cmrproducts I guess NO ONE Thinks about the concequences of their Thoughts or Actions!
I guess NO ONE Thinks about the concequences of their Thoughts or Actions!
Stop it, Bob, I don't want to think about it!
Rich
Alton Junction
In this day and age - the COST of changing scales (especially if one already has a large collection) is going to really cost a bunch!
Selling equipment will only yeld 10 cents on the dollar, if that!
When I purchase USED cars etc. I will only pay $5.00 - so that is what you can expect to get for your stuff!
BUT you would have to purchase new at almost full price unless you want to live at the train shows in trying to purchase specific Rolling Stock to match a certain Era!
As for getting more into a given area - it is doubtful you would gain much as the Human that needs the Aisle Space is just the same size - YES you will gain visual train length but the track lenght will be still the same number of actual feet!
And as we age the Eyes don't work anymore so seeing those N Scale cars is going to be a lot harder to uncouple.
But the COST is the real problem and as EVERYONE on this FORUM complains - the cost of new Engines and Cars is too much!
I guess no one really sits down and really considers what it costs to do some of the - Less than Smart Ideas -SOME on here throw out!
I get this all of the time over at the CLub - Someone will throw out an idea and everyone jumps on it - until I ask some simple questions like:
How much will it Cost
Will it fit in the area we have
Who is going to work on this
Suddenly - the Bright Idea - turns out to be a pretty DUMB Idea!
Amazing!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
My 2-1/2 year under progress layout is HO, following 3 experiences also HO in Jr High, in 1980 and lately my grandson's Bachmann EZ Track 4x6 layout. I think an experienced based decision, like ours, would be easier than for a first timer. I like to build my own freight cars plus structure kits and have gotten into DCC decoder installs, and I think I would find it rather difficult (for me) to do in N scale. Of course, I would much enjoy the layout flexibility in my limited space that N would provide.
As an example in favor of HO (for me), I recently had to change the eccentric rod (which I managed to break) on my Genesis challenger. I it were N scale, I pretty sure I'd have had to get Athearn or the LHS to do it for me. And I do appeciate being in the scale, as Rich points out, with the widest availability of items.
But it's alot about preferences.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Space, size, availability.
Those are the three criteria for me.
Space - If you are limited in space or want to pack more into your space, N scale trumps HO scale.
Size - N scale is smaller than HO but harder to work with and more difficult to see detail when doing work.
Availability - HO scale offers everything for structures and road names (locos and rolling stock), N scale does not.
For those reasons, I stick with HO with no desire to move to N.
Applying the same criteria, I would move to S scale in a heartbeat based upon size, but space and availability are unfavorable criteria.
I was heavy into Model RR when a kid in the 1950s, had both an American Flyer layout with my brother and HO stuff of my own. Most of my neighbor buddies had HO stuff. At this time HO was the scale that people who loved to build models used, as it was very realistic, right out of the box. O-Scale existed and was great for people with lots of room and money. However, for less than two dollars I could buy an Athearn; or, MDC Roundhouse kit. Just after I got married, I started building more MDC Roundhouse kits for my someday RR.
I still had some of my original equipment and the stuff I had built just after getting married when I got back into the hobby and my natural instinct was to go with HO. A purchase of a Walthers Catalog when I came back confirmed that HO offered the most stuff for sale. I have been with the hobby now for more than 25 years and even the larger size of HO equipment is getting harder to see at my age. So, I have been happy with my choice. Anyway, the size of the layout is less important than dynamic-ness of it's design. This magazine attempts to demonstrate this fact with almost all of the layouts they build as starter layouts within the magazines pages.
I have nothing but the highest regard for model railroading in any scale. HO has worked well for me. Make a choice and then don't agonize over having made it. Then again, change scales if you feel the change makes sense!
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
woodmanI find myself wondering if I would have been happier, content or whatever if I had decided to start a new in N scale, thinking how much more I could have done with the space I have with an N scale layout. I was wondering how many others out there second guessed their choice of scale and how many of us have actually started over from scratch in a new scale.
Been there done that several times over the years and even tried modeling in both scales at the same time.
Anyway two years ago I sold my N Scale and since then I have often wondered if I should have kept my N and sold my HO.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I have started all over a number of times and have, in some instances, changed scales. I have been into HO scale, dabbled around with N and Z scale, built a layout in HOn30 (9mm gauge) and have started a On30 layout, which will most likely not get finished, as I have grossly underestimated the space requirement for structures.
Being 58 years of age, I look back to more than 50 years in this hobby and, despite being unhappy with what I am currently doing, won´t give up on it. As I can´t grow the space I have, I am pondering to change scales again, back to HO. It´ll be HOn3 this time, as I still have a brass model of A D&RGW T-12, bought 40 years ago and never seen it run.
I've started over a few times and always in the same scale, HO, for the reason that I kept all the equipment I could. The only way I'd switch scales is if everything was totally lost somehow. If I switched, I'd probably go to a larger scale, O-n3 maybe... But honestly, I'd not start another layout. I'd keep modeling, but not a whole layout. (I'm too slow)
At 56, I like HO, and am FINALLY starting on scenery and detailing the layout that took 14 years to get to that point. I think HO offers the greatest balance between detail, operation, and available items desired. It's big enough that I can still SEE what I've built. (Need readers these days) Dan
I recently returned to the hobby after a 20 year absence ( daughter announced she was having a baby boy ) I pulled out all my HO scale rolling stock, structures etc. I decided to go with DCC over DC, I purchased 6 assorted DCC w/ sound engines and the Digitrax Zephyr Extra system, I am now starting to wire the layout, ( at least the sections where I have track layed). I have been asked numerous time why did I return to HO scale and not N scale. My answer was always because I had a bunch of HO scale product already, now I find myself wondering if I would have been happier, content or whatever if I had decided to start a new in N scale, thinking how much more I could have done with the space I have with an N scale layout. I was wondering how many others out there second guessed their choice of scale and how many of us have actually started over from scratch in a new scale.