never dabbled in the other scale. You should probably note and disregard some of what each of those has to say. I have had both.
When I was teen I transferred form O/O27 to N scale and enjoyed a lot of layout in a small space . I put those away and went on with life until about 6 years ago when my interest in MRRing was renewed and I dug out my old N Scale stuff. I live in a trailer so space is at a premium. I decided I no longer wanted N as I always always wanted HO! SO I became a “transfer” to HO for a number of reasons: more stuff available to HO, Cheaper stuff in HO, Easier to work on stuff, and more I am sure.
I found my old N Scale stuff was no comparison to newer N Scale. {I did add to my N scale before jumping into HO}. BU: I found that my eyes are not as good as they used to be, My dexterity id OK, but not as good as it used to be, and N scale is kinda small {read “tiny”} to me now. Changing couplers to knuckle couplers proved to be exercises in frustration!!! So I thought to buy all anew with only knuckle couplers,but that can be expensive {where as start up for HO was comparatively cheaper}.
I also planned a hollow-core door sized layout that I could “pack a lot into” like you think you can. I ended up wiht mostly track and not much room for scenery. I actually built a small HO layout 3.5 feet x 5.1 feet with 2 interconnected ovals, adn a 4 spur yard and a 2 spur engine servicing facility that looked FAR less of track only than my N scale plan {and I bought all the track for the Nsclae before abandoning the idea of “packed with track layout”}.
WHAT you Can get in a N Scale layout well thought out is the illusion that you have space if you plan
Is there any possibility of cutting that 4’x10’ into two 2’x10’s and making an L-shaped layout? In HO it would have to be a point-to-point trackplan, and possibly so in N scale, too, but you’d solve the “long reach” issue and the need to provide access from the other side. I’d place it on brackets so there’d be no need for legs, and if you placed the brackets high enough, it would have minimal impact on the placement of furniture within the room. While I model in HO and am officially a “senior”, I’d opt for N scale in your situation.
The admonishment to avoid a spaghetti-bowl of too much track is a good one - one which many of us take too long to accept. [swg]
There are staunch N scale supports as well as those in HO scale who have never dabbled in the other scale. You should probably note and disregard some of what each of those has to say. I have had both.
G
In that light allow me to vindicate what I said as a experience N Scaler.[swg]
N scale has come a long way in terms of quality, detail and performance and is certainly a valid choice nowadays. Its biggest advantage is its size, allowing you either to put a lot more into a given space or use the real estate you´ve got for a more generous outlay of your layout (for me the better option). Its biggest drawback is its size. Unless your are able to get your eyes real close, you won´t notice all that detail. I also miss that “railroad” feeling.
My personal view on N scale is, that it is a fine scale for shelf-type layouts, built around the room and set at close to eye level, but not so suitable for table-top type layouts.
Right now I am considering a change of scale myself. I have a mini-modular N scale layout (similar to T-Trak), but find it more and more difficult for my bespectacled aging eyes to cope with the small size. I am not considering to go back to HO scale, but all the way up to O scale (not the Hi-Rail" stuff. Key reason is that I love detail and scratch building, which is a lot easier to do in this scale.
what do you all say is the best way to make the hatch i.e securing it, attaching it, and then what is the best item to use to actually hide it that it will still be easy to open
There is nothing wrong with N scale and, in fact, I started to dabble with it since you get more railroad in a smaller space. The problem, from my perspective, and mine alone, is that I have enough problems fussing with coupler conversions, painting etc on HO scale, and can only believe that N would excacerbate this issue.
