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QUOTE: Originally posted by Ted E. Bear O gauge/scale is the only way to go. Most of the smaller scale guys I know would be in O if they didn't have so much invested in their current scales and layouts. Some of them have sold off their HO and N stuff and made the switch already. Yes, O gauge/scale costs a little more but the quality and reliability far exceeds most anything you'll find in HO or N.
QUOTE: Originally posted by jdavid93225 Something I have not yet seen posted in any of the replies pertains to cost. If you have some idea of what railroad, era, etc. you wi***o model, you should compare the costs of the scales you are considering. From what I've seen and read, O scale equipment is generally quite a bit more expensive than HO or N. Do a little comparison shopping to figure out what your costs will be, at least if that's a consideration for you. Also, you will want to check availability for the equipment you wi***o run as some scales have more available equipment than others. Last, but certainly not least, have fun with whatever scale you choose! -Joe
QUOTE: Originally posted by ericboone The detail of O scale is nice, but your layout would only be the size of a small bedroom HO scale layout. 17 x 18 would make a very nice N scale layout. I guess it depends upon what is important to you. I would start by listing and ranking what is most important to you. Here is my prioritized list and why I model what I model. 1. Model the railroad that ran past the home I grew up in and my grandfather worked for, especially the yard and shops he worked in. 2. Steam! 3. Long mainline with some distance between towns 4. Historically accurate (I'm a little bit rivet counter. [swg] ) 5. Use HO scale equipment I already have 6. Have some level of detail Because of my list above, I am modeling the Pere Marquette in 1946 from Grand Rapids, MI to Holland, MI. This is just prior to rapid dieselization on the line after the C&O merger. This is the line I grew up next to, although steam was already looooong gone. Just west of downtown GR is the yard my grandfather worked at. The choice of scale comes from making comprimises. I love the detail and weight of O scale, but I would have difficulty fitting in the yard and shops my grandfather worked in and have a good distance between towns. N scale would allow me to have a nearly uncompressed yard, shops, and other areas and some real distance between towns, but the level of detail just isn't there for me. Thus HO strikes the right balance for me and there is a very good selection of rollingstock and locomotives.
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