Look at what is available for each scale, figure out how much space you really have available to use. Do you have equipment presently for N scale; or, HO? Do you like to build rolling stock kits; or, would you prefer everything ready to run. If the former, HO has kits available, N, not so much.
I think most of us had a preference for one scale over another, before even getting started! It’s different that someone would need help from the internet on this question.
Careful Lary, if you use the word serious people might take it the wrong way and think your a serious model railroader. There is no fun in it if you want to take the hobby seriously. [:o)]
When I left O scale c.1988 I looked at both N and HO, and went with HO because of the better availability of steam era stuff. N scale steam engines existed then, but didn’t run near as well as HO. Now I don’t think there’s that much difference. I think N scale engines now run as well or better as HO did back then, some even have sound. (However if I was starting over in N I’d probably go for under-the-table sound of some type.) I suspect with the new TCS “keep alive” decoders, any last problems of electrical pickup will be eliminated. In my current under-contruction HO layout I’m using Kato Unitrack, I’m pretty certain if I were in N I would use Unitrack too. They have a much bigger range of products in N.
FWIW if I were switching scales now, I would take a look at Z…
For me the answer isn’t in terms of detail or running qualities or switching potential (a subset of running qualities, actually), but is in terms of textures and level of compromise in the visual fidelity to the prototype.
Example:
Modelers’ fingers are always 1:1 scale. Prototype yard track spacing (center-to-center) is generally 13-15 feet. Passing sidings are offset from the main roughly the same amount. This equates to about 1.75 to 2 inches in HO, which gives room to reach in and pluck a car from a yard, if necessary, or if you’re really good, to re-rail it.
In N scale, the minimum practical track spacing is about 1.5 inches (cars themselves are narrower), or maybe a smidgeon closer. That’s about 20 scale feet - w-a-a-a-y too wide for yards and such to look good to me. Plus the flangeways and such on special trackwork isn’t too objectionable in HO (even though they are out of scale), but in N scale they’re so much farther out of scale it becomes unacceptable to me personally.
By texture I mean the relative sizes of certain things on rolling stock, structures, etc. In HO, plastic handrails, ladders, window mullions and such are all oversize (or at least overly thick). Handrails are typically scale 6-7 scale inches in diameter, and larger in some cases. N Scale is even worse, judging by visual appearances. In HO, handrails, at least, can be rendered in scale using wire. I don’t have the skill necessary to use the even finer wire needed for N, and if I did, I’m not sure the result wouldn’t bee to fragile for an operating layout.
Don’t get the wrong idea - I’m not anti-N-scale. In fact, I enjoy tremendously seeing what others have done in N - it’s just not the scale in which I prefer to model.
HO scale or N scale tough question because I’ve run both on a small layout and on the floor in both scales. it’s ultimately up to you, I run N because it is much easier on me with my limited space plus I can run my BN exec trains, coastal daylight, ATSF heavyweight, NP streamliner, Amtrak superliner, and 20+ car trains. in a smaller space than HO. my only complaints about N is the lack of varied roadnames and schemes like NP’s two tone green scheme for their F’s (I have 2 tone passenger cars.) as well as some locomotive types.
If you want to model “big” (big scenes, vast expanses, long trains on sweeping curves) go with a smaller scale (N rather than HO, rather than O, rather than G).
If you want to model “small” (small details, textures, facial expressions, etc.), go big (G rather than O, rather than HO, rather than N).
But model what YOU want to model, not what someone else (myself included) wants to model. Details that look horribly over-scale to some, looks just fine to others. Scenery that looks horribly compressed lo some, looks about right to others. Whatever scale you choose, there’s plenty of room for creativity.
I never said N-Scalers couldn’t switch, I just said that it was “easier” with HO vs. N-Scale. And when I say easier, I mean:
The bigger couplers make bigger targets to engage with bamboo skewers or other manual uncoupling devices.
HO cars have more mass, meaning they can take a bigger hit from operators who are trying to uncouple them.
A 7" car number in HO is 0.080" high while in N-Scale it’s 0.044" (one’s over 1/16" and the other’s just over 1/32"). A 10" reporting mark is 0.115" tall in HO while N-Scale comes in at 0.063".
During switching derailments are not uncommon, and re-railing HO cars takes less time and care than doing so in N-Scale.
BTW, the same applies for O-scale over HO, and G over O. However, there’s a point of diminishing returns as you get larger in that available space becomes an issue. HO, judging by it’s popularity, is the best compromise between size, detail and operational ability. One can still paint and letter and super detail yet still run decent length trains. Of course, that’s just my opinion.
Actually, those are some of the reasons why I went in to S scale.
I suspect that HO’s popularity is due to it’s being the smallest scale available at the end of WWII. Athearn, MDC, Tyco, etc. gave it a tremendous boost that it has coasted on ever since.
I have worked in HO and O and have found S to be the best compromise.
Since its “invention” more than 50 years ago, N scale has developed into a valid option for the serious model railroader (whoever that is). Detail is fine, performance is up to par. Just take a look on what some forum members publish here - you need to tell it´s N scale!
A drawback is that the choice of steam locos is somewhat limited and sound appears to be a little thin, but if you can do without that, this should not influence your choice.
There is one size-related drawback that people tend to ignore. The photos you see don´t tell the true story. Due to the small size, the detail you see in the pictures is hardly visible out of a normal viewing distance, which usually is about 2 ft. If you want to enjoy N scale as much as HO scale, you will have to bring your layout “up to you nose” as much as possible. Forget the bird´s eye perspective - either you don´t see the detail, or it looks toy-like!
I think you haven’t seen the amount of detail work being done in N.BLMA offers a line of N Scale locomotive detail parts.
Paul3,I see you are clueless when it comes to N Scale switching judging by those useless strawman points you used. .
With today’s locomotives and MT couplers you can “kiss” couple cars just like in HO.One doesn’t need to manually uncouple cars-MT makes a magnet for such operation and with smooth track work(a must for N) and realistic switching speeds there will be zero derailments just like HO.
How do I know this?
I have hundreds of hours experience switching cars on a Unitrack yard switching layout I set up on my dinning room table.
not a shot from the hip - I have done a fair amount of modeling in N scale. Out of a distance of 2 or more feet, I am not able to see the amount of detail I see in the pictures of my layout, unless I bring my nose (and my eyes) up close to it. That does not need to be a draw back, but it may have an influence on layout design.
A 4 by 8 HO scale layout set at a height of, say, 44" is not as easily overlooked as an N scale layout, which is a tad larger than a 2 by 4. Out of the same viewing perspective, the N scale layout will look a lot more like a toy. To avoid that you need to bring the layout up and close to you.
Ulrich,You may find this interesting…One of the the N Scale forums we discuss layout height and the general consensus was 50-52" for best viewing.
If you haven’t notice N Scale is fast becoming a modeling scale due to the lack of models.IIRC around 3 years ago in one of the N Scale magazines there was a excellent article on kitbashing a SD18 and there’s been other locomotive kitbash articles as well.
N Scale is no longer about running long trains in endless loops like most HO modelers believe…
And that old stawman’s argument N Scale is to small for older modelers is outdated as well since there are many 60-70 year old N Scalers.
Last week at the LHS me and another Model Railroader was talking and looking at the layout with N on the top and HO below,and both agreed,We all are Model Railroaders no mater the Scale.[:D]
I have always done N for a full layout, from the worst of times to the best of times (quality wise) and I agree with Larry on all points.As I use skewers I do not mind at all touching a car to make it couple or uncouple if needed. Heck, the real rails have to do it all the time.
As others have said look at all the pros and cons of each and then, only you can decide. I have had S,O and HO, just not as a complete layout. Then went with N.