Do You Model Other Gauges or Scales?

[Anonymous]

Just wondering? I have a 4x8 HO layout that I tinker with. HO seems to be getting better in quality but O is easier to maintain, plus kids seem to like O more.

pax[4:-)]

[Big_Boy_4005]

I've tried them ALL over the years, N, HO, G, and 2 rail O. Along time ago I decided to focus on 3 rail O. That was when I gave up buying all of the other trains. They are all fun, but if I tried to play with all of them my budget would be a mess, and I would never be able to do all the things I wanted to.

MY THEORY, love all trains, but choose one size and stick to it. [swg]

[cnw1995]

My first layout was in N - there are wonderful things in that scale - but it got too fiddly for my poor hands and eyes. Hence O.

[wallyworld]

I have a "summer only" large scale road that is outside-It's a great excuse to be outdoors-my interest in my O Scale wanes with the coming of warm weather. Switching between the two scales on a seasonal basis keeps me from getting bored with one or the other.

[Dr. John]

I modeled in HO for years and dabbled in N. I still have equipment in both scales, but I've sold off a lot. Currently, besides O gauge, I am collecting American Flyer and modern S gauge equipment. I'd like to incorporate an elevated S gauge loop on my O gauge layout.

[Jim Duda]

Not yet...but I'm about to carefully look at Garden Scale...

Speaking of, I wasn't able to watch the HGTV segment last weekend so if you saw it, I'd love to hear your take on it. Was it well presented and did it pique your interest?

JD

[Buckeye Riveter]

The HGTV segment was pretty good. Very large layouts featured. Very well presented from a gardeners viewpoint.

I only model O, but help build the 1:1 scale.

[FJ and G]

I've dabbled in HO and even N. The only scales I'd really like to do in addition to 3-rail O is O 2-rail and G. G will be much likelier, as I have room for it in my back yard.

[jprampolla]

Hi Folks,

You can use N scale, perhaps, for a train in an O scale amusement park, and HO for a background scene to force the perspective on an O scale layout. There are advantages and disadvantages with all the scales, but I love them all, too! You never can go wrong with trains! Love those trains!
Take care, Joe.

[FJ and G]

Joe,

An excellent idea! or z for inside a hobby shop. :-)

I forgot to mention I dabbled in S as a kid. Still have a tank car from then; the only childhood momento. :-(

I wonder how many of you have considering incorporating On3 or On2 on your layout? Scale would be the same and would sure be cheaper buying an On3 Shay or Climax or something than it would be to get one in 3 rails.

Dave v

[jprampolla]

Hi Dave and Folks,

I forgot that I use S scale and don’t really worry about its scale with O scale. In fact I sometimes like the unsophisticated effect of things not exactly being true to scale, sort of like folk art.

I like the Bachmann 0-4-0 Porter in On30, but would add a nice big red cowcatcher. Perhaps someday I will add an On30 loop.
Take care, Joe.

[Anonymous]

I have both O and S running together on my tinplate layout. There's some Japanese O gauge with the tinplate as well. In Japan, O gauge trains run on a slightly narrower gauge of track. I also model in HO and have a very large HO layout and collection. I have a small Lionel standard gauge set with a 38 electric. I also own some G scale (the cheap stuff) that I have displayed along the tops of the O gauge shelves in my train room, but I seldom run them. I also own 2 North American OO passenger cars.

[FJ and G]

So, there are some O and S running together. Makes sense. 027 scale is closer to S (at least some of the stuff as well as some PW) than to O.

I've seen photos in CTT quite a bit, actually, of 3-rail O and Tinplate Gauge One on the same layout; usually in a toylike setting, but sometimes in hi-rail; like a CTT a year or so ago about a Professionally built article in a New York City setting with a wonderful backdrop, weathered buildings, and art-deco style bridge and river.

The only think I really didn't like were the trees, which were made out of furnace filter stuff. Looked more like cobwebs. Sorry, that was the only thing I didn't like.

Dave v.

[Bob Keller]

I've got O, S, and OO (UK) layouts in the basement.

Although I have some odd bits of Large scale and HO, I don't have the time or desire to seriously fool with them. I do have my eye on some of the Bachmann On3 stuff and I have an idea or two rattling around the old brain, but I haven't come to any conclusions quite yet! I also have an eye on some scale British O gauge (one firm offers a service to sell their kit locos ready to run), but I don't want to start an international incident if I asked them to modify it for three-rail!

Regards,

[Anonymous]

Three rail O-gauge and Standard Gauge.
www.modeltrainjournal.com

[Anonymous]

I was an HO modeler from 1968 to sometime in the 90's when I got out.

Also dabbled in N, Z, and more recently, On30. Z was just too tiny, and I wasn't too happy with the quality of N or On30.

I am now trying TT scale. The only new ready-to-run stuff is European, But I like it, and the quality seems good so far. I like the fact that loops take much less width than HO, yet is still big enough for me to see. We'll see how I like it when the 3 by 6 ft layout is finished.

[daan]

I've had anything you can't sit on without braking it. So anywhere between G and Z have been in my house once. h0 became too boring (after building 37 small layouts) and N is too unrelyable. Z is too small, one sneeze and you can scrape your 100 dollar trainset from the wall, LGB (G scale) is much to much plastic, and I'd to share my layout with the **** of a dozen seagulls, so also not a huge succes.
0 fits best..

[JFermani]

I dabbled in HO back in the late 70's but I always had my Dad's O gauge trains under the tree at Christmas. I had an HO 4x8 layout for about 3-5 years. I got quickly fustrated at the lack of operating accessories and I could never get the trains to run that great. Since I was never into the modeling part of the hobby I switched to Lionel in the 80's and have never looked back.

Joe

[FJ and G]

SF Kent,

On3 too tiny or not satisfied w/quality? Can you elaborate? I would think that the size of the trains would be O scale; perhaps fragile detail? Does it track well on the HO scale track?

I was thinking of putting a On3 ore or logging road section in but your experience gives me pause.

dave v.

[Anonymous]

HO scale is very good in the Marklin digital. Brawa and Fleischmann have excellent digital engines also. You can run your engine super slow in this digital mode and it will ascend and descend inclines with teriffic realism. My Marklin Big Boy has great sounds and produces steam, blows the whistle, sounds the bell, and has three different digitally controlled lights. If I look closely enough, I can see where it lacks some of the very small details, but that is to be understood in something of this scale. There are so many good HO buildings and all that it is just a great scale to model in for those of us who lack space for a larger layout. I make up for the lack of detail in some of the trains by purchasing a few of my favorites in O scale (e.g., the 3rd rail NP Yellowstone) and putting them on the walls of the HO train room. Then I can marvel more at the details and still have a place to live!

[Anonymous]

Dave, don't let me stop you from trying On30, it was just a quality issue for me, but I'm used to Lionel. The stuff looks fairly nice and runs, but there are pretty delicate details involved. I started out with the little Porter engine, and the boiler top (inside the cab) came loose. I glued it back in, but became nervous about handling the stuff.... so I sold it all.