HO Gauge or N Gauge? What do you have, and why?


DL Lawrence

DL Lawrence

New Member
Hey all,

Very new here. I've just begun the process of researching prior to getting into building my first layout. I've seen a few comments so far on N gauge, and of course on HO.
Other than the obvious reason for going N gauge (limited space to work with), what else should one consider prior to making the choice between these two (I'm keeping it at 2) scales of model railroading? I'm also curious if there is a preference or difference/compatibility between the different manufacturers i.e, Kato, Athearn, Bachman? As you can see, I've got a LOT to learn. Thanks in advance for all comments, advice, observations, and suggestions. :confused:

DL
 
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Let's start out with the basic question of size: As you mentioned the basic reason for choosing N scale is to fit a lot more model railroad into a given space. Obviously, if you like running longer trains in a given space, then N-scale is your choice. OTOH, you can get quite a bit of layout into HO-scale, and if you like building kits or superdetailing locomotives and rolling stock (railroad cars), it will be a lot easier in the bigger scale, especially if your eyes and hands are quite as bad as they used to be. Although N-scale products have been proliferating more and more lately, HO still provides a greater variety of rolling stock (including locomotives), buildings, and scenery products. If smaller children are going to be participating in the hoppy, HO is easier for small hands to handle.

What scale do I model? HO. When I build my current layout, given the 14' x 14' room I have, I might have considered N-scale to fit more layout in. But after modelling in HO scale for the past 60+ years, I have so much rolling stock, including models I kitbashed that I would hate to get rid of it and start over. Welcome to the hobby.

Happy Holidays!
 
I like N scale because it allows you to model more of the overall feel and look of a railroad, not just a small aspect, unless you have eminent domain over your wife and whatever space your railroad happens to have its sights set on. It allows you to do more in less area and it seems that there is a growing gap in the prices between HO and N with HO costing more, at least pertaining to ready-to-run diesels.

There is a larger selection of products with HO but there is still a very good selection of models for N. DCC is available for both scales and is getting easier and easier to install in N scale locos. The one place where HO has a definite advantage is with sound for locos. There are a few available for N scale but it isn't as good and is more difficult to install due to the smaller size. Myself, I haven't been enticed by any sound systems in any of the HO models that I've been around as they operated. That could be due somewhat to some hearing loss and tinnitus in both of my ears.

If you should decide to go with N scale check this site out before you buy any used locos. http://www.spookshow.net/locos.html The early N locos were terrible runners and were horrible models. However, the new equipment (since the early 90's) is VERY smooth running and will operate as well as, if not better, than most any HO models.

Do some research and check the scales out first hand before committing. Good luck either way you decide to go.
 
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DL Lawrence said:
I've seen a few comments so far on N gauge, and of course on HO.
Other than the obvious reason for going N gauge (limited space to work with), what else should one consider prior to making the choice between these two (I'm keeping it at 2) scales of model railroading?
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For the quantity of manufacturers and variety of equipment the nod is easily given to HO.
Modern plastics and manufacturing has really improved the quality of N scale but HO still wins for detail.
If one like long trains N scale is the way to go.
For the quality of drive mechanisms one can get fine machinery in either scale but one will pay for it. I believe the increase in $ for high quality is steeper in N-scale, but I have not purchased mass quantities of N-scale for quite a few years. But I will say price was one of the main reasons I got out of N-scale.
For expansive scenery N scale can more easily provide that.

So the more I think about it all the arguments seem to come down to size & operations vs everything else.

An intangible is that women seem to love tiny trains. So if you need buy in from the female gender N-scale might be an easier sell as long as one doesn't mind having the trains be called "cute".

I'm also curious if there is a preference or difference/compatibility between the different manufacturers i.e, Kato, Athearn, Bachman?
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That is a question to be asked after one chooses a scale.
 
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I'm in HO and have dabbled with N. Because of how much equipment I've accumulated over the years, I stayed with HO.

A good decision in my book; as I've aged and my vision isn't what it used to be, the larger size of HO is nice to have. I much prefer the easier to see and work with size when it comes to maintenance. Since I have mostly older Athearn blue box equipment, this is also an advantage.

I've also done a little bit with G. I love the size for ease of working with, but the cost of it prevents me from switching.
 
For me it is HO scale.

In the mid 70's I started back into model railroading with N scale mainly because we were living in a apartment and there was a lack of space. I was living in south Florida at the time. I moved back home to Montana in the late 70's and when we built out house, I made sure that there was a basement under it.

My small N scale layout was incorporated into a large N scale layout with over 11 scale miles of main line. Unfortunately, back then, N scale locomotives were, well, I guess I would call most of them garbage. With a few exceptions, most ran very poorly and the selection of locomotives and road names was lousy. Everything was torn out and a new layout was started in HO scale. Not only did the locomotives run better, but there was a lot more available in HO scale. Rolling stock, building kits, detail parts and on and on.

The same is probably true today, but also, today N scale locomotives have improved to the point that they run almost as good as HO locomotives. A lot more is also available today compared to back then.

Available space is probably the best argument for N scale. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a large space in a basement or a garage to build a layout. One can build a rather substantial layout in a spare bedroom in N scale compared to HO scale. One gripe I did and still have is the over size rails in N scale. Code 55 rail and turnouts are as hard to find as unobtanium.

Now that I am getting older and the peepers aren't as good as they used to be, I am happy that I did move to HO scale.
 
I also have to put in a vote for HO Scale.

It is not that HO is better than N Scale, rather because it is bigger and easier to work with when you take into account eye sight and other things.

With that being said, I am starting to gain an interest in N Scale as well primarily due to what can be done with it in a smaller space. In a nut shell, you get twice the layout on an 8' X 4' bench work with N Scale than with HO.

But hey, if Capt Picard reckons it's N Gauge, then ... make it so! :rolleyes:
 
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To see what can be done by an experienced modeler check these videos out.

http://m.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=1ctoxz3sa#/watch?v=kfASxB9J_3Q Notice the smooth starts and stops and the broad curves along with very realistic scenery. At about 10 minutes into the video a train passes through the wall which has a picture of the old C&NW coaling tower at Nelson, IL and a little later on a view of the double diamonds at Rochelle, IL. If you go to my page and look at the Train Watching album I have pictures I've taken of the actual coaling tower and the double diamonds at Rochelle. A very good representation of an actual place that would have been nearly impossible in HO.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=omH-WjG5VKU

A nice fictional location with sound equipped locos. There are better sounding N scale locos out there but they have been custom jobs. Sound is one area where HO wins over N.
 
bcp said:
N gauge is the preferred choice in the future. It is often mentioned in Star Trek, but they never show a layout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jd1Ih8EUmw

:)

Bruce
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HA! Beautiful, man- that's a primo funny. Dig it.

I really appreciate everyone's replies and comments- thank you! Some great info. I think I'd prefer HO, however; seeing that I'll have to use an extra room in the house for this project (no basement or attic in FL) I might have to go N. I certainly get the "vision" aspect of it also- I'm 54, and I sure can't see the small stuff like I used to be able to, no doubt. It appears I'll have to come to some more definitive decisions on a)where it will go, and how much space I realistically have, and b) what I can see and learn between now and then about exactly what I want in terms of layout.

In short, I guess I need to make more decisions and get more info before making the decision on scale. Thanks everyone also for the informative links!

DL
 
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Coming home to HO

Before hubby and I met we each had HO trains in our background. After we got married, starting in '08 we gave N scale a good shot. We started a continuous running high-level around-the-wall bent dogbone with a clever little hidden reverse loop that went through a closet in an adjacent room. We got scenery to an advanced stage on part of the layout, and ran on bare pink foam on part of it.

As soon as we got a train running we were at first excited. Yet across time we also shared growing disappointment. First there was the frustration of how little "stuff" was available compared to HO. But more important was the scale itself. We would wait with gleeful anticipation for our locomotive to appear out of the tunnel, only to see something not quite the size of a hot-dog show up. Our growing consensus was N was just too darn small.

The arguments about N allowing so much more model railroad in a given space made a lot of sense, and had initially sold us on trying N. Now we both realized that a lot of unsatisfying model railroad was not as good a choice as less of a more satisfying model railroad. That probably should be an axiom.

Much was the same between the scales of course. We did hardshell mountains, WS trees, and other scenery stuff that would have been little different in the larger scale. The N track seemed a little "fussier" to lay compared to my recollection of HO flextrack, but in the end there isn't much difference between the two. At that point we were doing DC, and DC wiring is DC wiring, same for both scales. To the extent that the many craftsman skills involved in building a model railroad are enjoyable activities, there is little difference between the scales there too.

For us the difference was entirely visual. N scale trains are just too dang small! So we are now getting ready to make an HO world in our house.

And isn't it wonderful that there are differences among model railroaders! Merry Christmas, y'all.

Hugs,
Diane
 
wombat457 said:
... In a nut shell, you get twice the layout on an 8' X 4' bench work with N Scale than with HO.
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Tony, if we were to say that N were half the size of HO, which is close, then since we're talking about square area it would actually be more like four times the model square area on an 8'x4'.:p

That is so tempting, but if N is otherwise not big enough to enjoy for some folks (me) it's not a good trade to buy four times the area if its at the price of enjoyment.

Hugs,
Diane
 
G'day, First up...GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US...You'll love this forum...doesn't get any better than this....The vexing question.. I started in N Scale but after I realised at the time that the availability in Australia for a wide range of options was much better in HO , I switched over...Haven't regretted it but I have total respect and admiration for a nice N layout...My layout will only be smallish but that suits me...Will be around 14 x 10 or so but I've figured out enough room to have a BNSF intemodal facility as it's centrepiece..a small town scene , an earthmoving yard , a double truss bridge , creek scene...and a main road..
Totally right with N Scale is that it allows a lot more 'overall ' look but the detail , especially with the motive power and some rolling stock isn't quite as good as HO...Pro's and Con's for both scales...One thing I do know...You'll have a ball with whichever way you go....And then there's the grand daddy of it all in O Scale of course , and S Scale and G Scale and Z Scale and O n3 and and and...........Fantastic to have you with us mad crazy fun loving model rail bunch...Let us know what you decide to do...Cheers Rod..
 
azdiane said:
Tony, if we were to say that N were half the size of HO, which is close, then since we're talking about square area it would actually be more like four times the model square area on an 8'x4'.:p

That is so tempting, but if N is otherwise not big enough to enjoy for some folks (me) it's not a good trade to buy four times the area if its at the price of enjoyment.

Hugs,
Diane
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That is really what it boils down to Diane, what the individual enjoys watching and working with. I run HO and love it for appearances and size but I also have a small N Scale layout as well, which I also enjoy due to what can be done in a smaller area. Your absolutely right though, it is a trade off, both ways if you are going to settle on one scale. I think both have their virtues and their pitfalls, ut as said, and what you alluded to, it is all about what the individual enjoys watching and working with :)
 
G'day..Wasn't it right that Captain Kirk got right into N Scale but Spock pinched his F7a...Bones got into HO but Scotty stuck with 00...They all had to go with No6 and No8 turnouts though because when ol' Enterprise was at warp speed none of the locos could stay on the tracks with No4s....Beam me down to MB Klien please Scotty...Cheers Rod..
 
Thanks again, everyone for posting! Some great responses here, and some well thought out opinions based on personal experience! Just what I'm looking for. I do know one thing....after about 2 weeks of researching getting into model railroading, there is an overwhelming amount of information to process prior to making purchase decisions (or even planning decisions, for that matter). I read somewhere the other day (maybe here?) that a dude had researched his first build for three years (!) prior to deciding on his layout and beginning benchwork. Diane, thanks for posting- very interesting reading your experience.
 
I went with HO 30 years ago for all of the reasons already mentioned, availability, detail,and I knew that one day agility and eyesight were bound to deteriorate. There's nothing wrong with N other than size to me. Yes availability is still limited when compared to HO, but there is more out there than most of us could buy unless you model some obscure railroad or time frame. I would recommend going to a local train show with layouts in both scales and making your own assessments.
Willie
 
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