Should I go dual scale?

[jkristia]

I know that I’m really the only person who can answer this question, and actually I’m not really looking for any answers, more…. maybe some comments.

My wife and I may start looking for a bigger house sometime next year, and of course one of my requirements for a new house is a ‘choo choo’ room, as my wife calls it, preferably a minimum 12 x 20’ room, today I have a 12 x 15, but would like it a bit longer.

Now, with the prospect of having to start a layout from scratch again (yuipiii I like that), it got me thinking of what I like about N scale and what I could get from changing to HO instead. I know this subject has been discussed countless number of times, but here goes again.

Reason for choosing N
Mainline running with long modern trains.
Big yard(s).
True sized big warehouse / factory buildings.

Reason for choosing HO
Would like to build some fine-scale buildings.
Love steam and the details I have seen on some HO steams.
Sound in a steam is a really cool feature.
Better details in general.
Availability of kits is not really that big of an issue.

So the obvious conclusion would be, N if I choose modern and HO if I choose steam.
Now should I choose one or the other? See that’s what I can’t decide.

So maybe I should do both, a lower level HO steam area layout, and an upper level N scale modern layout, that should keep me busy for the next 20 years or so .
Has anyone ever done dual scale in the same layout room?

Well, nothing has been decided yet regarding the house, but I guess it’s never too early to start thinking/dreaming about what you can do.

 

[Catt]

Jesper,I'm a triple scaler so I get to have more fun than you. My main scale is N,but I also do 0n30 and HO.

My N scale trainroom is 10'8" by 25' 8" and will have possibly the worlds biggest N scale switching layout.

The 0n30 room is 10'8" by 8' 8" The layout will be set in modern times and will be a working modern day tourist /freight railroad.There will also be a modular version.

The HO part comes from my buddy's prototypically modelled Tuscola and Saginaw Bay (a Michigan shortline) railroad.

By the way the origonal Grande Valley was HO and I still have locos and rolling stock for it.

 

[fifer]

Try them all

My room is 8' X 19' and it started with HO (3 diff layouts) went to N and then to O 3 rail , Back to HO and now back to N .
Boy am I insane??!! I am also in a ON30 modular group.
This time I am selling all the other scale stuff and am only sticking with N Scale.
It's easier to deal with only a couple Train pushers when your a addict.
I built an HO layout for operating to find I only went out and watched them run , so I now have an N scale running layout and find myself making car cards and card boxes.
I need a fix . I'm going to go change out some Micro-Trains wheel sets to low profiles.
Your right Jesper , only you can decide , MAYBE!!!

 

[DanRaitz]

I model in two scales also.

My modern "HO" RR is the Minnesota International RY set in 1990.

But, my classic steam RR is in "Sn3" ( S scale, narrow gauge: 3'). The Nevada Midland RR is set in the 1920's.

Dan

 

[Tileguy]

A great question and one i have contemplated myself.I built a shelf above my current n scale layout (in the process of being built) to hold lighting etc and have a valance to give the layout a nice finish.I built the shelves very sturdy thinking one day to put another switching layout on top.
Its probobly not large enough to go Sn3 like Dan (but having him close by would certainly be an assett if i could manage this scale) An Ho switching layout is another option.I am a few years away from making any decision along that line though and i'm quite sure Dan will have a hand in steering me when i get to that point.It would be kinda fun to be able to say i had a model that was featured in MR run across my pike.(dan had one of his Custom BN units featured in MR a couple years back )

 

[jkristia]

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one that thinking about this dual scale problem. Thanks for all the replies (not that it has made it any easier to make a decision )

 

[Ralph]

How about an HO railroad with N scale in the back to suggest a forced perspective sense of distance? Both scales on one layout!
Ralph

 

[shaygetz]

Originally posted by Ralph
How about an HO railroad with N scale in the back to suggest a forced perspective sense of distance? Both scales on one layout!

I'd second that---or---'bash it all into HOn30

 

[Greg Elems]

I'm a multi scaler myself. I dabble in On30 and also build in O standard gauge and S scale. I've also considered Sn42, which would use HO gauge track. Who had a railroad in 42" gauge you say, well the CN did on the Newfoundland Island. Also, New Zealand, Australia and Africa have 42" gauge railroads. You can’t do it all, but you can enjoy more than one that is for sure.

Greg

 

[Mastiffdog]

Dual Gauge

I am building an HO layout with a transfer station for an HOn3 line. One side of the layout has HOn3 (about 3' x 10') while the balance of the layout is an 8' x 10' HO.

I am not running dual gauge track because I preferred to just display both gauges rather than enable them to run on the same track.

At the end of the day, it's your railroad so have fun any way you like!

Dog

 

[60103]

Jesper:
consider having HO on one side and N on the other, but put the staging yards for the one behind the scenicked part of the other.
On the third wall you could put O gauge traction and on the last wall ??
A little bit of complication where the scales meet, but you can't have it all easy.

 

[zeeglen]

Yes, this is the perfect opportunity to utilize forced perspective. I've seen this done at train show layouts and the visual impact is very effective.

How about triple scale? Try a small Z scale on a third level. Never heard of 3 scale forced perspective being done b4, but could work out very nicely!