And I’m talking about comparing apples and apple. Say a 6 x 16 HO with a 3 x 8 N scale.
The engines are a wash.
The structures, the same.
The trees, I make them free.
Rocks–slightly more plaster.
Foam, wood, a little more HO because of the size.
track, turnouts, switch machines, the same.
But it is N-scales strength that kills ya. N makes it so you can run long trains. In HO you could run 8 coal cars, or ten tankers or 10 containers and it looks right for the scale. The cars cost the same, but you have to have 30 of each of N-scale to make a believable unit train.
The whole idea behind n scale is that you can do more in the same amount of space, or make more out of a smaller amount of space(guilty as charged). I am not sure if you are speaking of the merits of N or saying what you might not like in your post. As for cost…N is generally on the same level as HO with prices. The reason being that it is more precision to make the stuff small like that. At least that is my understanding. So yes, if you are looking at it from a money standpoint you are no better off with N scale than HO. And of course it is always better to spend the extra money and get the better quality products.
Not in a comparable size layout you can’t. If you shrink everything equally, you can’t run longer N scale trains, you can run N scale trains of the same length as the HO trains on the larger layout.
Now, if you build the N scale to the same size as the HO layout, then yes, you COULD run longer trains. But a better idea would be to take advanatge of the smaller size of N scale to increase the scenery to track ratio and make the overall layout look more realistic. Same equipment count, but the train will appear more dwarfed by the scenery.
It’s tempting to cut everything in half. But of you used 24" radius in HO, don’t go down to 12" in N scale, try using 18" or 20" in N scale. You can still get more track in the same space, but rather then doubling it, only increase it by 50% or so.
As most of you well know, I’m an N scaler too, and have always been a little jealous of HO people because we pay close to the same price for our items, yet it just seems they get more for their money… As for the amount of stock I pull per train. I’ve always ran short trains behind my steam locos consisting of no more than eight to ten cars - like the trains I’ve seen in a lot of my old steam era train books.
Not having had anything to do with N scale, I can’t really compare–EXCEPT: My Department Chair at school (who is the world’s NEATEST guy) is into N scale, and he bought the Kato “California Zephyr” train plus a WP A-B-B consist. Did handstands, brought it to school to show me, we set it up on a desk in the office I share with two other instructors and a Priest, the two other instructors laughed at the fact that we’d just turned 10 again, the Priest was making “Whoo-Whoo” noises as we ran it around the desk (I had to tell the Priest that diesels sounded more like “Honk-Whaaa”). Had a lot of fun. Gorgeous train set. My Chair got it all for about $300.
I got jealous. So after getting my Christmas Bonus, I decided to get my OWN HO “California Zephyr.” So far, it’s run me about $800 (BLI) and I’m three cars short of his. So I don’t really know about comparitive prices between HO and N, but all I can say is that his train cost a heck of a lot less than mine (of course, his doesn’t have lights in the cars, nor do his WP A-B-B diesels make as much noise as my Rio Grande A-B F-3 set).
But I can understand that N might get a little expensive when you have room to run a 100+ car train in about the same space as a 22-car HO consist. Frankly, if I were 47 instead of 67, I would be taking a serious look at N-scale. But my eyesight ain’t what it used to be, LOL!
I just had a conversation with my dad eariler about this. He took a look at my new N scale layout and asked what scale it was, and I showed him one of my old HO locomotives in comparison. He asked if it was cheaper, I told him before it was more expensive but now they’re about the same…
In some cases, N IS cheaper. In the case of the Atlas articulated autorack car, compare price of the N scale version:
Chip, I know it may seem a little weird that you may pay around the same for a N scale Atlas loco as you do with a Ho loco but to me it doesnt really bother me size is not everything… How much do you guys pay for a 40 foot atlas boxcar in Ho? I think around $25 if I remeber right from when I was in Ho. Now you can buy a N scale Atlas 40 foot boxcar for about $6-10. some cars are more but still… Track is about the same I think if you figure out how much there is and stuff like that. Scenery is the same becuase you use the same stuff… Buildings can be had for less but the nice stuff is about the same as Ho. I like N scale for a few reasons. I could have used about all of my 900 sgft basement if I wanted to so space wasnt an issue I could have built a Ho empire… I did not have the cash however to invest in a empire rr. I started out with a 4x8 board with my grandfarthers old tyco stuff. I was all happy to start in trains but the problems with my old crappy tyco stuff real boring train running caused me to HATE my trains. If not for having a freind in N scale and seeing what he did with his N scale trains I would have given up on trains. I decided to rip up my old Ho stuff. I boxed it all up and did nothing with it. I drew millions of plans for a N scale 4x8 RR. When I started I had a plan but now all but a few parts of my orginal yard is the way it was planned. I added to the size of my layout by adding a 36x84 door on to the end to make a L shaped layout. I never could have done that in Ho so that may be why I love N scale… I also like the size better, I think the track looks better and more realistic even code 80 (wich is used on my RR) I am really bad at roadbed and track work in general although I have gotten better with experience and help of this forum. I think the cars will do better over inperfections then Ho cars (just my opinon though) I now am about 70 percent done total track work and im happy so far with my N scale RR. I could never fit all this in the space with HO. That would be r
I’m not really complaining. I just looked at the trains that I see people pulling in HO–9-12 cars. Then I looks at people pulling cars in N–40-50 cars. The cars cost the same. N-scale trains just cost 5 times as much.
I’ve run on really big HO layouts–club size and 25 x 75 home layout. Trains are still 9-12 cars max.
Just an observation. I’m building an N-scale layout. It can’t be that big an obstacle.
According to my just-completed study, conducted on a Ouiji board with a rusty nail and two Kadee track magnets, all scales are about equally expensive - per Armstrong square.
The joker, of course, is that there are a LOT more Armstrong squares when putting N scale into a given space then there are when the same space is used for HO scale. Four times as many, to be exact.
Thus, a 4x8 N scale layout will probably end up eating four times as much dinero as a 4x8 HO pike. Of course, to get the same level of size/complexity in HO, you have to build 8 x 16. That makes HO more expensive for the same complexity, or for the same number of Armstrong squares.
Why? Because of the floor space required. Unless you have a largely-unused basement, the larger layout will require either a larger-than-average dedicated room or some very serious negotiations (and compromises) with the other people who share your house, even if there’s only one of her (or him.) Commercial space is leased by the square foot, and the “equal” HO layout requires four times as many.
As for my own space, in 1:80 scale - You should have heard the discussion leading up to having my wife agree to leaving the RAV4 on the parking apron in front of the garage door…
My first dive into this hobby was N scale. I built a 4 x 6 with three diesels and Zephyr DCC but no sound, probably around 20 cars or so, about 5 structure kits and scenery materials.
All told, it cost me right at $2000 or about $83 per square ft.
My garage HO layout is currently running $46 per square ft. Given what I’ve spent and what I expect to still spend I should be around the $50 per ft mark.
The DCC system isnt really N scale though. Chip glad to hear your coming over to N scale. My main point was you need way more space to do the same thing you in Ho as you can do in N scale so that alone makes it more expensive I think.
For the same effect as an HO scale 9-12 car train has…Yes, expect to spend more in N scale for a 20 + car train.
Now…You could always go to a train show and pick up some of the older cars, and do them up a bit and make 'em look good with some weathering. You may even find some with knuckle conversions. However, you’ll probably have to do that conversion yourself…Bulk couplers are not too expensive though.