Thinking about starting in Ho?

[Reading T-1]

I am some what new to the model train hobby. I have bin collecting mostly scale O guage trains, and have quite a lot of them. I like scale trains and have found it hard to resist the temptation of Ho guage trains. Being able to purchase close to three times as many engines in Ho scale as O scale is hard to resist. + all the different building kits that are offered from Walthers is also great. I would consider myself more of a hirailer then anything else.  I'm only 34 years old and have good eye sight so that shouldn't  be a factor for several years. Tell me what you think.

[otftch]

It sounds good as long as the eyes hold up.You'll probably go back to "O" at that point so don't get rid of it.Been there,done that.

                                                                  Ed

[Anonymous]

Lots of potential in HO, but I see HO as being more about the scenery etc and O being more about the trains, but that's just me.  If you ever start donating your O gauge stuff, just give me a holler.

[BDT in Minnesota]

Well,,you have the option of doing what a number of us do::Enjoy collecting or modeling in more than a single scale....The HO scale has a definite advantage as far as product selections. The three railers and S guage are more durable,,The N and Z are great for good use of limited space...The G can be run outdoors..

 

If you can honestly tell yourself that you screwed up when you bought your O gauge stuff, then it may be time to sell out....But, a few years down the road,,you could regret selling them....You bought them for enjoyment, and that should remain your primary goal..Run the buggers and enjoy them.....In the mean time, nothing wrong with working on a few HO components,whether it be a building or a railcar..no need to rush your decision...

 

 BDT

[Jumijo]

HO is appealing to me from a price standpoint. And many HO items have details that us O gaugers take for granted. I recently bought my kids a Bachmann HO "Gordon" set, and am really impressed with the level of detail on what is basically a child's toy. The drive and pilot wheels all have holes between the spokes, and the side rods and valve gear have remarkable detail. The entire set, track, transformer, loco and cars was $75.00!

Jim 

[kpolak]

I too find myself being swayed.....space is the primary reason, I really enjoy switching, and that takes up space.

I have friends with an 8-year old...I keep an eye out for the HO stuff, and am finding really great prices.

I am amassing a fair collection of Lionel, and I really like it, so I am sticking with it, and am being happy with a Christmas 4x8.  A more permanent fold-up layout is in the design stage, and then will have to go through the usual budget, and planning departments (my wonderful wife that permits me to indulge).  This will only be about 3'-6" x 8'-0", buy I plan to have a great time with it!

So I keep an eye out for the HO for Parker, and Lionel for myself, and am reading a lot of the model railroader books for layout ideas and tricks, and am looking forward to a more permanent layout, sometime in the near future.

To sum it up...You should enjoy what you are doing.  Don't worry about the scale.

Kurt

 

 

[Joe Hohmann]

Eyesight-wise...you either need glasses or you don't. If you have poor eyesight, even getting "G" on the rails can be a problem.

Cost-wise...with "HO", you have twice the space to fill, so you may end up spending the same ammt. of money in total.

I agree that whatever you decide, don't be too quick to "dump" what you already have.

[dwiemer]

You can have the best of both worlds.  If you want, you can make a layout with "Forced Perspective"  In which the larger items are closer to the viewer and the smaller items are further back.  Makes the layout look much bigger and allows you to use both O and HO.  While I am not using my HO on my layout, I still have a lot of money in HO and am hanging on to them. 

Dennis

[Bob Keller]

Not to mention that if you are used to paying O gauge prices, the boys in HO are fast catching up with the big league!

[okiechoochoo]

Not to mention that if you are used to paying O gauge prices, the boys in HO are fast catching up with the big league!

 

You can say that again, especially with DCC and sound

[IRONROOSTER]

I find S to be the perfect size.  Big enough to see and work with, small enough to have a layout with scenery in an average space.

Enjoy

Paul 

[traindaddy1]

If you are really serious about 'HO', go for it!     Try to avoid buying engines and rolling stock just because they appear to be less expensive. (There are a lot of "toys" out there) A quality 'HO' engine like Rivarossi can cost as much as an 'O' Lionel.

PS. Hold onto "them" O scale.  You will be glad you did.

 

[Odd-d]

I've been in the hobby for over fifty years.  Believe me, I've tried 'em all, Lionel. HO, N. HO again and now three rail O scale.  When I was twelve we sold my Lionel lock, stock and barrel for $75.00.  In that collection were a Lionel Pre War PRR 0-6-0 switcher, a 228, a post war 625, and a Lionel NYC F3 set,  cars were a mixture of pre war tin and post war plastic.  We had a 97 coal loader, a pre war magnetic gantry crane, an AF Mystic station, a gateman, a RR crossing signal, two transformers , O22 switches and more.  If I could turn my foot around 180 degrees I would kick myself in the butt.  The money was used for a bunch of HO junk...and I mean junk.  After I grew up I traded that pitiful mess of pottage HO for some old Lionel.  Later on I took a stab at N gauge.  It was too finicky.  I would have a switch that would work with most of my engines but derail a certain one every time.  Nothing wrong with my engine.  It would run through switches that would derail other engines.  It was also too small to build models.  I went back to HO.  It was too finicky for my basement pike.  Even though I had a dehumidifier I still had trouble with exansion and contraction causing the track to buckle.  I also had wiring problems no doubt from dampness.  I set the HO aside and rebuilt in three rail.  I've been a happy camper ever since.  Oh, and by the way, I KEPT MY HO and sure enough I joined an HO modular club and I use the HO with them.  Moral of my story: Unless you are starving and the wolf is at the door don't unload your trains.  There must have been a reason why you bought them in the first place.  Besides why take the financial bump?  There is nobody willing to take them off your hands for what you paid for them so why give somebody else a big bargain?  Odd-d

[Anonymous]

Not to mention that if you are used to paying O gauge prices, the boys in HO are fast catching up with the big league!

You can say that again!  I was in Hobby Town today, first time in that store since my entry into model trains, and I thought the HO locomotives would be much cheaper because they are much smaller, but I saw several HO engines that were $250-$300!  And here I thought that the O gauge was the more expensive, needless to say with those prices on HO I'll be staying put in O for a long time to come.  My philosophy is why pay more for less?  Those in HO more power to ya, but if I'm going to drop $300 on a locomotive then I'm going to do it on a Lionel Berkshire or Mikado like one of these

[3railguy]

It doesn't hurt to buy an HO engine, cars, and track and give it a try. Atlas makes silky smooth reliable non DCC diesels for around $75.00 discount. Life Like Proto 1000 diesels are good too and can be had for around $50.00. As others have posted, if you want DCC and sounds, the prices for diesels are nearly what O gauge costs. Steam is expensive too but nowhere near as expensive as scale O gauge steam engines. O gauge Premium freight cars have reached the $35.00 mark. You can still get Athearn blue box car kits for less than $10.00.

[Reading T-1]

Don't worry I have no plans to sell my O guage trains I like them very much. But at the same time I like the idea of being able to fit alot of trains into a small space. I love switching operations and scenery building which is why Ho is so attractive.  Thank you for all your input it has given me alot to think about. I have one question about Ho trains, how do you uncouple them? does it have to be done manually?

[Anonymous]

Don't worry I have no plans to sell my O guage trains I like them very much. But at the same time I like the idea of being able to fit alot of trains into a small space. I love switching operations and scenery building which is why Ho is so attractive.  Thank you for all your input it has given me alot to think about. I have one question about Ho trains, how do you uncouple them? does it have to be done manually?

Well, when you come to a predominately O/S gauge forum asking about HO or some other scale, you're obviously going to get a lot of responses advising you to forget about it and go with O or S, but only YOU can determine what's best for you.

HO is by far the most popular modeling scale, and it sure didn't get that way by being inferior in any way to the various other scales that are out there (all of which have their own advantages and limitations).  There's a tremendous wealth of product available in HO, and the costs, generally speaking, are far more reasonable than O and S. 

As some others have suggested:  Get some HO and give it a try.  That's the best way to determine if it's right for you.

As for coupling/uncoupling:  Kadee couplers use a magnetic feature to allow you to uncouple trains at any point on the track where you have placed one of the magnets.  Kadee couplers are pretty much the standard among serious HO hobbyists, and they are reliable, good looking,readily available, and relatively inexpensive. 

[traindaddy1]

Don't worry I have no plans to sell my O guage trains I like them very much. But at the same time I like the idea of being able to fit alot of trains into a small space. I love switching operations and scenery building which is why Ho is so attractive.  Thank you for all your input it has given me alot to think about. I have one question about Ho trains, how do you uncouple them? does it have to be done manually?

Atlas has a track section that you can place on a siding. As you back over the section, the car is released. I may be incorrect but I think that this is a one way uncoupling event. (standard couplers, not Kadee)

[cruikshank]

Hi, Reading T-1.  I'll offer a couple of options to consider.  I live in Reading but I'm involved in a 30 x 50 foot 3 rail layout currently undergoing major renovations in Frackville.  This would allow you to run your lionels and be involved in switching etc. We have 3 Lionel T-1's 100" plus radius curves.  0-72 and 0-100 switches.  You can run big trains.  I'm willing to share the ride since I go there 1-2x a week just me in the truck.  Or a middle of the road approach that I'm surprised no one has mentioned is 0n30.  Bachmann makes affordable 0n30 trains.  This is Narrow gauge 0 scale 2-rail.  The track is the same as HO, or for more realistic they have HO track with appropriately spaced ties.  The engines and cars are smaller than Lionel, but somewhat bigger than HO.  Or you could join the guys at the Reading Historical Society.  They have an active HO modular layout, that is based on the Reading RR with very detailed local scenes.  One last FYI there is a train show and swap meet at Leesport tomorrow Sunday the 1st from 9am until 3pm, but from past experience it's all over by 1pm.  Let me know if your interested, maybe I'll bump into you at Leesport.  Dave

[alcofanschdy]

I do both scales.  If you are interested in HO but not totally sure try a shelf type layout such as a timesaver or inglenook.  It wouldn't take up too much space and wouldn't need much equipment.  If you find you like HO then you could expand.  I would hang on to your O guage though.

Bruce