Considering jump to HO

[HopperSJ]

Any advice?

Actually, I've recently been reliving my childhood with some three rail O. I am frustrated with space limitations as well as the cost. Before I sink too much $$ into O, I am considering the jump to HO. I sure could do a lot more in a little space (4X8) and seemingly for less money. However, I am quite ignorant on HO manufacturers and quality issues. Any advice would be helpful.

My primary concerns are to have decent looking stock that runs smoothly. I am not into "brass" or the super high end stuff. At this point I don't need the latest and greatest, but don't want cheasy plastic junk either.

I seem to like some of the IHC line-up.
Even Bachmann seems pretty good to me, but I guess there is a big difference between their "standard" and "spectrum" lines.
Would you recommend starting with a starter kit, or getting individual pieces on my own?
Also, I will be doing most of my research and purchasing online. What HO stores or sites do you frequent online?

Thanks for any and all advice...

[Anonymous]

Hoppersj You would be better off if you would put this post in the model rail fourm. The guy's there are more up on all the new stuff that is available now. It's important that you select the better class items like proto 2000,spectrum, that represent co's like model power and backman. Also get good switch's I used peco . You must determine what scale track that you may like. code 100, code 83.and so forth. A 4x8 is small but you can get a heck of a lot more action if you went to HO. FG

[brianel027]

While I can understand where you are coming from, I'd still still with the bigger stuff - but that depends I suppose on your interests.

With the 36 inch diameter of most HO track (a little bigger if you use something like the E-Z Track) you won't get much more of a layout on a 4'x8' than you would with Lionel 027 or tubular 0 guage track.

If if it the more scale end of the 0 guage stuff that interests you, then maybe you might be happier with HO. But if the scale proportion of the trains doesn't bother you and you just want to have some fun operating trains, loading cars/unloading cars and watching accessories, then 027/O is really the way to go.

And while I cannot argue that on a list price level, the 3-rail stuff is expensive, there are ways to do this hobby on a budget. Train sets are always a good way to build up a supply of track and get extra cars and a loco... you can still find sets that come with Lionel 027 track instead of the FasTrack. And there's plenty of used stuff at shows, eBay and garage sales... just have to be patient. I picked up a Bronx Zoo Operating Giraffe Car at a yard sale for $5 and a Lionel plastic body Dockside steamer at the Salvation Army for under $1.00.

Before you decide, check out the website: www.thortrains.net and look at all the layout designs. There are plenty for a 4'x8' in tubular 0, 027 and even FasTrack. He also has some 3D illustrations for some of the layouts to help you visualize it.

[otftch]

I'll probably make some enimies with this,but "o" guage trains stay on the track.I've seen lot of great HO layouts but have yet to watch one for some time without de-railments."o" guage will de-rail but it usually follows the operator doing something stupid,(myself included).As mentioned earlier the actual train "space" is not that different.
Ed

[randyaj]

I am considering switching from HO to either O or S. S is a good compromise between the two and seems to have a fairly good supply of prototypical rolling stock. If you are set on HO there is a plethra of available items.

Atlas very good rolling stock and locomotives, flex track is great but switches are lower quality. Structures are ok with some extra work and detailing.

Athearn, great deal for the money. Solid running engines; even in the "blue box" line(standard engines and rolling stock) The Genesis line is superb but you will pay more for them.

Bachman The Spectrum line is great, but stay away from the standard line unless toy type trains are what you are looking for. Structures about the same.

Bowser, If you are into building, they make steam locomotive kits that are fun to assemble and a pulling horse. I have had a great time assembing 5 or so of these.
Also sell good quality rolling stock kits that are great.

IHC Great running steam engines that are very dependable, but they do lack the minute specific details of each specific railroad. Their structures are good with some work and extra detailing. The rolling stock is not the highest quality

MDC Great rolling stock (also called roundhouse)

Peco, good track and great switches, only switch that I uesed on my layout.

Rivorossi, (combined with AHM) newer locomotives and rolling stock are great, but beware of "premerger AHM locomotives they are not the highest quality.

Walthers (cornerstone) have not had any experience with their locomotives, but the structures are great. They are a little pricey for plastic, but the detail is great. Rolling stock is grood also. Also they sell Shinohara switches and track which I am told is of very good quality.

There are also a lot of craftsman type kits out there depending on your skill level and desire. They cost a little more but the results are fantastic.

This is just a partial list of what is available, that my muddled morning mind can come up with on the spur of the moment. By the way if I do indeed switch I will have a large number of locomotives, around 40 or so, about 150 pieces of rolling stock, a couple hundred structures, and a lot of switches and flex track for HO; for sale [:D][;)][swg]

[Nick12DMC]

You can get a lot of action in 8'X4' in HO or OO. I had a Hornby OO layout
this size as a kid. This was British outline and was great fun to operate.

However If I had known about Lionel O gauge I might have been more intrested
in that. O gauge as shown in British model magazines of the time was a
specialist hobby that involved kit building everything!

The next generation of Hornby models are aimed more at adults so my son
found them fragile and tricky to use. So I started looking for somthing
diffrent. I had always wanted to do a US outlne layout so Lionel is great
for both of us.

We were going to do a joint OO and O layout but with both love 3 rail O.
Charlie now wants us to sell our Hornby and use the money to buy more
Lionel and build a large layout!
We are in search of a good layout plan for around 10' x 10'
I would stay with O unless space is really tight or you want to do a european
outline layout.

Regards
Nick

[jefelectric]

HopperSJ,

You don't mention your age, but that can effect your decision if you like to build kits are scratchbuild. As a young man I modeled in HO guite extensively and loved it. After being away from the hobby for some years I started again and descovered that what had once been enjoyable was now a chore. About 10 years ago I sold all of my HO that I had stored away and began collecting 3 rail O gauge. Built my layout about 6 years ago and never regreted it. I can work on the O gauge engines and rolling stock much better than I ever could the HO.

That being said on a 4 X 8 you sure can do a lot more with HO. Now you can find just about anything you want ready to run in HO so you don't need to build if you don't wnat to. Also HO is much more reliable than it used to be and with DCS you can have remote control. HO is definately less expensive than O. Rolling stock is anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 the price depending on quality. The variety is much greater in everything but particularly in structures .

As one forum member commented S gauge is also an option.

[lionelsoni]

If you look at the sharpest curves used in the various scales, you will notice that they are all about the same, from N right up to O, around 1 foot radius. Of course they are all too sharp to be realistic; and O is the worst at that. But this means that you can build pretty much the same layout in any scale, if you want. Furthermore, there is a tradition in O-gauge toy trains of reducing the size of some models, particularly in the length dimension, to make the sharp curves practical. So, even though HO scale is 45 percent smaller than O, a typical O train might be not much longer than an HO train with the same number of cars and would fit almost as well in the same layout design.

[Anonymous]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Do not go to HO. I had some HO scale models once, and they gave me nothing but trouble. They didn't cause enjoyment, but pain and suffering.

DO NOT GO TO HO. YOU WILL REGRET IT IF YOU DO.

steel rails

[Anonymous]

I have to disagree about being able to do more in 4x8 with HO than O. Sure, the buildings are smaller, but O-27 curves and turnouts allow a sharper curve than HO.
If you like HO for the detail, 2 rail operation and availability, make the jump. But its hard to beat the play value of O 3 rail.

[Anonymous]

Speaking from experence,
I have went from O to HO to N back to HO then to S then to HO out of the hobby
alltogether from 1986 till 1994 then to O/O27. Now i have a few HO pieces
HO N&W Y-3 Three shays one climax 30 or so frieght cars. SO if you are going to
HO for good then buy only the best that they offer Broadway Limited with DCC on
board and with sound. after a few of them pieces you will see that O is the way to go.
after all as you get older you will need someone that can see the wheels to set them on the track. wish you luck on what you decide because i flipped back and forth for years and had i stayed with one gauge what kind of collection i would have had.
before you go and jump in HO consider S lots of really nice products and the size is
really nice. i run on a 7x8 with outside 42 curves and can run 6 trains.
NStrackman

[msacco]

Such a personal decision. I will agree that if you're wrapped up in scale, then HO or S will make you very happy.
I do not like HO. Tough to handle and rail. And while you're right not as much track action with O, but the operating cars and accessories more than make up for it.

Mike S.

[HopperSJ]

Thanks for the great information. I'm 36 so my eyes are still hanging in there. The small size of HO isn't a concern, yet. Price is really a big part of it. Also, my six year old is the one who owns the O gauge and he doesn't want a permanent set up. He still likes to take it down and rearrange it. Since his set came with Fastrack, we've been sticking with that, so we are paying a mint in track. Going with O27 doesn't work real well under these circumstances since he still plays pretty rough with the layout and O27 not tied down would come apart with his jumping around the table and reaching over the tracks to load and unload the logs and have the trains attacked by Thoron and Xenos.

The HO set up would be dad's, more permanent, and with the kids allowed to play supervised! I also would like to have inclines and two levels and that is nearly an impossible grade in O on 4X8. Much more doable in HO. NO?

Thanks again for all the feedback!

[Anonymous]

here is a shot of my 7x8 layout

[Anonymous]

here is another shot.
with O you can see the trains.

[cnw1995]

Sounds like you've already made up your mind, sj. Good luck. I too came at this from the other side - I started in N and moved up in scale - just find it easier to work with O now that I'm in my early 40s and love how simpler the wiring is in three rail AC. As you have discovered, O is a heck of a lot more forgiving of youngsters than the smaller scales. As others have mentioned, it's largely personal preference. I would recommend browsing a copy of Model Railroader magazine. I find the latest sound-and-decoder-equipped locos in HO are getting up there in price...

[laz 57]

Don't forget, like it or not you are getting older and da eyes ain't what day use to be, just think about that?
laz57

[Frank53]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HopperSJ

Thanks for the great information. I'm 36 so my eyes are still hanging in there.

I thought the same thing at 36 - get back to us on your 40th birthday. [banghead]

[Anonymous]

I just started in O a month ago and this weekend went through the exact same process you are going through. Three things: 1. I read this thread yesterday and believe the stated negatives to be real. 2. I had the same thought about the little ones playing with the O and me playing with the HO....not gonna happen, or not at least without either the little ones or me getting upset. I'd be realistic in your thinking about that. If I'm gonna continue to stick with the story that "this is all for the grandkids" I need to stick with stuff they can touch without destroying. 3. I drove into SA yesterday and took a good look at some HO stuff. Not the ticket for me.

I think I've was steered in the right direction when I was told to go with O.

[tsgtbob]

Just to stir the pot, have you considered 2 rail O scale? Small shelf type switching layouts do not take up too much space, detail is there (in spades) and, with the amount of scale sized buildings offered in the "scaleplate", scenery is no problem. I switched about 15 years ago, came from HO, and havn't regretted it!
Sure, some of the locos are more expensive, but, you don't need a lot of power to do, say for example, the Maryland Midland, or another shortline.
In 2 rail, the ready to run locos come mostly from Atlas O, and Weaver. (Weaver has the advantage of the majority of their engines are made in Northumberland Pa {plug-plug})
Best advise, pick up copies of the following magizines
Railroad Model Craftsman (mostly HO)
O Scale Trains (mostly 2 rail O)
Model Railroader (Again mostly HO, but some other scales too)
S Gaugian (this is obvious S, both scale and tinplate)
And just for gigles and grins, check out Garden railroading.
Read through these, visit the local hobby shop, or, better yet, join a local model railroad club. Boy will you get opinions there!