Hello, I’m planning on getting my first train soon and am not sure which gauge to go with. I love the G scale just because of how great they look up close but they are just too big and too expensive for what I want right now. I had a Lionel Train growing up (probably O) and my father had a fleet of HO trains. I have none now and I want to create something that I can enjoy in my spare time. I have an area set aside large enough for a sheet of plywood (approx 4x8’). I would like to have the ability to run 2 trains at once if I choose. I’m spending some time on the internet learning what I can but was hoping I could get a few opinions on which gauge/scale would work well with my desires and restrictions. If anyone would like to share their opinion please give me some pros and cons of your choice. Thank you for any help.
HO is by far the most popular and readily available scale because of its size, price, and what you can do in a given amount of space. The quality and selection of HO has improved vastly in the past few years. You can easlly run two trains on a 4 x 8 layout. A good set to start with is an Athearn boxed set for around $100 with power pack.
O gauge is a good size and the quality and selection has improved too. Lionel and MTH make some great starter sets for around $250. With a 4 x 8 layout, you are limited to the 027 variety if you want to run two trains. The scale equipment needs larger curves to operate well and look right.
You can do a lot with N scale on a 4 x 8 layout. Serviceing N scale equipment or building kits and details can be difficult because of its small size. Many N scalers work with magnifier lamps and tweezers.
if you’re interested in larger scales but only have room for a 4’x8’ you might want to look at On30 . you get all the advantage of O but it runs on HO size track , and being narrow guage , tight curves look normal . disadvantage is no modern equipment (that i’m aware of) . also structures are still O scale so can be pretty large
I have an HO layout (4x8). If you choose to do this, I would suggest ordering Model Trains Step by Step by Kalmbach. There is a very wide range of products for this scale probably because it is currently the most popular in the country.
You can do a lot and I mean a lot with N scale on a 4x8, but most of the locomotives cost more than most HO locomotives! There is an ample amount of products for N, but not as much as HO. You have to look in the right places to find the things you want.
It is a hard decision, there are pros and cons to each. With HO you can see everything a little better. Buildings are easier to put together etc. On the other hand it takes up more space than N. With N, you can do a lot in a small space. But, everything is a lot smaller and it can get frustrating sometimes, trust me, I’ve had that happen to me before on numerous occasions, or maybe thats because I have no paitience whatsoever! [(-D]
If you like detail but don’t have a lot of room, then HO scale is for you !
Best brands (in order, IMHO) -
Diesels: Atlas, Kato, Life-like Proto 2000 (P2K), Athearn Genesis, Stewart
Steamers: BLI, P2K, Bachmann
Rolling stock: Atlas, Intermountain, P2K, Red Caboose, Kadee, Athearn Genesis
If you want cheaper, go with Athearn RTR or blue box kits.
DCC: Digitrax Zephyr
Have fun !!!
Shaggymojo,
It depends what era you are wanting to model. George above has given you a good list of locomotive manufacturers. If you are looking for first or early generation diesels, Proto 2000 and Stewart will have more of a variety for you to pick from.
As far as rolling stock, Accurail also makes some good, inexpensive, and nicely detailed kits that you can put together. I would tackle a few of them first before going to a Proto 2000 - unless you plan on buying ready to roll (RTR).
Tom
A word of caution about P2K locomotives…Some of the older GP7/9/18/30s comes with a crack gear problem.PLEASE NOTE: Some of these older P2K locomotives are the ones usually in sale for $29.95-39.95…Avoid them unless you want to replace crack gears.I have a mix of 34 P2K geep units and every dang one of them I had to replace the gears so you will be better off buying RTR Athearn,Atlas or Kato.A word about Kato locomotives…While these are excellent locomotives one does need to add the detail parts such as the grab irons,handrails and so forth…
Welcome to the forum.
If money is no problem, Woodland Scenics makes a nice 4x8 layout in a hurry and its great. Plaster of paris and paper towels do as well but harder, messier and takes longer. The have a couple of videos that my LHS loaned me. I used the scenery stuff but not the terrain becausue I went around the wall with L girders…
Ask lots of questions, and know what you want befor you buy a lot.
Good Luck
Art
A simple call or Email to Lifelike and you will receive a complete wheelset/ gear in a matter of days. The bottom truck cover removes in a couple of minutes and replace the set. Do check that the wheels are in gauge. The service from them is really the best I have found.
Bob K.
Walthers make go ho scale cars at affordable prices, and atheran rtr is the cheapest good running detail wise engines
Thanks for the advice. If by RTR you mean already put together and all I have to do is drop it on the track, then yes that’s what I’m looking for at this point. I don’t want to mess with putting a kit together just yet. I want to run 2 trains simultaneously but I’ll probably buy some extra engines just so I can switch out the look of the layout once in a while. I like both the steamers and the diesels, I just can’t decide which one I prefer.
I posted the same question on the CTT forum since they seem to prefer O and most of you prefer HO. I don’t think I want to go as small as N, but I haven’t ruled it out yet. Is there a good place on the net to get some free basic track layouts for these gauges?
Thanks for the input, any more ideas would be appreciated.
I’ll second Athearn blue box engines and rolling stock. Inexpensive, reliable, easy to service, get parts for, and upgradeable. They aren’t as well detailed and smooth running as the premium products by Atlas, Kato, Athearn Genesis, etc. but they look and operate very well and leave you change for layout construction. One of the best starter engines (IMHO) is an Athearn blue box F-7, GP-9, or SW switcher. Once your layout is basically built you can spring for the higher end stuff and your Athearn stuff will work with it well and can be upgraded…
What do you mean not smooth mine are fine great runners. Not as quiet as my Proto2k but I like a little noise.
For Diesel: Athearn
For Steam: IHC Premier Series (please note)
Despite Brakies experience (and disappointment) with some of the sale Proto 2000’s, I still highly recommend the Proto 2000 Alco S1 switcher from Trainworld.com. $29.99 for a $110 locomotive - and I’ve had NO problems with mine. Great detailing and it runs as smooth as glass. Best crawler I have on my layout. At the slowest speed, it took my S138-1/2 minutes to loop my entire 4 x 8’ elongated oval layout. (Some day I’ll have to calculate how slow that really comes out to be.)
Tom
Bob,I replace the gears with Athearn gears instead of trying my luck with more LL P2K gears-I already changed out the P2K truck side frames with Athearns…Infact I almost changed out the trucks for Athearns instead of just the gears however,changing out the gears was the lessor of two evils.[;)][:D]
Tom,The newer P2K locos doesn’t suffer that crack gear problem like the older GP7,9,18 and 30.Some of the SD7/9s suffered from the crack gear problem as well.
I am not saying the P2K line of Geeps is junk all I am saying one can stumble into the crack gear problem straight from the box and these are the one being deep discounted for $29.95-$39.95…And I for one would hate to see a new modeler stumble into that problem with his first locomotive.
BTW…I did not buy my all of my Geeps at bargain basement prices as I jump on the C&O Geeps when they was first released at discount…[:p]
Brakie,
I understand your point now. [:)] I would feel the same way if someone wanted to buy a Rivarossi locomotive…
Tom
On a 4x8 sheet you can run a double track oval in any scale except I think G. In O you will need to use Lionel 3 rail and compatibles. In S use American flyer or compatible. In HO and N you can use scale track. For all of these scales there are RTR cars and locos. You can also do narrow gauge but only On30 has RTR.
If cost is an issue, then I would go with HO. There are a number of fairly good economy lines. If you can afford more then I would go with S scale. It’s not always as easy to find, but the size is nice. It has the heft of the larger scales and yet you can fit more into a given area like the smaller scales.
Enjoy
Paul