LS Vs On30

[dwbeckett]

OK I'm heavaly into LS A.K.A. G, But the On30 bug has realy biten me. I have none but boy do I want some. I like the detail, size and what I can do with the space I have for an indoor RR. I have an area about 21x20 to use. I have most of the wood i need for benchwork I would realy like to do the SAN JUAN CENTAL in On30. But where do I start, and how can I justify the expence without disposing of my LS witch is out of the question. Moving my LS outside is an option BUT the wind and snow we get in Reno has it's drawbacks for an garden RR.

Dave

[grandpopswalt]

I think that On30 is a perfect supplement to outdoor LS. I live in the Northeast (and soon moving to northern Ohio) which has a climate that realistically only allows about 6-7 months of outdoor RR activity. Traditionally we used the winter months to build, repair and otherwise get ready for the warmer seasons when we can go outside and actually run the trains. With On30 you operate year round and one scale does not take anything away from the other. As a matter of fact it actually gives you a break from the other scale which helps keep it from getting stale.

I have started in On30 after about about 25 years of being involved in LS only and I love it. I'm doing On30 to represent and model the Maine 2 footers and LS  (1:02.3) to do the Western 3 footers outdoors. The big advantage of using Bachmann's On30 stuff is it's realatively low cost ($70 loco's and $15 cars and HO track).  

If you're even remotely interested in doing something like this, go for it, you won't be sorry.

Good luck,

Walt 

 

[hoofe116]

I think that On30 is a perfect supplement to outdoor LS. I live in the Northeast (and soon moving to northern Ohio) which has a climate that realistically only allows about 6-7 months of outdoor RR activity. Traditionally we used the winter months to build, repair and otherwise get ready for the warmer seasons when we can go outside and actually run the trains. With On30 you operate year round and one scale does not take anything away from the other. As a matter of fact it actually gives you a break from the other scale which helps keep the it from getting stale.

I have started in On30 after about about 25 years of being involved in LS only and I love it. I'm doing On30 to represent and model the Maine 2 footers and LS  (1:02.3) to do the Western 3 footers outdoors. The big advantage of using Bachmann's On30 stuff is it's realatively low cost ($70 loco's and $15 cars and HO track).  

If you're even remotely interested in doing something like this, go for it, you won't be sorry.

Good luck,

Walt 

 

What he said!

Go where your enthusiasms take you. Enjoy. Like, I know anything about On30? I do know that sometime I'm going to have a Narrower Gauge than 45mm on my layout--probably as soon as I get a layout. Gauge is still open, but it won't be HO because I have bad memories of trying to use it. And I'm going to have a rack RR, and I don't give a large rat's posterior whether it's prototypical or not.

Go for it.

Les W.

[on30francisco]

Do both. Because of the size and heft, I love working and scratchbuilding in LS but I still have some On30 locos and scratchbuilt rolling stock and structures that I built when I used to do On30. I sometimes am tempted to go back to On30 because it takes 1/4 the space of LS but I got bitten by the LS bug and find it hard to build in On30. Everytime I look at those On30 locos, I'm tempted (they are beauties). I model LS indoors from a freelance model railroader's perspective (who cares if it's prototypical). I couldn't go back to HO because it's too small, finnicky to work with, and don't like the direction it's headed toward.

[vsmith]

OK I'm heavaly into LS A.K.A. G, But the On30 bug has realy biten me. I have none but boy do I want some. I like the detail, size and what I can do with the space I have for an indoor RR. I have an area about 21x20 to use. I have most of the wood i need for benchwork I would realy like to do the SAN JUAN CENTAL in On30. But where do I start, and how can I justify the expence without disposing of my LS with is out of the question. Moving my LS outside is an option BUT the wind and snow we get in Reno has is drawbacks for an garden RR.

Dave

Dave, are you currently doing the LS indoors only in the same 21x20 area planned for the On30? Thats kinda what I'm inferring from the initial post. If so, you've got a problem allright. Gn15 mixed with the LS?

[dwbeckett]

Vic wrote 

Dave, are you currently doing the LS indoors only in the same 21x20 area planned for the On30? Thats kinda what I'm inferring from the initial post. If so, you've got a problem allright. Gn15 mixed with the LS? ( couldn't get this to show up as a Quote )

In a word no, I need to do something with my time inbetween trips to Reno. I was thinking of moving my LS out side and maybe building a indoor On30. I have no plan's on adding to my LS since I DO HAVE TOO MUCH NOW. The track's I had running in DEC are now mostly removed so I can do somthing beside's a 2 track loop. I was trying to due a modified San Juan Central But I would have too kick out a wall or two just to get the bare look of a ausome rail road. so maybe I'm just frusted after being sick for 3 + weeks. I need a running train fix beside's the AMTRACK and BNSF i see almost hourly.

[devils]

Have you considered double decking it? A simple Large scale underneath, say about 4 ft off the floor with the On30 at or near eye level at around 5 - 5 1/2 ft. You could have a central peninsular with a loop over a trestle for the On30  and dead end storage sidings below for the LS stuff. If you hang curtains from the upper deck that hang down and hide the LS they could be pinned up to hide the On30 when you run the LS.

Two layouts without too much extra work allowing you to keep in the warm when the weather is bad and still run and store the LS while concentrating on a scenic On30 line.

[stebbycentral]

Have you considered double decking it? A simple Large scale underneath, say about 4 ft off the floor with the On30 at or near eye level at around 5 - 5 1/2 ft. You could have a central peninsular with a loop over a trestle for the On30  and dead end storage sidings below for the LS stuff. If you hang curtains from the upper deck that hang down and hide the LS they could be pinned up to hide the On30 when you run the LS.

Two layouts without too much extra work allowing you to keep in the warm when the weather is bad and still run and store the LS while concentrating on a scenic On30 line.

I would suggest something similar but with a different approach.  Instead of hiding the On30, let it be seen.  What I am suggesting is rather than a double-tiered layout you should have a double-sided layout.  Build a LS community on one side and an On30 community on the other, separated by a range of mountains.  By careful calculation of the height of the bench-work you could arrange it so that the LS stuff is completly hidden from the On30 side, but from the LS side you would get occasional glimpses of your On30 equipment as it crosses a trestle or rounds a mountain curve.  You would be taking the concept of forced-perspective to the ultimate degree. 

[DavidGSmith]

I do both. "Fn3" in the garden and On30 in the basement. Its too cold and snowy up here in Canada ( north of Toronto ) toit one to either. spring , summer and a bit of the fall outside and winter,about 6 months, inside.

Dave

[dwbeckett]

I do both. "Fn3" in the garden and On30 in the basement. Its too cold and snowy up here in Canada ( north of Toronto ) toit one to either. spring , summer and a bit of the fall outside and winter,about 6 months, inside.

Dave

If I had the luxary of a basement I would be happy.

Dave 

[dwbeckett]

Have you considered double decking it? A simple Large scale underneath, say about 4 ft off the floor with the On30 at or near eye level at around 5 - 5 1/2 ft. You could have a central peninsular with a loop over a trestle for the On30  and dead end storage sidings below for the LS stuff. If you hang curtains from the upper deck that hang down and hide the LS they could be pinned up to hide the On30 when you run the LS.

Two layouts without too much extra work allowing you to keep in the warm when the weather is bad and still run and store the LS while concentrating on a scenic On30 line.

I would suggest something similar but with a different approach.  Instead of hiding the On30, let it be seen.  What I am suggesting is rather than a double-tiered layout you should have a double-sided layout.  Build a LS community on one side and an On30 community on the other, separated by a range of mountains.  By careful calculation of the height of the bench-work you could arrange it so that the LS stuff is completly hidden from the On30 side, but from the LS side you would get occasional glimpses of your On30 equipment as it crosses a trestle or rounds a mountain curve.  You would be taking the concept of forced-perspective to the ultimate degree. 

 This may be the sollution to my problem with a two tiered layout.

[DavidGSmith]

Im sorry I did not get back sooner, Family stuff. Up here, Canada, nearly every house has a basement. Foundations have to be 4' min in the ground ( frost ). It makes sense to dig it all out rather than trench.

Makes a great place for a layout. Back to the subject, LS is more expensive than On30 but LS looks great, something about the mass of the models.

Hope this confused you more LOL.

Dave

[hoofe116]

Have you considered double decking it? A simple Large scale underneath, say about 4 ft off the floor with the On30 at or near eye level at around 5 - 5 1/2 ft. You could have a central peninsular with a loop over a trestle for the On30  and dead end storage sidings below for the LS stuff. If you hang curtains from the upper deck that hang down and hide the LS they could be pinned up to hide the On30 when you run the LS.

Two layouts without too much extra work allowing you to keep in the warm when the weather is bad and still run and store the LS while concentrating on a scenic On30 line.

 

Devils:

Now that's a truly original thought that provoked some memories, 'double decking'. While I won't ever do anything along the On30 line, are there any double-decked G gauge layouts? Once, a long time ago, BC (before children) my wife and I had a huge Lionel 027 layout, and were batting the notion back and forth of building a lower deck and making an extensive mine layout. Truly 'underground'. With a bit of a kiss-off to realism, the idea of track and suitable machines winding thru columns of rock, into and out-of-view, seemed fun. It was going to be lit with red-glow and soft-glow colored lamps.

Then one fine afternoon she announced I was going to be a daddy.

Now I'm a grandfather. But I still remember a lot of the details we'd discussed. Thanks for jogging some fine memories.

Les W.

[hoofe116]

I couldn't go back to HO because it's too small, finnicky to work with, and don't like the direction it's headed toward.

What 'direction' is HO going that you find distasteful, if I may ask?

Les W.

[on30francisco]

I couldn't go back to HO because it's too small, finnicky to work with, and don't like the direction it's headed toward.

What 'direction' is HO going that you find distasteful, if I may ask?

Les W.

For myself, there are sooo many commercial products available in HO that many layouts are starting to look alike with the same recognizable models. This is also starting to happen in On30, especially with the "limited run" kits. There's nothing wrong with this as it enables anyone to easily build a good layout, however, I like the unique and prefer to scratchbuild things myself. In HO and to a lesser extent On30, there is very little incentive for me to scratchbuild due to the excellent commercial products available (why reinvent the square wheel?). I have nothing against RTR (I use RTR locos and track) but I prefer to scratchbuild unique models using commercial detail parts. One facet I like about G scale besides the size, ease of working with, and the laid back attitude,  is the fact that there are not too many structures or rolling stock (smaller, wooden equipment) available for narrow gauge which gives me plenty of incentive to scratchbuild, especially using wood (I'm indoors). The nice thing about model railroading is that there's something for everyone or as we say in this area "there's a lid for every pot."

[GearDrivenSteam]

I got lots of On30 stuff I'm putting up for sale if you want to contact me off board.

[e-mail]

[on30francisco]

I decided to concentrate on On30 for a detailed, scenic, layout with a good track plan that's elevated around 5'. I will keep the G scale layout track plan very simple (an oval) to run the trains I already have or might build in the future. The G scale track is currently on the floor around the perimeter of the room. I still plan to continue working on both scales. Unfortunately, model railroading is full of compromises.

[dougdagrump]

If I might offer an alternative to "LS vs On30", this is only a idea so please don't shoot the messenger.

With the advancements made in track and equipment how about either 2 or 3 rail "O". Run it outside during the spring, summer and fall then retire to the indoor layout in the winter months. No duplication of motive power and rolling stock, and unless you like the "big articulated" scale stuff the track radii isn't that much larger.  

But I gotta admit I still like the somewhat limited "G" layout that I currently have.