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If you want the best, stick with Kato and Micro-Trains. The next tier would be Atlas and the smaller makers like Intermountain, Roundhouse, and DeLuxe Innovations. I think Life-Like can be included in this tier, too, since they make a lot of very good-running and well detailed equipment. But Life-Like also offers budget equipment which can be underwhelming. Model Power and Bachmann make up the bottom tier, since they like Life-Like try to offer budget equipment that is rather poor. But, even Model Power and Bachmann have their premium lines, with a few models (such as Bashmann's 2-8-0) that are as good as anything out there. The only surefire advice I can give in terms of what to avoid is that you avoid the cheap! Price is a very good indicator of quality in N-scale, although Life-Like can sometimes violate this by offering good-running (if noisy) deisels for under $30. <br /> <br />Since you're a reformed HO'er, you have an advantage, in that you probably still think in HO scale. What I mean is that you'll be more likely to plan your layout using 18" or 24" radius curves, with benchwork depths of 30" to 36", with track centers no closer than 2", and vertical clearance between crossing routes reckoned as 4". If you maintain these prejudices, you'll end up with an N-scale layout full of broad curves, scenic depth, realistically wide Rights-Of-Way, and long gentle gradients. Plus, you'll discover spaces here and there for an extra industrial spur or passing siding, using more conventional N-scale track spacings and curve radii. I always advocate planning one's layout in the next larger scale, so hopefully you're not dreaming of all the spaghetti-bowl you can cram into a miniscule space using N-scale.
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