The longer I am in N scale, the more I appreciate the scale for what it is. By this I mean that the scale can manifest itself differently than HO. The obvious examples are the scenery to rail ratio, and the wonderful tall mountains we can have in N as compared to HO. But it also means longer trains with more engines on the front (or a helper unit in the middle). That means that those companies that sell to us need to recognize this - and many do. MT has its own clique of a market - the collectors. For my tastes, MT isn't a serious modeller's choice, but a great collector's choice. I like engines and cars to be released in multiple numbers, for example; like Red Caboose and LBF do. Because steam is more difficult to produce at a reasonable cost in a reduced market (compared to HO) we have a greater focus on contemporary engines, such as the SD90's for example. And this is how I like it anyways - I'm not a steam guy like most of North America. I enjoy the long unit trains of wheat winding its way through a canyon. Structures are another issue. Larger structures look "right" in N scale; by larger, I mean four to eight floors, instead of the usual two as in HO. A two floor HO structure is really a four floor structure (almost) in N. The sad part is that only some of the manufactures have seemed to have twigged. For example, MT could easily produce a duplicate of its "collector" car but without numbers and decals instead so that we could have more numbers. For those of you who have made the switch from HO to N, how have you found the change? [ 15. July 2003, 21:10: Message edited by: rsn48 ]
Rick- I've not made a switch from HO to N. Having been in N for over 30 years... However, I do think you have some interesting observations. The scenery part is a favorite for me. And I sure appreciate the train lengths as well! Boxcab E50
In tucson and much of Arizona, for the most part, guess how tall most of the buildings are? Yep, most of them are UNDER three stories. There are a couple larger ones in the cities, but EVEN in the cities, most of the buildings are UNDER 3 stories. In Tucson, you will find buildings taller then three stories in the hotels, near the U of A campus, an in the downtown area...and the hospitals. Otherwise, everything is rather small...but we really don't have any manufacturers out here...other then Raytheon... Back in my home town of Prescott, there is a HUGE ruckus going on because a new five story building has been proposed...if it was three stories, most of those people complaining say they wouldn't care. In Prescott, the high limit set by planning and zoning is set to only allow three and maybe four stories. There is less space in HO, granted, but that just means it takes that much more thought in how best to finish it in a convincing manner.
Benny, I lived in Edmonton for a short while and there if the city needed more land - no problem - just keep moving east, west, north south. But in Vancouver, BC - a city in a valley - land is much more at a premium. So taller buildings (but not as high as Seattle as their is a law that regulates the height to keep the mountains in view from all view points) keep growing as old ones are taken down and new ones put up. If all the buildings in Tuscon are three stories, I'm betting land is more available and it is easier to spread out than grow up. Heck, I lived in Madison Wisconsin and buildings there were higher than three stories.
I agree Rick,I like the long modern trains with mid or end helpers. I didn't swich to N because of not enough space,I had a 40x50 ft basement.All the room I could ever want.I switched because N scale just seemed to be the most practical.I was concered about the availability of models,but since then the scale has made great strides,and continues to grow.(I started in N scale in 94) By the way,about that basement,we sold that house in 96 and I now have to make do with a 15x11 foot space. What I could have done with that space!!
Tuson is actually in a vally and there are limits to how far they can expand due to Saugaro National Park being on the east and west sides of the city. Plus with the Saugaro Cactus being protected by law there is a lot of red tape that one must go through if they plan on building. Also iirc Tuscon has limited the building of structures like those used by stores such as WalMat and KMart.
30 years of N for me too. I'm on my 6th N Scale layout, and the only one I ever finished was the HO ToyScale layout I had as a teen. Even though I prefered modern railroads then, I always built my scenery as Steam Era. The tallest structures were always the Coal Towers, and Grain Elevators. About 15 years ago, Design Preservations came on the scene with those nice brick structures, and I had to have the Hotel kit. I can't remember if it's 4 or 5 stories, but it looks small next to a Coal Tower. Yes, I am happy with the amount of scenery that can be put into N Scale, but, just as some modelers are turning N Scale from the larger ones, I too am lusting for that change, and Z Scale it what I'm dabbling in now. Even though I am not finished with my current layout, I look at it every day and think that now is a good time to tear up my modules, and convert them to Z Scale.
While MT has the best quality for collectors I will not pay $1,500 for a EL NY-100 intermodal train to traverse the New York Division. I have used silicon molds now for three years to make Micro-trains 89' flats for pennies. A strip of brass embedded in the resin with a skeleton resin underbody turns out NY-100's fleet! I sacrificed two 89' MT flats for molds. I'm now waiting on an EL diagram book (bought on ebay to add 1960's open auto racks to the MT flat molds!). MT for a one car collector is fine, for a fleet they can go to heck! [ 16. July 2003, 16:15: Message edited by: pray59 ]
I enjoy the fact that we get more RR per square foot. Modeling the west there are more open spaces, not as much urban settings. By not having to compress scenes (as much) gives the vistas that have made the west legendary. In Flagstaff (northern AZ) there are a few tall buildings (7&8 stories) but they are dwarfed by Mt. Elden and the San Francisco Peaks (12633ft.) I can't imagine being able to capture this kind of scenery in a larger scale.
Just a short comment before I go work on the layout... my first in N-scale, but it's going to be an empire! (I modeled in HO for many years.) Having served on a small city's governing body for a couple of terms, I know that one of the main reasons for the limits on the height of buildings in our community was fire protection. I don't know if that is true in some of the cities that members have been describing, but buildings over three stories high present increasing difficulty for firemen without ladder trucks. High(er) rise buildings would require additional training and equipment for the fire fighters, changes in the insurance classification, etc. It just may be a step that many cities are not willing to take.
Oh, THEY HAVE MOST DEFINATELY FOUND ROOM TO EXPAND! We now have a community called "Oro Valley." 30 years ago, there was just about noithing North of Miracle Mile...and Now you should see the boom! And everything north of Oro Valley seems to be prime real estate! Out here we have urban sprawl like you wouldn't believe. Drive north of Pheonix for about 20 minutes, until you get past the Carefree highway. Just south of New River, there is a new community of and incredible size, thanks to DelWebb, that has filled every inch of what was hilly Arizona Desert. Why live in LA in an expensive home and commute to work two hours one way when you can move to Arizona, buy a house that is twice as big for half the price, and then you get to commute to work a MERE ONE HOUR each way! Out here, I think there is a combination to the reasons behind heights. The last one stated would be that concerning fire fighting, which would have been true when these laws were established. Nowadays, however, it seems there is a bigger issue of blocking someone's "pristene mountain landscape outside their cottage"...that is smack dab in the center of downtown! Don't worry, we are going to get our poison soon. Seems we don't remember that we are pumping most of our water straight out of the ground, water that is eons older then most of the very rock formations around here...WE'RE MINING WATER!!!! Arizona is going to turn into one of the biggest Ghost States ever seen on the face of the planet!!!!!! The Saugaro Cactus Means nothing in a state where construction is the ONLY industry besides Service related positions. But there still are some pretty amazing battles occuring over land usage. One example is the Pheonix Cardinal stadium to be built in Pheonix...at last count, it was going to be built up by Glendale...after months of fighting with Feds, Airport regulations, and such... [ 16. July 2003, 23:25: Message edited by: Benny ]
I recall a couple at least 9 stories in '64 cause I used to deliver Western Union Telegrams in Downtown on my Honda motorcyle. The postoffice/Federal building was 3, some hotels, 3 or 4. Stuff near the tracks and underpasses not so high. But N scale needs more 3 and 4 story buildings. LA downtown had more 4, 5, 6 story buildings, the tallest was once city hall. Most Southwestern houses are single story, old woodframe/siding.
