Starting over

[Anonymous]

I love my HO stock, but because of space limitations I think I would (if I were to start over) switch over to N. But because of my investment, I will stick with HO.

[Anonymous]

I model in Ho and am glad I do. I like N scale and the equipment and accessories are getting better. You can get a lot more railroad into more space with N, but to me HO is as realistic and easier to handle and there is still a bit more variety available. I am also fascinated with ,the garden rairoad, but,it would not be practical in my climate

[Anonymous]

Started out with HO beginning of the 70's. Switched to N for space reasons in the late 70's. Went back to HO in the mid 80's as more room became available. Am thinking to going to O. Would like more comments on N of 30 years ago versus today's N product. Thanks.
J J Andrew
Maine

[krump]

I'd stick with HO - after 20 yrs in a box it needs some attention.
I really like S scale, however I don't currently have the skills / knowledge to scratch-build everything.
In the future I'd like to add a separate indoor G scale - suspended from the ceiling of my home office

[Anonymous]

With all that I have invested in the HO equipment and such, I wouldn't switch now. But, if starting over and turning back the clock, I would go with N scale. There are some very good locomotives coming out now. Being a RIo Grande fan of the 70s-80s, the need for Tunnel Motors is very great. Which is why I went with HO in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Given Lionel when in High School, soon switched to HO, and that was 40 Years ago. Have too much equipment and related items, with much left to build, so too late to change now.

[Anonymous]

I have done both HO and N, found that I like HO more, trying to do details in N was frustrating. I am just starting over again after moving and gave the idea serious thought before starting this time, as I have limited space. I plan to make the best use of the space available and stick with HO.

[Anonymous]

Even though I've been in several scales, I really would like an outdoor large scale layout.

[Anonymous]

As a kid, I started with O-27 (and my buddy's S) then switched during high school years to HO where I've modeled ever since (some 40 years). If I didn't have so much time and money invested in my HO layout, I'd think seriously about switching to S. It seems just right to me and while HO has the best selection of products, S is beginning to offer enough to make it fun.

Then, like many others, I build a 1" layout in the yard (if our lot had any flat places, which it doesn't).

[Anonymous]

This is an interesting poll. It would be 10 times as intersting if it could be multidimensional, to tell us what guage one started with, wehether one wold stick with it, and, if not, to what guage one would go. Such a poll really would be informative. For instance, I started with HO and don't want to go anywhere else. For space reasons, my son went to N and found the detailing possibilities so narrow that he simply dropped out of model railroading until he has a bihher house where he can go HO again.

[CBQ_Guy]

I'm currently modeling in HO, though in the past I've had Lionel O in the beginning, and have done some model railroading in N-scale as well. But IF I had the money, I think I would like to construct a VERY LARGE building and do justice to a fairly large sized O-scale layout. I like the heft, the ease of adding details compared to the smaller scales, and of course the old eyeballs aren't working as good as they used to as I age!

Take care,

[connrail]

I started with Lionel in the 1950s and switched to scale cars on Lionel track. The 1960s saw a change to H-O and I built a really good layout. A small apartment made me change to N gauge in 1973 when I married, but a very gracious new father-in-law gave me part of his basement to build a 5' x 12' layout with a fairly good variety of locos & cars. When I bought my house in 1977, I tried going back to H-O but after a few years, switched back to N gauge because of the amount of good running equipment available. As I grew older, my eyesight and problems with my hands made N gauge difficult to work with, so I changed back to H-O and will continue until I pass on. I have an 11' x 27' room and if starting over, H-O would still be my choice. Although a little pricey, the ready-to-run equipment is great for me and I would recommend H-O to anyone starting today.

[Anonymous]

I started in HO in the late 1960's and I'm on my fourth layout. I've also done some modeling in N and have quite a bit of N Scale equipment. With my current situation and the amount of space I have to build and operate, I would go with N just because I could have a more realistic railroad in the same space as my current HO. But I won't change just yet because I have too large an investment in my HO equipment.

[Anonymous]

I remember starting out in HO about 123 million years ago and I imagine that I will continue in that vein for another 456 million years! I can remember back in caveman days what a bear it was to chisel a GP38 out of solid rock. Now, with these new materials called brass and even plastic I can fashion all sorts of things for my layout. The best part, though, is that I don't have to worry about my pet dinosaur sitting in my fake water. That got real messy real fast! On occassion I'll sit back and dream of the future in this alternate universe of ours and wonder what we'll be making our jet-engined model trains out of. I'm quite sure it'll beat the xxxx out of chiseling granite.

[Anonymous]

Love my N scale... but if I were just starting as a new comer with nothing invested, I would have to really consider HO . The Broadway Limited stuff is beyond belief!!! and Hornby is releasing a live steam engine in HO this December in the USA...plus DCC is easier to adapt in HO. There are alot of other things that would be tempting about HO but at the same time, I've always liked N scale because in a 12 by 16 foot room you can have a small empire , run long trains and do a lot of scenic detailing. I don't regret my N scale collection at all.....but the question was..if you were staring over...well maybe , just maybe.......NOT.!.!.!...I might as well face it .....even with the great developments in HO......I've been an N scaler for over 20 years and witnessed fantastic advances an[:)]d am sure we haven't seen the end of things yet to be developed.

[Billba]

I started with American Flyer S, changed to N, then to HO. I added HOn3 about 15 yrs.s ago, and have not been disappointed. I have to admit that the new On30 stuff recently released is pretty tempting.
If I started over I would stay with HO/HOn3. The selection of equipment is staggering.

[Anonymous]

Starting over? I've done it a number of times changing from HO to N back to HO and now finally I'm into what will definately be my last railroad. I'm into G Gauge. I finally have the property size and have really found the desire to make this a layout that works. Even when the weather is against you, there is still so much to do from car detailing to scratch building. To date I have built a 16 foot long double track main line bridge that scales out at 480 feet... I'm recreating a good sized portion of a steel mill I worked at in Canada. And have two very large building I am working on for that. I also am scratch building a large grain elevator... G is really the way to go for me.

[Anonymous]

I think I would switch to either N or G.Neither of these gages were around when I first started.With N, I could model a whole division.When I first thought about it N was unreliable and there was avery limited choice of motive power and rolling stock.That is not the case today..armand Premo

[Anonymous]

I started building HO rolling stock in the forties. I have never been sorry for choosing this scale. My layout looks like the mainline PRR 1945-1955 when I was a PRR apprentice. The range of equipment, accessories and building kits is exceptional. I am now building an Atlas catalogue home which is an exact replica of the home my father-in-law built to raise my wife in. The manufacturers of much of this equipment are very accomodating. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Bachmann and MRC in particular for offering quality products that are affordable for beginners (like my grandson) and all who are on a limited budget. These kinds of providers help make this the WGH.

[Anonymous]

I started with HO in 1975. Moved and gave it up. Started again in 1993 with Z. It is a better "fit" with apartment living, and I have an obsession for small mechanical stuff, so I'm very happy with this scale.

*** Button

[tomwatkins]

I'd stay with HO. For me, it's a good choice. Large enough to detail effectively and small enough so I don't really need a gymnasium. Although it would be nice to have more space.

[Anonymous]

I have been modeling HO for 35 years or better and would probably try some N if my eyes were better. The older we get the bigger things have to be to work on. Still I have installed decoders on all my locos myself. Isn't DCC great. Some of my older engines do not perform as well as I would like. Wheel flanges etc, are just not made fine enough to work good on the more realistic rail sizes. And nickel silver wheels help too over brass. But just as long as it railroad I'm happy. May they run forever.

[Anonymous]

I model HO & love it. How ever it seems that model railroading is a retired persons hobby. Like a lot of people these days staying employed means staying mobile. I just get a lay out up & running & I have to tear it down to move. I never have the same space to work with so I have to start from scratch again.

Chuck Hoffman

[Anonymous]

I model in Australia, specifically the Victorian Railways prototype. Support for HO in VR is quite good and brave, but for other scales, almost zero. You have the advantage in the US that there is a huge choice in many scales, particularly in RTR, but outside of the US that support is very much smaller, and in some countries like Australia is only provided by a brave few who are willing to cater for a small market. Choice of another scale is almost unthinkable unless you want to exclusively scratch build.

[Anonymous]

Started in N scale in 1970 and switched to HO in 1974 and just would not care to change.Recently visited a friend who models in O and have to admit there is something about the "heft" of O scale, but I would have to have a whole lot bigger house than what I do now.

[nkp779]

I will stick to my HO scale. But if I had the room I would do garden railroad & 1"1/4 or so. and the money as well.

[Anonymous]

I have had HO most of my life and wouldn't think of changing. although the larger guages look tempting, because of space I will stick to what i have and enjoy

[CP5415]

I'll stick with HO scale. I have the space I need for it & my wife would kill and/or divorce me if I came home with a whole new series of trains.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

I am keeping my HO scale things.I wouldn't switch to any other scale.But if I had enough room,money,and time I would make a 1" scale track run through my backyard.

[wacko63]

Okay, here's my two cents worth. I have tried several scales in the past. I found N to be too small. G is fine for around the Christmas tree or, if I could afford it, in the back yard. O is too large for a practical indoor layout in a smaller house and too small for outside. HO has the widest assortment of engines, rollingstock, price ranges, quality and accessories. For me, HO is juuuuussst right!