Sir Madog Nope - no Photoshop. The guys layout is built in modules and he moves them outside for taking pictures.
Nope - no Photoshop. The guys layout is built in modules and he moves them outside for taking pictures.
Take a close look at the area where the sky meets the model. There is a fuzzy area that looks to me like Photoshop relics. Photoshop or not, while I agree that it is an impressive photo, it is not representitive of even a very high quality operating layout.
I could be wrong, I believe the OP plans for his layout to be indoors.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
It is an N scale Finescale layout. The builder is using handlaid code 40 track. The layout operates with the precision of a Swiss watch and I don´t mean one of the cheaper ones...
Sir Madog It is an N scale Finescale layout. The builder is using handlaid code 40 track. The layout operates with the precision of a Swiss watch and I don´t mean one of the cheaper ones...
I agree whith you about the quality of Nscale models and layouts and can't understand why people did'nt beleive fine scale model could be acheived in Nscale.
I have published numerous pictures of my models and a few answer were "Is this HO scale" or "I beleive you have reduced a picture of a greater scale to tell it's fine Nscale"
I can only say the pictures I have published in this topic are really models I have build in Nscale, never heard such things for HO or O models.
Plaza Japan -- N Scale eBay store -- back from "New Year" vacation!
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
So much depends on your choice of era, motor skills, and space, also, whether you want to free-lance or model a specific road.
You need to do a lot of study before choosing a scale.
If you want to do narrow gauge, N is a virtual impossibility. The only place where N and HO are nearly equal in material availability, era-wise, is modern era diesel. This is especially true if you are prototypical and modeling a specific road.
If you are not interested in prototypical modern era stuff, HO is the only choice. Prior to 1940 running, the N scale is still far behind HO.
Only if you are free-lance, non-prototype and/or fantasy roading can N start to compete with HO in pre 1940 modeling. Era is very important in your choice.
I am not saying you can't model pre-40s in N scale. You can. N is a modern scale and developed to manufacture modern trains and rolling stock. Only in recent years has N attempted to model back in time to a fine scale degree. If DCC and sound is desired, N is still a bit behind due to the size of the associated electronics and what can be shoe horned into a small N scale steamer of an older era. Time will probably alleviate all of these N scale short falls as it is a very popular scale, second only to HO which had a forty year head start and more easily touched, felt and worked on than N by both the very young and the very old.
Remember, nothing is absolutely imposible in any scale given a will to do, money, motor and modeling skills and space.
If you take time to figure out era, prototype, and space, etc., within your money, space and skill sets, the scale you will wish to choose will become readily apparent.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
I suggest you visit layouts of both scales before you start purchasing items. (If you don't belong to an organization, perhaps a hobby shop could provide referrals or you could post on some online groups for an invite.) I like operation, which N Scale really lends itself to, but the trains don't have the right feel to me like the larger scales do.
Another thing is perspective: HO and N trains look different at the same layout height. (N seems more of an ideal birds-eye-view kind of perspective to me.) But N has the advantage of dwarfing the trains with relatively larger scenery (like mountain cliffs) if that is what you want. Also, the smaller the scale, the slower the trains seem to run at scale miles-per-hour. This is for real. An O scale train covering the same scale distance as an N scale train will seem much faster to you. (N scale trains, in my opinion, seem to perform an illusion that they are just crawling, even at moderately fast scale speeds.)
I'm also pretty particular, so would probably be laying code 40 rail in N. I model in HO, in the transition era, and no one makes most steam locomotives, the right cabooses or heavyweight passenger cars I would need for my Wabash Railroad in N Scale. Even in HO, I have to resort to some kitbashing, brass, resin kits and scratchbuilding. Steam locomotives were custom for most railroads and that makes the situation acute with N Scale's limited steam loco availability. And though first generation diesels are offered in N, the paint schemes are much more limited than HO. Yes, like someone posted, the further back in time you model, the more limited you are in N.
I also like working semaphores, and in N, to look scale size, they'd probably have to be made from etched parts and much smaller than commercially available tubing. I don't like the look of most N scale signals. They are very clunky.
My biggest pet peeve with many N scale modelers is often their track spacing is horrendously wide--not anything like most prototypes. They say they need it too reach btw the cars. If you are modeling like the real thing, why do you need to reach btw the cars? Didn't that go out in the 1970s?
Victor A. Baird
www.erstwhilepublications.com