I’ll be moving out of my parents’ house and into my own place soon. With that though, it means I won’t have any place for my 4x12 HO scale layout. I’m considering keeping some of the basic benchwork and turning it into a 4x8 or smaller N scale layout in my new place.
Thing is, what do I do with all this HO scale stuff? I got structures, track, scenery (some of my HO scale trees would be out of place in an N scale layout). Also tiny things like bridge shoes and switch stands. I’ll also try to get rid of some of my locos and rolling stock, but I’ll keep a certain number just in case I join an HO club or eventually get a house with room for a large layout.
Buy a table at a local train show. Around here they are all over the place. Local hobby shops have a number of flyers as well as the actual shows themselves. I know a number of people who change scales. They usually sell stuff for cheap if they are never going back just to get rid of it.
Ebay is another option. Some decently weathered cars go for obsene amounts. Unusual, different, and otherwise interesting pieces you own may also be valueable.
As much I’d like to see N scale grow to more people, it’s not axactly a cheap proposition. My suggestion would be to try a small switching layout. You should be able to build something compact enough to remain out of the way, but still be large enough for operation that should hold your interest.
Good to hear your not putting your modelling on hold becouse of smaller space,…if money is tight, sell some of the HO gear you know you could pick up again if you went back to it (HO) I have used e-bay to buy and sell gear and have found it exellent.
I’ve switched back and forth a couple of times over the years. In the old days, I used to sell stuff to hobby shops. Haven’t done this in quite awhile though…just held onto it all in boxes in my garage.
If you’re going to use the 4x8 table,why not just stick with HO? It’ll save you bucks, may be build a small switching layout, single track, with small passing siding,a few industies, you can detail the heck out of…just a thought.
I thought about that but I prefer to model the modern era, and part of the reason why I’m dismantling my HO layout is because of the tight curves. Not good for my Amtrak Superliners, Auto Carriers or TOFC flats. Plus I’m into operation more than details.
I fail to see how modern era precludes a switching layout. Local freights still exist. You could easliy build an industrial park type of scene. You could even have a place for those autoracks to be loaded or unloaded. With the right staging area, you could even have the occasional passenger train going past, and holding up the switching operations.
I’m not saying that a switching layout is absolutely what you should build. I just think it’s an option you shouldn’t be so quick to throw away. It gives you the operations, you say you like, and there’s still the chance to have passenger trains. The only thing it really can’t offer is long trains, snaking through the country side. You can’t really get that in N scale on a 4x8, either. Even in N scale, I’d suggest a switching layout. It would just give you a lot more switching, in the same space. I’m not a fan of continuous running on small layouts, as I feel it wastes oppurtunities for more interesting operations based running.
I moved to N as a temporary measure while planning to add a layout room for my HO layout. I’ve since decided to stay in N. Not only is it just as much fun as HO, but you can do so much more in the given space. So, rather than building a room, I’m building a layout (which won’t increase my property taxes [:D]) I eBayed a lot of my HO stuff, except my Bessemer & Lake Erie items which I’m pretty attached to. With the money thus gained, I was able to purchase some really nice N scale locomotives and other things. In a 4x8, you can do a lot in N scale. Like I said, I came to N temporarily. Now, I ain’t goin’ back. [:D]
For a temporary layout, I’d go with Kato Unitrak. Check out their K1 + K2 + K3 layout sets. Add in a starter set & you’re ready to go with bulletproof trak. You can add ballast & paint to make it look better. In the meantime, you can try any track plan & change it to fit your needs.
One item to salvage is your power pack. You should be able to power more locos with the same control you enjoy in HO. N scale tends to work best in the 0-9 volt range.
Perhaps your benchwork could be adapted in a different arrangement? Perhaps a 4x4 piece could make part of a L shaped design? Another option is to look at a Ntrak modular design, cutting into 2x4 units for switching, etc.