Starting over

[eastcoast]

I had to start over every time I moved. I have started over so many times that my benchwork is recycled from the last layout. My current layout is now thankfully permanent(I bought a house to fit my layout) and has so many different styles I can't count. I mixed L-girder with butt joint and etc.,etc. I am happy with the results.

[METRO]

I'd still stick with HO scale. At the same time though I wouldn't mind a seccond N scale layout, maybe of the Japanese bullet trains that Kato has come out with.

[preceng]

Started in HO. Still there. I have often wondered if I had lots more space, would I want to move up (in size that is). I believe I would stay in HO, and just have lots more trains and routes.

Good question. What if money and space were not issues. What would we start out with?

[64ss283]

For me N Scale all the way, in CP, CN, BCR.




Brent

[deevs]

I would switch to A garden railroad

[Anonymous]

I would switch to a largetr scale. HO is about as small as I can work with and not go insane handling the detail parts. But also doing a 1/24 scale Gauge III track garden line. If I were to start over, I would almsot exclusivly work in that scale.

[detting]

I think that S is the best size for trains, small enough to run a good size train, but big enough to superdetail. I'd be there if it weren't for my investment in HO!

Later...

[fwright]

Currently use HO/HOn3 in a small switching layout, primarily due to time constraints but space constraints are a factor too. Also have a considerable amount of Lionel/O tinplate for Christmas displays and the like. Have been very tempted to try a high rail O tinplate/On30 combination layout but the sizes of reasonably scaled buildings is daunting. Shrinking the structures enough to fit the space and time results in too much carcicature and not enough realism for me - truly the only thing holding me back from switching. Advantages of switching would be easier on the eyes, space for DCC in the locomotives, and easier track work - I lay my own, except for the high rail where the Atlas track system is pretty darn realistic for tinplate!

Fred Wright

[Modeloldtimer]

I Recieved my first Lionel Train set 1946. It was a 1945 NYC Hudson set. In 1950 I Swiched to HO IN 1970's Swiched to N gauge. I loved the Rapido Electric snap turnouts. One of My first N gauge Engines was a American 2884 made by Rapido. However, Now that effects from old age is catching up to me. I'm now swiching back to HO with DCC and sound. My eyes and hands can't handle wiring in N gauge any more.

[Anonymous]

I live in retirement community. We have an HO club room 24 x 19 ft. Before moving here I modeled O gauge scratch built Interurban and Trolley cars, where in Phila Area this has a fair degree of popularity. What was nice about the trolleys, a single car was a 'train'. Code 100 rail was just right even though it required laying your own track, which wasn't too bad since a drop of 'Goo' about every 3 inches on the flange did a very good job of holding rail to roadbed. So, if I was in my own home, HO traction would be it. but in my present environment I'm content with the HO RR club.

Hubert W Holmes

[Anonymous]

If I had the room I'd go for 1:1 scale

[Anonymous]

I have been modelling for nearly 40 years, 30 of those in O scale British and have just changed to On30 thanks to some help from Bachmann. The British stock has just been packed away for another day.
Over here in England we have small houses with no basements but it is possible to model in O scale and run a layout either indoors or outside. Of course British Locos and stock are shorter than American so more can be fitted in the smaller space. The trend here is for branch lines (short lines) operated by tank engines and passenger stock of a maximum scale length of 57ft. Having said this, my friend operates a modern image American O scale layout in a space of approx 15ft X 10ft roof space.
I have built indoor layouts and a garden layout in O scale and we have no ready to run so everything either has to be built from kits or scratch so a railroad however small or large require a considerable amount of expense and effort. Would I choose this scale if I had to start all over again, well the answer would be yes just because of the visual and noise effects from seeing a train run in this scale is far superior to the smaller scales.

[Anonymous]

I had my moment of truth about 4 years ago when I realized that what I wanted in the space I had meant moving to N scale from HO. That meant selling lots of items and moving on. I decided my friends had enough HO layouts to keep my HO needs at bay, and I could have what I want in a different scale. Amongst all my modelling close friends, 10 guys, I'm the only one into N and that's okay.

So I don't have to sweat making the big change - I already did.

[Yampa2003]

I modeled German / Swiss N for some 25 years and wanted a change. Went over to US HO modeling but based on British ideas until I started to read US Model Railroad magazines. Changed my ideas considerably. Now I would love to try my hand at US N scale but have to much HO stock to contemplate it. However, the club in contructing a US N scale layout so I may be tempted to get a 'few' items.
Brian

[Anonymous]

I've been in S for over 50 years, so I suppose I'll stick with it. It's meant going through thick and thin, but I love the scale and don't regret hanging in there. Now there are lots of products and more coming out all the time. We (NASG) are trying hard to get S into more hobby shops, but they are a hard nut to crack. I must acknowledge one post however and that was the one where the person wouldn't switch because he doesn't want to "scratchbuild anything". Well that just isn't true any more. In this age of instant gratification, S has joined the rest in having the products assembled in you-know-where and you can be 100% RTR if that's your thing.

[Anonymous]

Well Now

This was a good question, one which I have mulled over on many occassions. HO is my preferred scale as it affords good detail and has the widest range of selection. However it's hard to find the space to run those 80 car consists. Maybe the question that should be asked is:

Knowing what you know now, if you had it all to do over again would you buy a bigger house so you could still model your current scale the way you want to?

Fergie

[Anonymous]

i just moved. i now have a dream basement. as a youth i used a little red wagon to transport the lumber home. Now i have a red wagon escort to bring home the lumber. to start up and bluid the track to roll the new 4-8-8-4 Big Boy .

[Anonymous]

Actually, I switched from N to HO this summer, but voted as though this had not yet happened because my view of the purpose of this question is to determine how many of us might switch once we got a better feel for the hobby. N seduced me at first because of the vast panoramic potential. As I got into the detailing of , well, everything, really, I realized N was just too small to suit me. I want to be able to see what I have created from more than a few inches away.

[dstark]

I recently got back into the hobby after 20 years. I considered N, I really wanted those full scale buildings, broad curves and small space used by a really large layout. BUT, having recently retired and the years catching me .... I was concerned about handling that small equipment and details with these large old hands. So, I opted to go back into HO as a comprise of size vs. dexterity.

HO it is!

[mbowline]

I model in N and have done so for over twenty years. Have recently spent (invested?) on skads of locomotives and Micro-Trains rolling stock, and having many, many scratch-built structures, I do not think I could change to a different scale. There would be just too much love and time that's been put into structures and detailing/painting/decaling rolling stock to leave it and move on.
However, having said that, I do notice my eyes are getting a little bit strained from working on the N scale structures and rolling stock. I understand this gets even more pronounced as we age, so I have begun to wonder what the future holds. An O-scale switching layout could really be cool. The heft of those trains is really something to see and hear and feel. I would abandon the joy of timetable running on a long single-track main line and trade it in for switching hefty, highly detailed cars on an industrial switching layout. I have noticed the wider and wider array of O-scale products being marketed these days. But as CP5415 said above, I'd be single real fast if I switched now.

[FJ and G]

bobboob12 got it right. The most ideal gauges IMO are S for indoors and G for outdoors.

Case closed.

Or is it? [:D]

[Anonymous]

N is the one for me. Been in HO - looks too toy like to me! Have to do a lot of the stuff in N for yourself and that is what I like. I'm 74 and see N just fine.
E. Randolph

[JeremyB]

I would stick with HO but I thinnk my track plan would have more room for operations.

Jeremy

[Anonymous]

Damn, that's a loaded question? I am heavily invested in HO scale, with DCC and Soundtraxx in almost every locomotive. Layout room is most of, but not all of, a 13' X 11' bedroom, so not a lot of room.

Having said all this, I like the virtues of N-scale for being able to model trains IN the scenery rather than trains AS the scenery. O scale appeals to me, especially narrow gauge (On3, On2 1/2), but the size of the attendant buildings would make anything other than a shelf with peninsula point-to-point layout impossible. And S-scale is a nice compromise for standard gauge railroading between O and HO scales.

So many scales, so little time (and space and money and . . . ). With more room, I'd probably find the money to model in at least two other scales. But I come back from train shows somewhat dissatisfied with HO scale and what little of my layout I have built. HO scale is attractive in the availablity of "stuff" and the comparatively low prices, but it just not exotic enough, I guess.

The only thing I know for certain is that I have absolutely NO interest in building an outdoor G-scale layout (but I AM helping a friend build an extensive one).

Scott Groff
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Saratoga and Adirondack D & H Branch

[Anonymous]

HO is the only scale I could ever choose. It hosts a fine balance of detail, effeciancy, and layout capabilities. Currently I am building a 16' x 4' semiprototypical L&N layout.

[Anonymous]

HO ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just got back to model railroading and HO is the best scale.If you have it stick with it, if you don't switch to it.

[Anonymous]

I'd switch to S-gauge or O-traction. HO gets smaller every year or my vision gets worse. There seem to be more S manufacturers and product available now than there were around 1960. With the Internet links to suppliers, the lack of interest by the local hobby shops is no longer a barrier. (Yes - I know the local hobby shop will order it for you, maybe, or maybe they'll just say they will put the order in, or the wholesale house doesn't carry the product, or they don't deal with that supplier because they have to pay shipping. Getting it direct eliminates the problem with the shop owner's fuzzy memory, or is it mood swings? Seems to be a problem at two out of three shops. You learn who is reliable and continue to shop there. The other guy just complains because business is lousy, and then he's gone, and blaming the Internet, mail-order, discount house, or whatever. When you pay for service you expect to get service, not excuses. When the service isn't there, you look elsewhere).

[Anonymous]

I have recently restarted in On30 after a long hiatus from modelling in HO. It works well for me as a compromise that fits my weaker eyesight, available space, interest in narrow gauge and budget (thanks to Bachmann). The 'heft' of O scale is nice when modelling narrow gauge and I can fit Soundtraxx decoders and speakers into the locomotives reasonably easily - that's great! The hobby has come a long way in the last few years!

[Anonymous]

HO HAS MOST OF EVERY THING I NEED TO HAVE IN A HOBBY I CAN ENJOY. AND NOW WITH DCC IT IS EVEN MORE LIKE REAL THAN EVERY BE FORE.