Ok, I have been in HO for many years now, and have recently decided to convert to N scale due to space restriction within my house. I have seen in so many places that a 4x8 HO layout plan is almost equal to making that same track plan in a 2X4 space for N scale. I can grasp the concept due to N being almost half HO, but what I have not been able to get my mind around is this. If you take a HO layout with 22 radius turns and then try to put that same HO layout into N scale 2X4, the track plan will not fit. Or have I missed something and 22 radius turns in N scale is smaller than 22 radii in HO ? Can some please fill me in on how to accurately take a 4X8 HO layout and put it into N scale that is not taking up 4X8 space using the same track plan. I hope I did not confuse anyone, because I seem to have confused myself until I re-read this a few times.
In theory you'd cut everything by half. That would include track radius. 22" would then become 11" in N scale. However, the difference is not actually 50%. It is slightly larger, at about 54%. Which has a slight effect on outcome, as your N layout tends to be just a wee bit larger.
Ok, now it makes more sense to me. So instead of a 5 in straight it would be more or less a little more than a 2 1/2 straight correct. It makes more sense to me now. Thank you for the clarification. Its not just the dimensions of the layout but also the track itself that is cut down.
The really nice thing is that what might have been a 22" radius in HO can be a 15" radius in N. It takes less space, but is a gentler curve, so it looks better. If you can shrink an HO plan by a third, rather than by half, you really start getting the value of working in N scale. It gives the trains more breathing room. The level of detail on N scale equipment today is so good that you mostly have to use strong light and strong magnification to really appreciate how good it is. To the naked eye under room lights, its amazing. The only two drawbacks to N scale, compared to HO, that I can find are: fewer ready-made things (and we can quibble if that's a problem or not), and its very, very difficult for an adult to get an N scale car on the track just by hand (without a rerailing device of some kind) (The same is true for Z scale, as well, but even more so)
