how to convert HO scale track plan to N scale ? I have the plans for a track plan in HO scale that is 12 foot by 6 foot. How would I convert it to N scale ? Thanks.
It can't be a direct ratio because of the aisle widths need to remain the same. I'm not sure of a technique to do this. I once heard the opinion that a very good N scale layout would be an H0 layout with the N scale track placed exactly where the H0 scale track was to be located. The idea was to increase the scenery to track ratio. Interesting idea. If I was going to make a conversion, that is where I would start.
Wow, I cant believe I've never herd of that! (or maybe I have and just forgot) I would certainly start there as well, if you have the space.
The precise ratio would be 160:87, or 1.84:1, but that's much too complicated. So the easier way would be to just divide the HO plan by 2. That would give you a 6x3 layout with curves of 1/2 the radius of the HO curves, i.e. an 18" radius curve in HO would be a 9" radius in N. However, the beauty of N Scale is that you don't have to go as small as 1/2 HO if you have more room than 6x3. Just use the HO layout as a guide and make your curves with larger radii which make your trains look better when running and give you more room for scenery. Using what Flash said, figure how much room you have for your layout then adjust the HO plan to fit.
I’m not sure I understand the calculator, it seems to take an item say a door from a house in one scale and convert it to the scale of your choice. I need to convert a track plan that is know to be of HO scale but measures 12 foot by 6 foot ( Full scale ) to N scale.
I’m looking at modeling an HO scale plan I have in N scale. I have been looking at this plan for many years and have been thinking of it. If I had the full size room I’d stick with the HO. It’s the smaller space and the idea of working in a new scale. How ever after thinking about it, there is a lot to be said for using the HO scale track plan but in N scale… HHHmmmmm This will require some thinking….. See this is a small project layout. I currently model in G scale but have been thinking of this track plan and how it would work in N scale. But thanks to all for the help.
Sean, maybe a better way to look at it is to decide how you would like to create the N Scale layout. That is, with flex-track or with sectional track like that from Atlas or Kato. That way you start with known curve and turnout radii and work from there. Granted, you will still have to fit within your available space, but it would give a starting point to guide your thinking.
It can be kinda tricky to grasp, but the 12 foot measurement (though in 1:1 feet) is the HO scale of the layout. In that calculator, you can choose HO scale as the starting scale, enter 12 feet for the measurement, then choose N scale for the output. The results are still 1:1 feet, but the scale of the measurement is now proportional to N scale.
Thanks, I do have a lot to think about. I had always looked at converting the size of the track plan but the use of the space of the HO track plan but in N scale is also intriguing me. So I’m going to have to do so thinking. Here is the track paln I’m looking at. This came out back when I was in high school. But it has always held my interest. Thanks to all for the help.
Hi Sean - For my small N-scale layout, I used an HO track plan and reduced it. I learned a few things. 1. The scale factor to reduce measurements from HO to N is 0.54375. In other words, if you wish to do a straight HO-to-N conversion, multiply any measurement on the HO plan by 0.54375 to get its equivalent measurement in N. 2. Hand-drawn track plans may not be terribly accurate. Turnouts (switches) especially tend to take more space in reality than is shown on the plan. This might not the case if you hand lay turnouts and can make them exactly the same proportions as on the plan, but if you use off-the-shelf turnouts, don't be surprised if they are larger than you expect. 3. In any scale, the larger the curve radius, the better your trains will run (and look). That's one more reason to not simply scale down the HO plan to N. On my layout, I made the whole thing a little deeper and a little wider than a straight HO-to-N conversion would have been. This allowed the curves to be a bit broader and the turnouts to be less tight. 4. For me, the use of track planning software really helped. You can't beat it for accurate planning. It quickly showed me where curves and turnouts simply weren't going to fit unless I made the layout a little larger all the way around. I was working from a hand drawn plan that assumed hand-laid track, and I wanted to use commercial turnouts. There are inexpensive and even free programs that are quite good. 5. No matter what size layout you build or what scale you choose, make sure you have access to all parts of the layout. For example, even a layout that is only 3 feet deep but is up against a wall is going to require a difficult reach to re-rail a car near the back edge. A minor point -- you've been saying that the HO plan is 12 x 6 feet. But on the plan you posted, it says 10 x 5 feet, right at the bottom center after the name of the railroad. If it really is 10 x 5, then converting it to a 6 x 3 N-scale layout will probably work, but 7 x 3.5 would be much better! - Jeff
Hi Sean, You say you don't have enough room for the full size of this plan, I'm assuming 10ft x 5ft, but you don't say how much room you do have? Whilst oing a straight 50% reduction should work in theory, going a little bigger would be advantageous, even if to allow slightly larger radius curves, and slightly longer sidings. Both of which would enhance your enjoyment of the layout. If it were me, I'd print a copy of the plan, draw a one foot grid over it, and the use that grid as 8 inches for N scale. Easy to transpose the plan onto your baseboard with a grid - assuming you have the room for 80" x 40". Cheers, Kev
Jeff and Kev and all the other fine folks who have helped, Thanks for all theAdvice. There is a lot here to think about. Space is the real issue here, or should I say the Wife is the real issue with space. I have been modeling G scale for the last 5 years, but my knees aren’t what they use to be and in a year or so I drought I will not be able to go down to the basement. As it is I have trouble standing for long periods of time. So I’m have been thinking ahead for this. There is space in the back of my living room that is a bought 3 foot by 6 foot at best. We have an extra bedroom up stairs, But there is the stairs thing again. With all of this in mind and thinking about my G scale, its all steam with sharp curves. Now I love steam, but you know its been 5 years sense I left the world of HO behind and I miss running diesels. Jdetray, made the point that the plan was off as far as What I said for the size of it. I’m sorry a bought that. I must have slipped a gear or two, but that would have worked out to the better giving just a bit more space. However its good to note the mistake, as in layout planning, a mistake can cost money. Something I recently ran into on my G scale and the helix, ( The helix that is no more ). All in all I have a lot to think a bought and I’m vary great full for the help. Everyone has given me some really good information to ponder over. Thanks.
A good compromise if the plan has a table of scale sizes might be to use the TT scale figures. Since N is not exactly one half of HO perhaps you could go through and multiply all dimensions, curve radii etc by two thirds. That would probably give you a little wider curves. Just a thought. The best idea is to use the HO figures as they are with your N scale. Odd-d
Hi, For a simple conversion, multiply the HO measurements by 0.54375 (54.375%). It could be rounded to 0.55 (55%). 6 feet in HO becomes 3.2625 in N (3.3 when using 55%). But as stated before be careful about reducing aisle sizes. A 3 feet aisle becomes 1.63125 feet (just over 18 inches), if you compress the complete plan. Gary
Gary, HHHmmmm 18: Asile.... HHHmmmm I do not think I'd fit in there... HHHmmmm.... Thats a realy good point. HHHmmmm............
