I'm a long-time modeler (since childhood and I'm now close to 50) who has been inactive for awhile due to space and financial limitations. Now starting up again, mainly with collecting locomotives, rolling stock, and structures for right now. I have a moderate amount of N Scale stuff but I'm considering going to HO Scale due to having peripheral neuropathy (fine nerve damage) in my hands making fine detailed work difficult. What is the cost differential between the two scales? Cost isn't the only determining factor in choosing scales for me, but it's certainly one of them.
If you are a careful shopper - I don;t thinkt he differential is all that great. If you ignore the fancy sound equipped HO locos at full list price, you cna do quite well in HO. All but a few of my locos were no more than $40, and they aren;t train set quality, they are all higher end locos that originally carried a list price of $100 or more.
Bigger difference is in the infrastructure and scenery materials - you need a bit over 2x the space to build an HO layout equivalent tot he same plan in N, so that's 4x the benchwork area and 4x the scenery materials to cover it. Or uyou can build a smaller HO layout in the same space as the larger N scale layout, keeping benchwork and scenery costs the same.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
HO trains and accessories appear to be, say, 30% more expensive than their N scal counterparts,
but:
as you put more "trains" into a squarefoot in N scale, the overall cost of a layout won´t differ much.
Having modeled in O, HO, and N, the cost per square foot of finished layout is close to the same. At least that's been my experience!
Dan
At age 50 my fingers were still quite nimble and N scale wasn't a problem, now at 70 they seem more shaky and clumsy and the HO being that much larger is easier to handle. From what I have seen there isn't that much of a cost difference between the two but availability and variety of product thats where you will notice things.
Kay.Div.
The bitter truth of the matter is there may be $2-3.00 difference in the price of freight cars and I've seen N Scale engines cost as much or more then a HO engine at street prices..
The price difference is one of the reasons I switched back to HO after 5 years of modeling in N Scale.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
My observation is that the per piece cost is roughly the same. But you will want a larger minimum layout in HO which will cost more since you need more benchwork, more scenery, more track, etc.. Conversely if your layout is 4x8 in either case then N will cost more because you can fit more in.
But there are enough economy lines in both scales that I think you can do very well in either one on a low budget.
Good luck
Paul
If you love steam than HO is the way to go. Steam in N scale is not much.
Ho is also best for sound engines.
If you are looking for cheap and need long trains with lots of cars than go n scale. I have about 75 Bachmann n sclae cars with metal wheels purchased at shows new for less than $1.00 each. You can also get Bachmann and Life-like Gp's for around $20.00 and they will run all day. I also find n scale engines Kato and Atlas to be a little less in price than HO.
I have both HO and N.
Sir Madog HO trains and accessories appear to be, say, 30% more expensive than their N scal counterparts, but: as you put more "trains" into a squarefoot in N scale, the overall cost of a layout won´t differ much.
Seconded. Assuming you're planning to fill the same physical space regardless of which scale you go with, the price difference is pretty much a wash.
Stu
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
Thank you to all who replied for your opinions and observations.
I've decided to switch to HO due to the fact my fine motor skills aren't what they used to be. That, and I think I finally need glasses. It should be rather exciting, also, collecting some different stuff (locomotives, rolling stock, and structures) in my "new" scale until I can get some benchwork done.
I like the fact that N Scale allows one more of an expansive layout in the same space and I'm going to keep all of my N Scale stuff for my 10 year old son. I'm still a big N Scale fan.
Welcome to the forums and back to model railroading.
You seem to have made your descision, but I'll add a bit anyhow,. I too seem to have a little less dexterity than I used to before going over some of the humps in life. A friend of mine has some shaking in his hands and has both scales. Rerailing his N can be difficult, HO not always easy. We joked at the Amherst show, he thought maybe he should switch to G.
I think kits would be where you found the most difference, N scale much smaller parts and difficult to build. There are are a number of R-T-R and ready built, so you would not be stopped, just spend more. The other thing which has nothing to do with your dexterity, but the availibility of quality sound seems to heavily favor HO.
With the N you already have, you could build a small 2'x4' or something on a hollow core door that could be slipped into storage, if you have the space.
Good luck,
Richard
After over a full year of still debating the issue of N vs HO, I'm going full bore into HO and not looking back. I greatly admire the N Scalers, especially those of us 50 plus in age that can still do N scale, but I just can't. My arthritis and neuropathy are not getting any better. I tried picking up some of my N scale freight cars and an engine the other day and it was not a pretty sight.
I'm in the process of designing track plans for two different bedrooms. One child is moving out soon and I can always swap my youngest child to the other bedroom if he and my wife agree. I'm also building a grain elevator, flour mill, and freight depot as my first actual projects since my railroad will be a grain hauler no matter the plan or location. It feels good to get going again.
Speaking of motor skills .... I have been assuming that I am mostly unimpaired but at a small train show yesterday in Milwaukee for Train Day at the Amtrak/bus intermodal depot, when I tried to re-rail a Lionel train car that an eager child had derailed I found it more challenging than I remembered. I suspect my bifocals might be as much to blame as the fingers. Still it was a bit sobering.
But in N or HO if dexterity has become an issue, remember that the Atlas re-railer track sections are your friend. Whoever it was that designed them those many decades ago really knew what he was doing.
Dave Nelson
HO is more expensive. Sure you can get a Kato N scale engine for the same price as a Walthers or Athearn HO one, but it'll have the same (lack of) features. In HO, you have the option to add... options... and those options will add up. So while you can buy a $120 engine in HO, or a $100 engine in N scale, you can also buy a $300 engine in HO scale, where as you can't (for any price) get that level of detail in a comparable N scale engine.
dknelson when I tried to re-rail a Lionel train car that an eager child had derailed I found it more challenging than I remembered. I suspect my bifocals might be as much to blame as the fingers. Still it was a bit sobering.
I have a hard time getting every wheel of an O scale car on the track. I actually find N scale much easier, and using one hand with my fingers holding the trucks straight can rail a Z scale car first try almost every time.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
When I got back into the hobby about 14 years ago, I was a spry 50 year old, but the dexterity in my hands wasn't quite what it was when I in my 30s. So, when I decided to build another layout, there were many factors that I had to take into account:
The ravages of time, a spinal cord injury, changing eyesight and peripheral neuropathy all made the decision to go with HO a wise one.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
I have been into N scale but because of age (68) now into HO. I find overall that the Cost of HO is almost equall to N. There are some great buys in HO. Even the new sound and smoke equipped locomotives can be had at a great price. Stay away from ebay and shops selling at msrp.
There are plenty of places selling new items at very reasonable prices like "modeltrainstuff" and many others. Train shows are a great place for used items.
good luck in your search,
Dave
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
I also would say that the price is about the same. One thing has not been mentioned,In n scale you can run long trains,In ho not so long in the same space. I love both scales and run both side by side on part of my layout,when they run side by side I only have mountain and tree scenery so the nitpickers wont point out the the buildings are not the same scale etc. I tell them its a narrow gauge running next to the ho scale. As for the n scalers I tell them they have to shut their eyes when the train goes through this part of the scenery. I havent put my on30 engines on the layout until all visitors are gone. May God Bless
It's an even sum game in my experience, and I've modeled in O, N, and HO.
Have fun!
In the early '90s and earlier, N scale trains used to cost nearly twice as much as HO trains, but with far inferior detail quality. Nowadays, N scale is a thousand times better than it was 30 years ago, and some manufacturers, especially the newer ones like BLMA and ExactRail, have virtually equivalent quality between their HO and N models. Today the price is roughly equal, and at times, HO costs more than N. I remember the days before I converted from HO to N when N was pricey but looked like toylike crap I wouldn't want to touch. So reflecting on those days justifies the price of today's superior N scale trains for me.
Dannyboy6 It's an even sum game in my experience, and I've modeled in O, N, and HO. Have fun! Dan
Amen to that!
The cost of a 4 by 8 layout in HO may even be a lot cheaper than a 4 by 8 N scale layout, as one has comparably less real estate "to fill".
IMHO, it all boils down to what you are willing (and can) spend for your hobby - regardless of scale.