Pros and Cons: Switching from HO to N Scale, and Vice-Versa

[conrailmike]

My biggest complaint. Why is the N scale stuff almost the same same price as HO stuff?

Andy

That's been my biggest complaint also. I would love to go to N Scale due to the space and more prototypical train lengths, but I just can't bring myself to pay $100 for a loco, when I can pay the same for one in HO and I can detail the HO one to a much higher degree than I could in N.

 

[TruckLover]

My biggest complaint. Why is the N scale stuff almost the same same price as HO stuff?

Andy

sign1 sign1 Me To?

 

[Mountain Man]

Mountain Man, it all comes down to what you like most. As I said before, I like scratch building in HO and I am satisfied if I can build a good looking model, even if it is only a short section of a branch. The operational aspect of the layout is not important to me. If you think you need all those industries, mines etc. for your layout to work properly and to build a complete shortline is the most important aspect of the hobby, you can only go for n-scale.

Which I do believe is what I originally said...? However, the argument appeared to be that I could do the same thing in HO with a 20x20 layout, which I don't believe is true.

As for modelling, another way to look at it is that N-scale has a greater degree of difficulty for the hobbyist and thus is a higher level of skill. No problem modelling or detailing O-gauge. Same for HO, but only the more skilfull can do it as well in N.

Just my humble $.02 worth.

 

[Crox]

I used to model N back in the Uk before i moved to Canada. there's no doubt that you can get more into a given space and I have HO frustrations currently where I'd like a bigger layout. however i do get more reward from detailing at HO size and the N loco wheels for me never looked right.

Just my thoughts based on modelling in both - as per most of this thread there are pros and cons to each

 

[cnw1961]

Which I do believe is what I originally said...? However, the argument appeared to be that I could do the same thing in HO with a 20x20 layout, which I don't believe is true.

Mountain Man, I think you got me wrong on this. I didn’t say that I could squeeze everything you want to have into a 20x20 HO layout. I meant, that I could build a nice layout for my needs if I had this space available.

As for modelling, another way to look at it is that N-scale has a greater degree of difficulty for the hobbyist and thus is a higher level of skillo. No problem modelling or detailing O-gauge. Same for HO, but only the more skilfull can do it as well in N

I disagree on this. I don’t think it is a matter of skills. You can never achive the same level of detail in N as you can in HO or even O. A lot of parts are simply too small in N even if you use magnifiers and pliers, what I often do modelling HO. A lot of parts for n-scale have to be out of scale, or they would be too delicate and fragile to handle. But that’s just my opinion on this. When I look at your posts, it seems you already made up your mind and N is the right scale for you.

 

[Alan Bickley]

I think that the main reason for me for staying with HO is that I started out collecting HO scale trucks when I was in my teens. I was given a load of OO scale train models and track by my late grandfather at about that time, and it got me into train modelling - going into HO as soon as I could find out about obtaining HO train models in British outline. So for me it was more like converting from OO to HO instead of N to HO. I think it's all the road vehicles available in HO that does it for me!

 

[Mountain Man]

Mountain Man, I think you got me wrong on this. I didn’t say that I could squeeze everything you want to have into a 20x20 HO layout. I meant, that I could build a nice layout for my needs if I had this space available.



I disagree on this. I don’t think it is a matter of skills. You can never achive the same level of detail in N as you can in HO or even O. A lot of parts are simply too small in N even if you use magnifiers and pliers, what I often do modelling HO. A lot of parts for n-scale have to be out of scale, or they would be too delicate and fragile to handle. But that’s just my opinion on this. When I look at your posts, it seems you already made up your mind and N is the right scale for you.

Not at all. I think my posts make it clear that I would prefer to model in HO, but have accepted that I cannot and maintain the core concept of my dream layout, which is something of a sad commentary on MMR as a whole.

You shouldn't have to give up a dream just to make it fit, and it's a pretty strange hobby if it won't fit into 400 square feet of space.

 

[MasonJar]

Mountain Man,

If you haven't already done so, you should post your "layout challenge" in the Track Planning forum. It sure would make for an interesting discussion...!

Andrew

 

[cnw1961]

Not at all. I think my posts make it clear that I would prefer to model in HO, but have accepted that I cannot and maintain the core concept of my dream layout, which is something of a sad commentary on MMR as a whole.

OK, MountainMan, so it was me who got you wrong . I think Andrew made a very good suggestion to post your "layout challenge" in the Track Planning forum. That would be interesting indeed.