I decided to clean out my basement to (try) to build a layout again. I’ve been around the hobby for a long time but have yet to finish a layout. I have tryed boath N scale and HO scale and now im torn on wich to try to build again. The space i have is a very odd shape its about 15/16 feet long from the wall to about 3 feet from the furnace and somware close to 8 feet wide with the washer and dryer leaveing 6 feet on one side that i can build a lift out section over.
So im torn between N scale wich would let me have more in the space but its quite a bit more expencive than HO and its a bit small to see good detail, or use HO scale with is a bit cheeper and a lot more detailed but it takes a lot of room. Im wanting to build “Roud the Room” style layout that can run big Steamers including some of my favorites the 4-6-6-4 challenger and the 4-8-8-2 cab forwords. Il also need to make it able to come apart and move so i dont need to leave it behind if we ever move (Wich we want to do). So my question is what would be better for that space? (i have a really small budget so i cant do anything fancy anytime soon).
I would generally disagree with the statement that N is quite a bit more expensive than HO. In general the prices seem quite comparable to me. There is more “cheap” stuff available in HO, perhaps, but when you compare quality items, I think the cost is very similar. Of course, with N, you will want to buy more stuff for the same space, but that’ is a different issue!
The detail on N has gotten much better in the past few years. There is no question that it is small, but it can really look good.
In my opinion, to model the space that those big locos would look best in, and the kinds of trains they would look best pulling, N scale is the way to go. Of course, those locos won’t be cheap in any scale!
Go to a show or your LHS and listen to some sound engines. Right now, sound is getting to be pretty common in HO, but it’s still rare in N. If you get hooked on sound, like I did, then for now you’ll be looking at HO. If you’re running steam, it won’t be long before you can have sound in N, because the tenders give the manufacturers someplace to put the speakers. Sooner or later, they’ll be squeezing them into diesels, too, but that’s for the future.
Actually, there’s one diesel on the market already with sound in N, and many more on the way. There is a Challenger in N scale on the market now with DCC and sound, and a Big Boy is either out or due to be out any time with DCC and sound.
I’d have to agree with others that N scale prices are very comparable for quality stuff (like the loco’s you mention), and with your space constraints, N is clearly the way to go. Think about it…an HO scale Big Boy, and a train long enough to justify it, are going to wrap all the way around the layout and the loco is going to be chasing it’s caboose.
If anything, N is cheaper then HO these days if not having quite the selection yet.
I would looks to see what would be the minimum radius you can fit into a round the room track plan for your layout then look at what you can run in what scale. If all you can manage is 20" radius then steam would look pretty silly in HO but just fine in N. Likewise, if you are able to make it work with larger curves then maybe you have more options.
Personally, I think steam looks (and sounds) better in larger scales. I have also seen some N scale steam people lamenting lack of this or that locomotive. I do diesel which makes things a little easier for me in N.
I pondered the same question when I decided to get back into the hobby and build another layout. For me, it came down to, I’m 53 years old and my eyes just can’t see that small. It’s hard enough to put HO cars back on the track. I could be there for days trying to put N scale cars on the track.
I agree–when you compare items of similar quality, they’re pretty close.
Were I to do it again, I’d go with N scale. I worked with it in the 80s, when Katos were the new thing, and enjoyed it very much then. I can only assume that things have improved since.
I’m an advocate of N scale, but it’s really up to you. If you want to see what you can do in N in a modest amount of space, you’re welcome to visit my layout website, the link is below my signature.
Here are my thoughts. Keep in mind I used to be and N scaler, and am now an avid HO scaler.
N costs more per foot than HO does. It takes more N scale stuff to fill in the space.
HO destroys N when it comes to detail, selection and reliability.
Some N scale locos are cheaper than their HO counterpart, but decoders are much more expensive.
N scale suffers from electrical contact issues. The weight of HO locomotives allows them to have more consistant and reliable contact to the rails.
N scale suffers from oversized flanges and couplers. No one has produced a scale N scale coupler.
Sound is very limited in N. HO offers a wide variety of options when it comes to sound.
With HO scale you have a history of quality item to choose from (from Athearn BBs to old Mantua locomotives) that can be tweeked to run with today’s better offerings.
With N scale, you really only have the past 10-15 years to choose from. Anything before that was considered junk and still is.
Thanks for all your replies. I can easlie fit 25/30+ inch radius curves on the mainline so running the bigger engines shouldint be a problem, i need to finish all the measurements but i think with a few liftout sections it should work quite well as a around the room style layout.
Your right saying N and HO are about the same price so its came down to wundering if I being nearsited in one eye and the rest of my familie would be able to see the fine details of N scale not to mention i have big hands so it looks like i will be going with HO scale for this layout. I mite make another in N somday but not now.
Better yet, if you have fat, shaky fingers, and lousy eyesight, jump up to On30. You can still use HO-width track and a minimum radius of about 26" will let you run just about everything offered in the scale AND you get use stuff with real heft and buildings you can detail the heck out of and … I forgot (I’m old, too!)
davidmbedard, makes some good points, though I’m not sure I’d go along with all of them. It’s all good though.
He does hit on something that I’ve wondered though. He states that HO decoders are cheaper then N scale decoders. Is this really true? I mean, I can get a Digitrax 123 for about $17 or the new 125 for about $19. If I want more features I can get a Digitrax 143 for about $26. I think thats pretty reasonable.
Speaking strictly for myself, I would never consider anything smaller than HO. I have enough trouble with the fine detail parts when building HO structures. I’d end up in the nuthouse if I tried to work in N. I also don’t like the size of the trains in N. They just don’t look right to me. I want the trains to stand out, not the scenery. If I were to switch scales, I would go bigger with S scale. If more S scale was available, I would have given it serious consideration.
Heh On30 is a bit big for me. After i get the rest of my basment cleaned out (and try to check the Canton city Ohio housing laws to see the space required around a furnace) im going to get my a simple DCC starter set, i think i mite get the DCC commander steam set from Bachmann to start with and work from there.
I think i mite have a problem with my cats tho, when you have a bunch of 2/3 year old cats that think there still kittens it may be a bit hard to build. (sad thing is im not old, im 18 with nearsitednes and my glasses drive my crazy) =(
I want to use big steamers like Bigboys and Challengers with a steam servacing facility evan if i cant make big long trains.