I would like to thank everyone who responded to my first thread. I’ve now pretty much abandoned everything from that original idea and I am at a complete loss.
This will be my first layout, and I can’t decide if it would be better to build a layout from one of the many books available or try to plan one myself. I’m also having a very difficult time deciding whether to build in N or HO scale. I have, have read and am re-reading “Track Planning for Realistic Operation”, “Realistic Model Railroad Design”, “Realistic Railroad Operations” as well as the various articles and special issues of Model Railroader.
I have a locomotive in both scales, both were purchased in the early 1980s, along with a small amount of rolling stock. None of which I have any real attachment to.
One week, I’m thinking of building a industrial switching operation in HO, then I read some article or post in one of the many forums and decide main line action in N would be nice. I consider building a modular/sectional layout that I can expand as more space becomes available, we are currently in a small house, then I think I should just build a small “finished” railroad.
I know I want DCC. Sound would be a nice option, but not necessary.
I am eagerly awaiting the sage advise from you more experienced modelers.
Welcome to the club. As long as you can’t decide, you don’t have to build anything or risk feeling wrong. What I would do is look at the two locos and see which one you want to run trains behind. There are many other ways to decide as well. There is only one way to not decide. We wish you good luck and look forward to seeing what results.
Kent if you are thinking of going with DCC and maybe later with sound then HO would be my suggestion. Right now in N scale the choice’s are limited as far as sound. It would seem to me that installing decoders in N scale would be a lot harder, but then I am using HO. Just my [2c]worth! Good luck deciding. Jim
Do you have a large area for a layout? Do you ever plan to have a large empire or do you think you will always be content w/ a switching layout? There are many reasons most pick a scale to begin with. I model HO, 10-15 years ago quality N scale was hard to find. Today the manufacturers have come light years with the scale. I really like te super detail my equipment, HO was my choice just for the size and the availability of locos and rolling stock. This was close to 20 years ago. If I had space constraints or wanted a much larger layout for the space allowed, today I would give N scale some careful consideration. One other thing to think about, as you age your sight worsens- you start by needing much more light and those normal glasses won’t do the job unless you get the bifocals. This is what has happened to me, I not going blind, but I am glad that I chose HO. Who knows, if my eyes get any worse, I may have to go to O scale or O narrow gauge. It is you choice, weigh the options and choose well.
I’m not really sure what you mean here, but if I’m guessing correctly…
The N loco is an Atlas Union Pacific GP-30, the HO an Atlas Union Pacific GP-38. To my untrained eyes, I can’t tell the difference. Also, I’m not sure if it would be possible to convert either of these to DCC or how they will run after being in storage for years. I don’t currently have any power source to test them.
My current space will be rather small, actual size is still being negotiated with the wife. I would like to have a larger layout at some time which is one reason I had been thinking of a modular/sectional design. I already have the bifocals, so this probably gives a plus to the HO. I was thinking of doing a decision matrix to help me decide, but I’m not even sure how I would set one up.
If space is a significant issue now, and you’re already “negotiating” it with your significant other, then you might want to give some points to N-scale. I model HO myself, and I’m happy with it, but I started with a lot of rolling stock, locomotives, track and structures from 40 years ago. The rolling stock is slowly coming back, only 1 or 2 locos will make it (other than dummies) and most of the old brass track and structures will never see my layout.
At 59, I think the eyesight and dexterity issues are significant, but not overwhelming.
My 5x12 foot layout is now getting too small, and I’ve only been going for a little over a year. I still have a lot of details, scenery and “in-filling” to do on that layout, but I am already looking at “temporary” add-on structures for expansion. Of course, few of us have the luxury of enough space for a lifetime of layout building and expansion.
I think that your use of a decision matrix is a good idea, and maybe the best place for you to begin.
I also agree with some of the other comments, that if vision (I wear bifocals also) and DCC sound are on the list, then HO scale is probably the best choice.
You might want to consider a small modular layout that could later be incorporated into a larger empire. Working on a few small modules will give you an opportunity to develop your modeling skills. In addition, modular layouts can be constructed to share space with a second bedroom, den or home office, until such time as a basement can be aquired.
If you can get a copy of any of the ModelRailraod Planning magazines, there have been several articles on constructing very nice small modular layouts.
You are not alone. I’m certainly not the one to give advise on how to make up ones mind. I tried to have both HO and N (not to mention O and G). I tried to model everything from 1890 to 1980. I tried to model 5-7 different prototypes as well as have a freelance (three actually). I have tried to have both small finished layouts and modular ones. The resulting choas makes the budget (time, space, $) more limited for each, increases the stress levels, and reduces the overall enjoyment of the hobby.
I kept putting off the critical decisions so now I have so much (so much I had to rent a storage unit for it) incompatible equipment (scale, era, road name) that is is much harder to decide because when I do that means some of my “treasures” have to go.
That probably doesn’t help much, but the point is that deciding is good. When you do decide don’t keep looking back and saying “if I would have”. … Focus on what was choosen. It will save time, money, and make what you do get much more enjoyable.
Here is my suggestion. Having modeled both in HO and N, I chose N years ago for several reasons. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the main reason I chose N was the scenery to track ratio that 1/160th scale possesses. Somehow, trains just LOOKED better in that scale when they were surrounded by realistic scenery and they still do. Although prototype trains are big machines, they are dwarfed by the mountains, canyons and buidings they are surrounded by. Simply because of the limitations of an average human’s reach, our height and the focal length of our eyes, everything else being as equal as possible (scenery fidelity, weathering, available space, layout height and superdetailing) N just naturally looks better to the human eye.
When I decided to seriously go with N over 25 years ago, the lack of superdetailing parts, decent pre-built trackage and a decided lack of kits, decent motive power and rolling stock were all a challenge to me (which I liked). So, even though HO has just about everything you could ever want for sale somewhere, N is catching up…but N STILL requires you to be more creative and to look harder for the things you may want, especially if you decide you’d like to do N-scale, rather than just N-gauge.
If you are considering building your layout in portable sections, then N is really also the way to go. I’m in the process of doing just that and am working on a 24 foot section (comprised of four six-foot sections) that will be a major focal point of my finished layout. It is the perfect example of what can be done in N-scale as compared to a larger scale. The scene depicts UP’s Echo Junction on the Wasatch Grade between Ogden UT and Evanston WY in 1952, a year before coal-fired engines stopped running between Green River and Ogden. I consider this to be an LDE (Layout Design Element) because it’s as close to the prototype as I can make it in 24 linear feet. The modules are as deep a
Thank you to all who have responded. Your comments and suggestions have been very helpful. Today, I made mock-ups of track on a 2 feet by 4 feet piece of cardboard. This is going to be my “standard” size module. Looking at the track on the cardboard, the HO just didn’t look right to me. When I did the N scale mock-up things just seemed more “natural”.
So, I have at least one decision made, I’ll be modeling in N scale. [:D]