Just when it was starting to like like N-Scale was going to diminish Atlas, Athearn, Intermountain, Micro-Trains, and others have stepped up and given us a tremendous booster shot! The future looks quite bright and very exciting. Thank you to all the manufactures who have dedicated their resourses to making this the world's greatest hobby and N the world's greatest scale!
I agree, N scale is definitely on the increase, or will be with if the current activity reflects our future. You know I am wondering if HO has hit a plateau and Athearn decided that future growth in the market place would be in N scale. N scale is a younger person;s market, on average, so it is reasonable to assume that more young people will be coming into our scale. I used to wish that TT had taken off, but when I look at my N scale empire, I realize that in the room I built it, I couldn't have had the same "largess" that I do in N. More and more people are living in condo's and townhouses. Many in retirenment are moving into townhouse complex's, so I wouldn't at all be surprised to see an increase of N scale through those who had to give up their HO basement layout. Many many (the great majority) of older members of the modeling community can still handle N scale well into their late 70's and early 80's; and there will be few who will go will beyound these ages. I think the companies that have woken up to the year 2002 will do well. Other's such as Walther's that continue their ostrich in the sand like existence, maybe be surprised at the growth of smaller companies, I'm talking building structures here. MRC who has produce very good power packs and has been the name - and still is - will definitely be challenged by Digitrax and Lenz, if it doesn't wake up and smell the roses. It needs to come out with "higher end" dcc or it will go the way of the companies that made horse whips. I also think it is very significant that Athearn made its first engine a modern contemporary unit. It is safe to assume there was lots of talk around the Board room and top exec offices, as well as monitoring forums, and conducting their own private consumer research. Athearn is pointing to the future of N scale.
I have to agree that N scale is growing by the day. With new manufacturers entering the market can only grow N scal even more. You are correct in stating Athearn saw an opportunity that n scale was now growing at a faster rate that n scale which has forced them to produce in n scale. There will always be HO scale and i beleive also N scale they are notin competition with each other rather than they compliment each other. Lets face it the more people out there joining this hobby can only be a plus for all of us no matter what scale they choose.
Absolutely. With so much happening just this year alone, N scale has become the mouse that roared! Our years of dreaming are now reality. BoxcabE50
Makes me glad I switched my priorities to N scale last year. I still dabble in HO, but do a lot in N. And with all the stuff comiNg out iN N, it IS iNdeed a Nice time to be iN this scale!!
Absolutely, there is no doubt about it, there has never been a better time to be an N scaler. I have been dabbling in N scale since the late 1970's and these are the best of times.
I don't disagree that N Scale rules, but do want to think out loud about some points... "More people are living in houses without basements.." Don't know if that one is really true. The #1 housing type in the US is actually a trailer home, so in a way that may be true, but I am not sure how that fact impacts model railroads. But conventional houses are as likely to have basements today as in the 50's, it is a regional thing and I don't think there is any trend towards slab-on-grade housing in those areas. I agree that N Scale has a better than even chance of snagging newcomers to the hobby with the improvement in running characteristics over the last 10 years. An overlooked factor, rather than pure "space" considerations, is the relationship of the scale of the models to the human scale. I prefer N Scale because of the slice of the world I can see at a normal viewing distance at one time as opposed to HO or O Scales, regardless of the amount of space available to build a layout. A 50 car freight in HO is too long to see from loco to caboose.... and a 20 car wayfreight in O Scale requires passing hand signals to a brakeman to do switching moves! It isn't just a space thing....I could have a nice HO layout in my basement with the same number of linear feet of track, same minimum radius..... I just like the scale!!! No argument, just food for thought! Charlie
There has been a dramatic increase over the past 15 years in "condo" ownership, and the building of condo's. There has been even a more dramatic increase in large, single story townhouse complex for retires who still want the "house" feel, but have some one else do all the gardening etc. I am thinking of these people. I visited one retired gentleman here in the greater VAncouver area (BC) who had moved into a townhouse complex. His around the room HO layout took up the entire "living room." Fortunately for him, he had an understanding wife, and a good family room in his unit. But most wife's wouldn't be so understanding of the loss of the living room. In the condo's and townhouses, N scale will make in roads. I can remember in one of the "bedroom" layout projects MR did in MR Planning and MR issues. One of the layout contributors speculated on what would happen if he had to give up his layout because he and his wife might move into a townhouse development. One of the conclusions he surmised was that he could switch scales to N. Most of the smaller layouts are built by newer modeler's to the hobby. And most of the layouts built are simplistic in track design (understandably so). But there have been some beautiful layouts in N scale. One example, is the September issue of Model Railroader 2000 - Rails through the Sierras (an operations-oriented N scale layout in 3 by 8 feet by Robert Raymond). This layout would give a retired person or people in townhouses or condos a lot of pleasure. It's not that houses have stop growing, it is that alternatives to houses have taken leaps and bounds. [ 14. September 2002, 17:02: Message edited by: rsn48 ]
