Right now I am out an impass… everything was clear and then I decide to become a flip flopper and now I am confused. I am have my entire layout designed out, the Bill of Materials drawn up for delivery of all the wood for the benchwork etc, all of my rolling stock bought, and track on order. But now based on my size of my layout, a friend had some good argurments for instead doing HO…
Here is my situation… I have an area in our finished basement that is roughly 12 ‘by 17’ to do my layout in however with some restrictions from the boss… (the wife). It has to be a single level,( I may be able to weasel a second level later) and I have to maintain the furniture in the room that is in there now… a poker table and couch. Based on that I put together a layout that is 3’ x 17’ and then there is a double track that goes around the room… The location of the layout is a given… based on Armstrong’s book… but I could make it a 4 foot width… Hard to reachover the width… I have allready though about that… I have long arms, and I am tall (6’ 6" so I cold reach that far if necessary)…
But back to my delimia… of should I switch to HO… I have bought a lot of stuff in N, approx 50 rolling freight, 8 passenger, 8 engines… etc… Eventially I will recived many of my grandfathers trains… about 20 brass engines, and 10 diesels of associated types… and a large selection of rolling stock including 85’ passenger cars which are beautifully painted and decorated by him…(he was a comerical artist)… I have always thought I would eventially shift up to HO but for awhile do N for now… Now I am thinking it will be a waste of time and should move up to HO now… knowing that I may be able to save for now… I have to admit I love the fact of how N is smaller, but love the detail and selection of HO…
The real answe
It’s really a tough decision. When I got back into the hobby two years ago, I took a look around at what was being offered. I model current day and there are far more offerings in HO scale than N. For example, there are HO scale Amtrak P42s in the current Phase Vb livery, but in N you only have P42s in Phase Va (and yes I am that anal about currency). But even so, I’d love to have those 53’ well cars taht Kato is putting out in N but not HO. So there’s always going to be some locomotive or rolling stock that you cannot get in one scale.
For space concerns, I really should be doing N. But much of my enjoyment of the hobby is the collecting of locomotives and rolling stock and far more of what interests me is only offered in HO. I would suggest deciding on what era you want to model and what’s out there now and likely to come out in the near future. Not just rolling stock but track, accessories, etc. Whatever offers you the most is probably the one to go for.
If it is the trains you love, go with HO. See if you can wiggle a couple of 4 foot sections to have a continuos running train. If it the layout you like, go with the N and build a display case for the brass. It would be easy for me, I stayed with HO just for two brass engines.
That is really tough because you will never be able to recover the full amount that you spent on the N stuff (at least that is my assumption). I would just go with your instinct as to what you think will make you happiest “down the road”.
In the big scheme of things that is not a lot of stuff. I think I’ve got more than that left of my N-scale fleet hanging on the Christmas tree each year. They were converted to ornament duty.
Sounds almost like a “display” fleet rather than a “play” fleet.
Sounds like a good case for HO. I went to N-scale when I was in grade school because my layout space was limited to 2’x4’. I tried to maintain the N and start back into HO after I started my career. Neither scale got enough of the budget or space or time, and I wasn’t happy with either. So after 20 years or so of rubber gauging I finally ditched the N, and have been a happier modeler ever since. I’m not saying happier because I ditched N specifically, but just in general switched to one size.
That is something you just have to make up your mind to do. “I will make a decision and not be disapointed with it”. This is a mental thing that if one continues to dwell on, and second guess themselves, they will never be satisfied with whatever they choose.
The question of which scale to model in comes up quite often. Assuming everybody knows the good and bad points of HO and N, I think you ought to go back to basics and write out your “givens and druthers”. For each item, indicate whether HO or N can accomplish it / fit / work and then count 'em up. Whoever has most wins. Unless you can wrangle something and do one of each [:D]
I have dumped almost 2K into my N layout and equipment. I really like the scale but I want mobile sound. I don’t think N will ever get there. Plus other lighting features like mars, ditch lights, etc. And my eyes are starting to get old.
Long and short of it, I am on the fence and not sure where to jump.
Peter