The reason I'm in S scale is because that's the sweet spot for me.
I found HO too small for building models, laying track, etc.
After building a couple of HO layouts, I decided to try O scale. It's nice for building models, but is too large for the layout I want.
And so I arrive at S scale. The parts are big enough to work with and the scale is small enough that I can have the layout I want.
One of the things I think that many over look is that our models are 3 dimensional, the layout is 2 dimensional (in terms of building footprints and how much stuff will fit), and the curve radii and track distances are 1 dimensional. The result is that going from say HO to N your models are not half size, but about 1/6 the size of HO, but the layout is about 30% the size, and track dimensions ares about 1/2 size. Similar results the other way for going up to O scale.
In S scale the track dimensions are about 1/3 larger, the layout is about 85% larger, and the models are about 2 1/2 times larger. So the layout is a little less than double HO, but the models are 2 1/2 bigger.
Obviously, everybody's sweetspot will vary depending on what they are comfortable with and want to do. But it's important to remember the 3 types of differences. Some people have been surprised when they went to On30 and found that while they could fit the layout track into an HO size and the parts were easy to work with, the buildings' foot prints were still 3 1/4 times the size of HO and thus they still needed that much more space compared to HO for the layout.
Paul
Each scale in this hobby has positives and negatives. What one person considers a positive another may consider a negative. Something to think about when choosing a scale.
I'm an N-Scaler but if given a choice I would much rather be in HO. Like many, given the lack of space determined a smaller scale. That is a trade-off.
HO is a scale that's much easier to keep sizes of materials to scale, such as scale Lumber, wires on power lines, whatever has to do with the layout. When modeling N scale, sometimes you have to scale the sizes of materials up to one and a half times. Maybe even two times larger than what they would be prototypically. You sometimes do this just so you can see the detail or work with the material. It still looks okay but it's another trade-off.
The other side of the coin, when modeling in HO, seeing detail is much more clear. One may have to be more detail oriented than a person in N-Scale. Being that the scale is less forgiving there may be much more to do. Some may like that and take it as a positive. Some may feel they have too much to do on their layout and take it as a negative. This could be another trade-off.
O scale, Wow! now you really have the detail and have a lot more to do. I do believe you can model a fly on a telephone pole if you really wanted to. Although an O scaler may never run out of something to do. When their layout is supposably done they can start putting menus and vases of flowers on tables in Passenger cars.
Z scale. Now you got to have respect for the guys that do this scale. I have a hard enough time in N-Scale with detail. I don't know how they do it.
Do you see any trade-offs between scales?
Track Fiddler