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Hello. As a kid I had a 5 x 10 ft HO setup which I enjoyed a lot until I started to be more interested in girls. All this was long ago and now at 53 I am ready to jump into the MR hobby again, however, I notice there are too many changes (for the better!) and I find myself quite mis-informed and confuesed. I need a little guidance, if anybody could help me.... 1) I tend to prefer HO gauge but what are the basic advantages (if any) between HO and N gauge? (And maybe other smallish gauges) Aspects like availability, price, etc. The one obvious I can think of is size: N will take up less of it. 2) Can I mix & match locos, cars, tracks, etc from different manufacturers? What about couplers, power contacts, electrical controls, etc....are they usually compatible? (My train as a kid was a Marklin. My dream would be to restore and to enlarge it and complement it with pure American stuff; space is no problem. I know it may sound a bit weird but forgive me for it). 3) Can you tell me in very few words, what is "digital control" (and is it good to have?) Again, can trains with & without digital setup be used together? What is meant by ACC power system? Is there any other "high-tech" item I should consider? 4) I love Mantua locos....would these we "up to date" on the technical side? Those are my most basic questions, apart from many other minor ones. As to the Marklin combination, if not recommendable, then I could consider running it with my new American trains mixed but keeping separate tracks and electrical systems, no problem. All help will be very - very appreciated!! Lars
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