Hey folks, this is my first post here. I have been out of model railroading for a few years and have sort of gotten the bug again.
I am trying to decide HO or N Scale for my new layout. I was into N scale last time around and don’t have anything left, so it’s starting from scratch… so…
I have the room, full basement… space isn’t a problem…
So what’s the opinions here, HO or N scale ?
Cheers, Rob
“hotshot charlie”
Pro of HO
Pro of N
If you can go either way, why not take the approach of deciding what and where you want to model and then look at what is available in the 2 scales to meet your requirements? Perhaps this will lead you to a decision?
IMHO. HO scale.
Short and sweet:
(For you) space isn’t an issue, It’s easier to work with, allows for good detail, and has the largest selection of products, I’d only reccomend N if you wanted to fit a lot of trains in the room, or depict large scenes.
I personally like n scale the best. Like said before you can do a lot more with it in less space which for me is a definite upside. Also i liked n scale because it is a little more challenging to work with and is really detailed.
Either ore is good though, both have a lot out that is available, and both are becoming very technologically advanced. Really i fell it comes down to how well you can work with small things, and how much space you have.
GO HO!!!
i had a n scale rr and barely ever get the train on the tracks…and i’m 11!!!
HO is esier to work with and has the most out. they are both very detailed and are good choices.because space isnt a problem for you i would go largest posibble and that would be HO.
I would recommend S scale. I find it easier to work with and the size makes it nice to run.
See this page http://www.trainweb.org/crocon/sscale.html
Enjoy
Paul
Any train shows coming your way in the near future? If you have one with a number of layouts, it might be worth going just to look at what people are doing with the various gauges.
Personally, I like HO because I can work on everything myself. I’m more of a kit-builder than an RTR guy, so I need to be able to see what I’m doing and get my fingers inside the small spaces. I’m afraid I couldn’t do that with N, although I’ll admit that I’d love to have the luxury of wide open spaces that N gives you.
And by the way, space will always be a problem. Some day. A model railroad will expand to fill all available space, and then you will start drawing plans for punching out walls and tunneling into the next room.
I’ve done both and there are more points to each than can be discussed here. Making what I wanted fit into the space available considering my givens and druthers, as well as my wife’s preferences, moved me into N about 5 years ago. Then we moved and I wound up with a larger space with no real obstacles, but I stuck with N. We’re probably moving again this fall, and I’ll stay the course.
Don’t get me wrong, HO is great. But what N provides me is what some of the others have said. In a given space, I get more room for scenery without cramping things in. My designs tend to be 2’ deep around the wall shelf layouts. And what is a tight curve in HO is a broad to very broad N scale curve.
The downside is that you’ll need to have an Optivisor handy whenever you are disassembling anything (maybe not a bad idea in HO, either) and N scale locomotives are lighter so they don’t have the pull of their larger cousins.
The moral of the story is to go in the direction that you are comfortable with. Research the era, road and locale of what you want and see what is available in each. That may lead you to a decision, and if not, visit some layouts in each scale to see what rings your bell.
If you do opt for N scale and have a large space, my advice is to “rough in” your plan as if it were HO scale and then adjust the track centers and other clearances as you develop it. For instance, if you have room for 24" curves if you were designing it in HO, run with the idea. That translates to roughly 44" when laid out in N scale. And, as the plan develops you have the luxury of backing off a bit if you need to. That will also help you avoid the tendency to wedge too much track into the space and give the plan a more open and realistic feel. It is also a good way to avoid designing a complex plan that will become a maintenance monster once built.
Just my [2c]
An N scale Empire or another HOhum layout? There is just as much stuff availble in N scale as HO now. What is your prototype that you’re going to depict?
Canadian Shield
N is not the so-so-scale it was thirty years ago. In addition, we’re seeing factory-equipped DCC locomotives, and at the recent World’s Greatest Hobby show I saw a factory-sound-equipped DCC diesel A unit!
When you look at photographs of layouts in MR, you often can’t tell which scale it is in, some of the detail is so good these days.
Probably the simplest thing would be to determine the kind of track plan you want. How much operation do you want or need? You may want so much that you have to choose N to get it to fit, or go with a multi-level HO layout.
One item to consider: N is usually cheaper than HO, in terms of track, rolling stock, and structures. But you may buy more track given the greater use of space.
I guess the bottom line is, what do you want to handle for the next ten years? You can always get magnifying lenses (and will probably need them with any scale), but any maintenance work you do will be the long-term cost of the scale you pick.
Good luck!
I will heavily stress to you HO Scale. They come with a huge variety of rolling stock and accesories that are highly detailed and lower in price than that of N scale. They are also easier to work with and are more popular among the internet and ebay if you will be looking for cheap buys. Good Luck with it!
Before anyone throws any bricks at me, be aware that magnificent work can be done in any scale. That said, my suggestion is to look to the future. Nobody has ever gotten younger. Fingers that can easily mount scale doorknobs on Z-scale structures today will have problems screwing an MKD-5 to the bottom of an HO car forty years and arthritis from now. The ability to read the leasing data on the top left corner of an N-scale box car will degenerate to the point where HO scale reporting marks may become a challenge. Think about how long you expect to keep your present layout space, and what your physical condition might be when you finally give it up.
My personal progression went from Lionel tinplate, to 1:192 scale (5-DCC), to HO, to HOn3, to HOj (1:80 scale). In light of the above, my next move will probably be to On30.
Ya as a couple people have said, if space is no problem, I would work backwards - decide first what type of railroading you’re interested in.
Mainline grain trains with 3 diesels and 50 cars?? Go with N. A wayfreight with a 2-8-0 and ten cars shuffling along a single track branchline?? Go with HO scale.
18 stall roundhouse?? Go N. 2 stall wood dilapidated enginehouse?? HO.
Hey folks,
Great input, thanks a bunch. I think I am going to shoot for HO scale, mainly for the points that some folks made about size. My eyes aren’t what they used to be. I’ll be 51 this year. Also, I have the room, I think, to come up with a good layout. Someone made a statement about the layouts keep on growing and growing… yep, they become a intity of their own… transforming and growing like a living being. [:D]
Now, what to model? What layout to use? I also have to decide on what type of railroad I want to run, long haul coal, etc. or short track stuff??? Decisions, decisions. Last time I built a layout, I was too hasty in deciding what to do and was never happy with it… this time I am going to be sure, too much work to not be sure of the direction I want to go.
Thanks a bunch for all the input, this looks like a great forum to ask questions. I look forward to reading other posts and learning from you pros.
Cheers, Rob
“hotshot charlie”
BTW, what code track is recommended for HO? Reasons?
Thanks, Rob
Rob, there are really 2 mainstream track codes. 83 and 100. I use code 100 simply because I have some older trains with deeper flanges that need the extra track height, other wise I would use the more prototypical 83. I find Atlas flextrack to be an excellent trade off between price and quality. I am not however a big fan of Atlas turnouts so prefer to spend a little extra and get Peco.
I model in N scale and I would not like to comment on whether N or HO is better. You decide on what you like to model on how much available space. Do you like to run long trains (20 - 30 cars) without tail chasing? Do realistic scenery without cramping? You choose.
I am 64 years old and do not have perfect vision but I get along and enjoy my hobby. Both scales have it’s pros and cons.
Cheers,
Cliff
http://cliffordconceicao3310.fotopic.net/c328807.html
If you are starting fre***hen code 83 would be the way to go. I find the difference in realism well worth it. Code 100 always seems to look too ‘fake’ to me. I am also in the planning stage of my first layout in 12 years. I’m going to use code 83 even though I have some very old HO equipment (figure I can change the wheelsets if need to). If you can’t decide what kind of railroad, I suggest picking a prototype that you like and go from there. I tend to like short lines and branches because it is easier to compress the scenery and therefore makes the scenes and the model railroad itself more believable. Good luck!
Someone suggested a train show… man, I sure wish we had a train show… even close to my home town. I live in Tupelo, MS about 100 miles from Memphis, Tn. Memphis used to have a few shows, but I don’t see any listed. I need a train show to check out the new stuff and get ideas. Anyone know of a show close to me?
BTW, thanks to all who have responded. N scale might not be totally out of the picture, if I go with a long run… just don’t know HO sure looks easier to work with.