Help on what Gauge to use

[IRONROOSTER]

You don't say how much room you have, but in general for a small starter layout you want about 2x4 for N, 4x8 for HO, 5.5x11 for S, 7.5x15 for O. These sizes are roughly comparable for an HO 4x8 trackplan. Toy trains such as Lionel can be done in less. Narrow gauge also takes less space for the scale. But remember the buildings in O are the same size whether you do standard gauge, narrow gauge, or toy trains.

The real question is what do you want to do? If running the longest trains possible is your desire then go with N. If building models is your desire then consider O or S with the bigger pieces. If cost is the major concern then go with HO low cost lines. If you're not sure then HO with it's wide selection may be the best place to start.

I have changed scales twice, winding up in S, so don't feel like you're locked into your first choice.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

I'm a newbie like you, lfgx3. I chose N scale because of the space factor. Not that I'm necessarily confined to a 3x5 board, but because even in a larger space (I'm currently considering something like a 4x8 with an extra peninsula sticking out ) I want to model a mainline, run long trains, and basically fit a LOT of fun into whatever space I do have.

Downsides--N scale stuff sometimes seems to be a little more expensive (locomotives, particularly). And I have had a hard time locating equipment that I'm interested in. I want to run Illinois Central stuff. There's a LOT more IC(G) stuff out there in HO than in N, and yes I've scoured the net. So, I've come to the conclusion that I'm just going to have to try to paint and decal my own stuff. I'm even gathering drawings to check the feasibility of kitbashing an IC SD70 (which I've seen in HO, although brass--$$$$$$$) by cutting the cab off an SD70M and replacing it with an SD40 cab (if somebody makes a standard cab SD50 or 60 it might work better). Anyway, I'm using the difficulty of finding what I want as an exercise in creativity and skills development. It won't be easy putting those teensy-weensy decals and details on, but I think it'll be fun. I'll probably be queasy about taking a razor saw to a brand-new $100.00 SD70M, but it's incentive to make sure I do a good job, and to make sure I know what I'm doing. If you want to model a more widely-loved railroad, you might not have any problem at all finding what you want in N.

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: Ray: N scale is very close to HO in terms of product variety, and takes up about 1/2 the space of HO.

One slight correction to what was a very good post. N uses about 1/4 the space of HO. The dimensions in N are about 1/2, but when you figure area for a layout it gets squared. A layout 2' x 4' (8 sq ft) in N could be built on a 4' x 8' (32 sq ft) in HO.

N scale plans can be built in HO at double the dimensions. HO plans normally won't quite fit in spaces with half the dimensions because it is a little bit over. HO is 1:87 and N is 1:160.


Lee - don't know if you have a hobby shop near where you live. There's no substitute for visiting one and holding the models of various scales in your hand to give you a feel of the relative difference. Not to mention finding out what they stock in the various scales.


Regards

Ed

[Anonymous]

Nothing wrong with N. I model HO, because it is easier to detail out than N. Back when I started modeling, I considered running N, so I could fit more into the same space.

[cnw1995]

Welcome to a great hobby! It sure is fun to see all the options, isn't it? I entered the hobby by buying an N scale train set that I eventually expanded into a nice little setup on a 3 by 5 ft. table with folding legs. But I personally preferred a bigger size. Now I have a O scale set up that works nicely on a 4 by 8 ft. table.

[orsonroy]

Gauge is the distance between rails, scale is the physical size of the scaled models. HO SCALE trains can run on N GAUGE track, and a popular section of the hobby now runs O SCALE trains on HO GAUGE track (called On30). In general, you need to talk about the SCALE of our little toy trains.

That said, HO scale is the most popular, and has the most support and most selection of products. N scale is very close to HO in terms of product variety, and takes up about 1/2 the space of HO. But...most hobby shops are biased against N scale, so it's sometimes hard to find stuff for it (no such problem on the internet, however).

If you want to build your own models, perform lots of switching, or want to run specific steam engines, go with HO. If you want to run long trains, run modern equipment, or just plain old run trains without much switching, go with N scale. You can build a small layout (say 3x6) in either scale.

[cwclark]

HO is the most popular but if you have little room, N gauge is the way to go...N scale products are getting easier to find because it is getting so popular....Personally, I model in HO scale because the N scale stuff is just too small for me to work with (my eyes are fading fast and i'm not as dexterious as i used to be) but if you really don't have the room and you want a large layout, N scale is the way to go...chuck

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I've always had an interest in setting up a model train layout. I dont have a great deal of room for this so I was just wondering what gauge you think would be good to start out with. I was thinking that I could save room using N gauge, but are products for this harder to get than HO? I would imagine that HO is most popular?

Thanks in advance for your help, and any advice would be helpful.

Lee