traingeekboy - your reading my mind. I live in an old railway station on a temporary basis - was supposed to be here 9 months, 3 years ago! Now I have been told I have another year here so I have decided to get an N-Scale shelf type layout going. Then I came across a Stewart U25B in Rock colours and fell in love with it... Problem was it was HO!! Nevermind I go weekly to friend's HO layout I could run it there - BUT an N-Scale friend of mine said build a double shelf layout with an N above a switching HO.... Well the planning has started N-Scale at standing height (1400mm = chin level for me) and the HO at sitting height for when I am chilling out BUT still high enough to have my computer work benches underneath!!! So even though 90% of my locos and rolling stock is American N - I think I will have the best of both worlds for me!!! Now wheres that planning book......
NZ-M-N ,I believe that traingeekboy meant to keep HO benchwork and sub roadbed and replace HO track with a double track N scale main ; not two different scales..as you are implying .. Anyway..I have been picturing a double track main in N since I got the idea..But I'd probably do an all new track plan..maybe tear down entire bench and all and start fresh...I haven't comitted to ending the HO yet..It's tough to make this decision after puting so much work into the existing one..When I'm away from home I picture going home and dismantling it..Then when I get home she's got a sweetness to her which keeps me from doing the deed...It's a perfectly good switching and (was soon to be with mine kit) a small coal road ..But I just grow weary of the short run to and from the interchange (live,fictitious, with the B&O).. I know with N I'd be able to high-ball for miles if I wished. Oh Well , I'll let you all know sooner or later what I decided...
OK, it looks like I'm going to stick with HO for the time being after determining that N scale is going to be more expensive. I like those long trains, but they cost more in the long run. I think I read somewhere that filling up a space with trains is more expensive in N because you need more product to complete the layout even though the average price between HO and N is roughly the same from item to item. Oh well, maybe someday I'll switch. Either I need to make more money, or the prices need to come down, whichever comes first. Chuck
Chuck, I will admit if your trying to fill the same space with HO or N, N will cost more because of the size. BUT if you are trying to do the same thing in HO or N, N scale will cost you less. Saying that here is a little background on me. I was in N scale for 9 years first collected modern equip. then transition era. The whole time I was collecting N I weighed the HO/N scale problem. I switched to HO about 18 months ago (at the prodding of my wife and kids) and have recently switched back to N (at the more than asking of my wife). It's not purely my family’s fault. I did enjoy HO and I still love it but right now N scale is right for me. First of all I have an idea of what I want to model. In HO it would have taken up over half of a 27x20’ basement. I really could not justify it. The basement is finished but it would have taken a lot of space my family might need in the future, I have 3 kids ages 4, 7 and 8. I also had a hard time looking at the % of house space used vs. the cost of my mortgage and utilities including the heat, which is a real eye opener. I have started planning my N scale layout and have come up with layout area on two walls 12' on one wall and 15' on the other. I'm still going to really cut back on what I want to model but it's a lot better than doing in HO. I think it's going to be just one town but only the future will tell. What do you want to model? Town? Industrial park? Multiple towns with a long run in between? If you want just an industrial area look at what Donovan is doing here Donovan in Dallas's layout - TrainBoard.com I'm not trying to push you one way or the other I just want to maybe point out factor you haven't thought of yet, the monthly cost of the space your using to accomplish what you want to do weather it is in HO or N. Good luck on what ever you decide but the one thing I have learned is 1 just build it 2 it's your railroad do what you would enjoy most. Lucas Sitka, Alaska
Chuck, there is indeed a downside of running longer trains in N:You will need more cars to build them and more engines to pull them. There is probably a slight cost advantage for N-Scale freight cars, but the same "real" lenght will require double the number of cars in N, so as long as there is no 50% cost advantage N will be more expensive train per train. But: Building a car fleet typically does not happen over night. You have time to buy cars as your resources allow. There is nothing wrong with running shorter trains until the full complement of cars have arrived. I model N-scale since 1972, american N since 1983, and I can assure you that I have way more cars than I can use at the same time on my layout. Most of the "early" cars were cheap models by Model Power or AHM, they did cost 2$ per car. Since then most have been replaced with higher quality and better detail car, but there is also nothing wrong with running "stand-in" cars until the better detailed ones can be bought. Also there are sometimes great deals on train shows or conventions or here in the yellow forum. Cost might look like a decisive factor today, but you can run the same 10 car train in N as in HO. Same cost (N maybe ever so slightly cheaper). But N will allow you to increase that train to 20 cars when your resources permit, something that might be impossible in HO. Cheers Dirk
Hi Lucas, Well you read my mind; I actually have an L-shaped HO industrial shelf layout such as the one in the link. (It's 2' wide by 11' down one side and then 4' down the other) I started it in my apartment, but have moved to a house with a basement, so I have a little more room to grow. I thought perhaps I would start fresh in N scale. I've always had an interest in switching since I was a kid, but I kind of miss long mainline running that you see at club layouts. I had an idea about a prototype I would model and thought N scale would be perfect for it in the space I have. Only problem is (after some thought), is I don't forsee myself staying in this house for a long time (maybe 2-3 years), and I'm pretty sure the layout I'm dreaming about would never see completion at this location. Plus, I'd hate to start something only to have to tear it down later. I've heard some interesting stories about moving large layouts, and it sounds like lots of them wind up in the dumpster! :tb-frown: Whenever I see a large layout in someone's home I often think what will happen to it after the owner passes on? It's kind of sad to think that they may get thrown out. Anyway, that's another discussion... So, with that said, I will continue to enjoy my HO scale! If I need to, I can always expand from it a little at a time. Chuck
Hey Chuck, Welcome to TrainBoard. I've sounded off on this topic many a time before... here on TB. I can give you the pro's and cons' but I think that's been covered by everyone else participating here. I could try and sell you on the idea of N being better then HO. You've already stated the obvious. If you are looking for affirmation that you are making the correct decision you'll get that here. We N scalers tend to stick together and we welcome any convert. What it all boils down to is: What do you want? Allow me to share with you what I'm doing, My home layout is N scale. I belong to a group that operates HO on a club layout. I have a friend that asked me to build a O and S scale combined layout. Occasionally, (not much lately) I get to go over and operate it. On weekends I may visit friends and operate their railroads. One has HO and the other a G scale garden railway. Every now and then I get trackside to watch the full scale, big guys go by. I shy away from throwing those switches. I contribute to the future operations of the full scale ATSF #3751 and belong to W.A.R.M. out in Barstow, CA...AND (deep breath here) belong to the Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society. Who said there has to be a limit? Why be stuck on just one scale? Why be a nut and bolt counter? Why should others dictate to you? What or whose measure of a man are you living by? A word about my collection of equipment. It has taken place during my adult years. One piece at at time. Then one day I woke-up and wah-laa I had more stuff then I thought possible. Summary: To conclusion, I nor anybody else here can make up your mind for you. I would recommend that you sit down and make out a list of all the positive things or advantages of N scale. Do the same with HO. Compare notes and I think you can make an intelligent decision. It really isn't one against the other. Further more, it isn't in my job description nor anyone else's here to tell you what to do. So, go have some fun and let us know what you decide. Unless you don't want to...grin! Have fun!
Rick, I would love to have friends in my town who model in other scales, it would make choosing a scale so much easier. I live on an island with 9000 others in this community no other modelers with layouts so I'm a lone modeler. Lucas
NOWAY dude I say do a little of both. A guy can never have enough trains of different scales. I even keep plotting how to get my old 50's lionel onto a layout. I love O scale too.
When I was in N Scale, I used to think I was getting short changed. The prices of N and HO cars were about the same, but since N is smaller, I guess I felt the products should of cost less than HO. Needless to say, the reason I went back to HO was the price issues, and now the reason I want to go back to N is space issues. It never ends!
Must be N Scale! Chuck, It's no wonder you are looking for someone to bounce ideas off of. I do feel for you. You really aren't alone as long as you have us here on TB. Oh, we can be annoying at times or be annoyed but we get over it. Feel free to continue bringing your questions here and it's safe to say someone will jump in with a plausible answer for you. N Scale has many benefits when it comes to building a layout and collecting equipment. Storage is a big factor and shipping costs not to mention the amount of layout you can have in one spot. The point I was attempting to make in my previous comments... is you can find ways to enjoy your favorite hobby howbeit in N or HO scale. I live alone and my mobile home is small. So, my layout is in a metal shed. However, I do have friends who share in the hobby who stop by from time to time. And, I GET to go to San Diego and operate on a HO layout. I wish you were so lucky. Loads of fun if you can first figure out a starting place. Wishing you the best. So, what did you decide? Do it...do it...N scale...right? Grin!
Depressing? Each of us has to deal with limitations Ie., space, finances, health, pets, our families needs and etc. Yep, it can be depressing at times. There's nothing stopping you from eventually getting what you want and there are ways to work things out. One day at a time and one step at a time.
I started out with O scale (Lionel) then to HO, but then I finally decided to go with N . My layout is only 5'x12' but hey, with N scale it's an "Empire" Chuck, go with what makes you happy. Stan.
