Changing scales, and/or changing from standard to narrow gauge, can be a great way to re-energize your hobby interest. I'd say, give it a shot!
One thing - if you're changing to a larger scale because you're finding it harder to see the smaller scale stuff, I would suggest looking into getting a pair of computer glasses before doing anything else. They're sorta like bifocals, but have much more of the lenses dedicated to mid-range and close-up adjustments, and only very little for long distance viewing. I have two pair, a "six foot" pair for close-up work (like model building) and a "twenty foot" pair that I use when running the layout. On my regular glasses, I could see the far side of the basement thru the top OK, and could see close up stuff thru the bottom OK, but things 3-4 feet away (like how far we typically are from our trains) was blurry. That problem is gone now with the computer glasses.
Paul Dolkos told me that he uses N and HO scale together to create a cool visual scene. He uses N scale industries to give the impression of distance. I like it.
Perhaps the OP is waiting to see how this topic plays out before jumping in? Not the first time we won't ever hear back from an OP. I expect it.
kasskaboose Paul Dolkos told me that he uses N and HO scale together to create a cool visual scene. He uses N scale industries to give the impression of distance. I like it.
There is a name for it: Forced Perspective.
That has been discussed in model RR articles over the years and it's a technique long used in the film industry.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
RR_MelBack then at 55 everything was still working pretty good and N looked pretty good to me.
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Good heavens Mel! you must have been amazing with everything working that good.
I am 51 now, I gave up N 20 years ago, and could never go back with my eyes and hands now.
kasskaboosePerhaps the OP is waiting to see how this topic plays out before jumping in?
He has only made one post, so he is still delayed by moderator approval. The bad part is that once his posts are approved, his reply will not be chonological with the thread, and it might not be clear what he is responding to.
Or maybe he cannot find his way back to the forums. I remember I had a bit of a hard time finding these a second time.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 RR_Mel Back then at 55 everything was still working pretty good and N looked pretty good to me. . Good heavens Mel! you must have been amazing with everything working that good. . I am 51 now, I gave up N 20 years ago, and could never go back with my eyes and hands now.
RR_Mel Back then at 55 everything was still working pretty good and N looked pretty good to me.
I'm here! I was stuck out in the field with no wi-if.
in not old enough to worry about vision and N (though I have had those thoughts). We just moved and my old N layout will not fit in the new space. I have plenty of room for N and a decent amount for HO. I recently found a bunch of old HO decals in a box so I bought three blue box athearn hoppers and decaled them. I had forgotten how much easier it is to do custom work in HO. So then I started doodling in HO....
My biggest hiccup (and I think someone, Don, touched on it) is that HO now seems SO big. I am in the RR industry so I lean towards modern modeling ("write what you know") and its hard to build curves broad enough for AC's and 70' wood chip cars, to say nothing of 100 car coal trains.
However, I have built many layouts in N that never go beyond mainline track because I get tired of them. When I think back to the ones I enjoyed the most they were always switcher layouts. But HO lends itself better fir switching than N. But I still want the manafest train supplying the inbound cars for the switching to be long enough to set off a block of cars, not the whole train.
Really I am just trying to avoid ripping out and replacing my driveway drain!
CAB146My biggest hiccup (and I think someone, Don, touched on it) is that HO now seems SO big. I am in the RR industry so I lean towards modern modeling ("write what you know") and its hard to build curves broad enough for AC's and 70' wood chip cars, to say nothing of 100 car coal trains. However, I have built many layouts in N that never go beyond mainline track because I get tired of them. When I think back to the ones I enjoyed the most they were always switcher layouts. But HO lends itself better fir switching than N. But I still want the manafest train supplying the inbound cars for the switching to be long enough to set off a block of cars, not the whole train.
And that's why there are several different scales - none of them satisfy all desires.
You could build 2, a layout in each scale - one above the other.
Otherwise I say go with HO since that seems to bring you more enjoyment.
Good luck
Paul
CAB146But HO lends itself better fir switching than N.
That´s an age old myth which simply refuses to die. Naturally, N scale lends itself to build layouts with long mainline runs and sweeping curves, but is also suitable for switching layouts.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
SeeYou190Good heavens Mel! you must have been amazing with everything working that good.
As always, mileage varys. Everyone is different.
Or maybe he cannot find his way back to the forums. I remember I had a bit of a hard time finding these a second time..-Kevin
Bookmarks for the win!
CAB146 I'm here! I was stuck out in the field with no wi-if.
Or apparently data service. I've never found it worth paying for data so I can have internet anywhere there is cell service - but I'm old school and have lived most of my life without having to have the "precious" (my name for smart phones) in my hand constantly, like I see so many in cars driving around distracted. /soapbox
We just moved and my old N layout will not fit in the new space. [/quote]
I've found after moving many times that any layout designed for a space usually doesn't fit into a different house, that is if it is optimized to utilize the most of that space. If a layout is small, it may be able to be moved and re-used however.
I have plenty of room for N and a decent amount for HO. I recently found a bunch of old HO decals in a box so I bought three blue box athearn hoppers and decaled them. I had forgotten how much easier it is to do custom work in HO. So then I started doodling in HO.... My biggest hiccup (and I think someone, Don, touched on it) is that HO now seems SO big. I am in the RR industry so I lean towards modern modeling ("write what you know") and its hard to build curves broad enough for AC's and 70' wood chip cars, to say nothing of 100 car coal trains.
You got that right. And even in the 1970's, let alone modern, there were plenty of 60' and 89' freight cars. I've designed my planned layout to have 20 foot sidings, which will probably allow me maybe 30 car coal trains max. Thirty cars looks longish in HO but you are right, it requires a lot of space if you want long runs and long trains. I'm going with 32" minimum curves but most are a bit bigger (34 to 42 inches).
If you have the space, design a layout with staging for whole trains and have a yard with plenty of industry to switch. That way you can have both! Go to this link if you want to see what I've drawn out. Scroll down past the unfinished baseement photo for a scale drawing.
http://atlasrescueforum.proboards.com/thread/3737/jims-layout-room-progress?page=3
Tinplate Toddler CAB146 But HO lends itself better fir switching than N. That´s an age old myth which simply refuses to die. Naturally, N scale lends itself to build layouts with long mainline runs and sweeping curves, but is also suitable for switching layouts.
CAB146 But HO lends itself better fir switching than N.
I don't think CAB146 is perpetuating a myth to be fair. I realize you are defending N, and I have had N locos that would run quite slow. But it probably can be argued that the larger you go, there are advantages to improve the switching experience.
One example, you can install keep alive in HO switchers to help them avoid power loss over dead frogs or dirty spots. Ain't much room in N scale switchers for caps.
HO logically has some advantages - which is behind the spirit of HO lending itself better fir switching.
riogrande5761One example, you can install keep alive in HO switchers to help them avoid power loss over dead frogs or dirty spots. Ain't much room in N scale switchers for caps. HO logically has some advantages - which is behind the spirit of HO lending itself better fir switching.
You´d be amazed what is possibe these days in N scake and even smaller. There is a guy in France who is fitting a battery and R/C to Ho scale locos running on 6.5mm track. His locos are among the slowest running engines I have come across.
Actually, I am not defending N scale. I have built layouts in about every scale there is except T- scale. Each scale has its merits and disadvantages. It´s finally a matter of personal choice.
Still, I'd guess the larger you go, there are advantages. Nothing against N here btw. I had an Atlas FA what would creep so slow you could barely see it moving.
riogrande5761HO logically has some advantages - which is behind the spirit of HO lending itself better fir switching.
The biggest issue with switching in N, IMHO, is the weight of the cars. Lighter cars won't stand their ground when you run into them to couple. It takes more force to open the couplers than it does to move the car. A lot of folks that are really into switching in HO weight their cars well over NMRA recommended practice to increase their inertia to allow for better coupling performance. This is hard to do in N-scale.
Anybody up for a trip to Iraq to salvage some of that depleted uranium the Warthogs spread around?
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
carl425Anybody up for a trip to Iraq to salvage some of that depleted uranium the Warthogs spread around?
The guy my wife works for goes to Iraq now and then among other destinations. Maybe I could as him to bring back some souvenier depleted uranium.
On the portable N scale layout I built for Scale Rails of Southwest Florida 20+ years ago there was a small switching section.
Switching cars in N scale has never been a problem. With those deep flanges and code 80 rail, everything was quite reliable. With today's code 55 rail and thinner flanges I have no experience. It is probably just as good.