HO to N scale in retirement age

Uncle peanut butter May 9, 2020

  1. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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    Has anyone switched from HO to N in their later years? I’m newly retired, 65, and have the usual eye and arthritis issues that go along with a life of outdoor labor. I’m starting back into the hobby with some HO equipment and was wondering if a scale switch is practical. I know the N scale products are greatly improved over what I remember from 20 years ago.
     
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  2. glenng6

    glenng6 TrainBoard Member

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    Uncle peanut butter,
    I have always been in HO, and now that I am about to turn 73, there is no way in hell I would switch to N scale. I have already had cataract and glaucoma surgery and see better than I have in 20-30 years. However, my eyes tire easily when working on or using the trains, for extended periods. Most of the time I have to use my Optivisor when working on locos or rolling stock. I, also, believe that my eyes would tire even quicker working on the small details of N scale. Of course your mileage may vary, but make sure you think this through thoroughly. Glenn
     
  3. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    Older hands building smaller kits could be an issue.

    What time period and location are you planning.

    Also, this forum is just filthy with N scales, don't listen to them. :p
     
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  4. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    Filthy N Scaler here....switch to N Scale, we have cookies and puppies
     
  5. IronMan1963

    IronMan1963 TrainBoard Member

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    And Don't forget Fluffy Unicorns. LOL;)
    I started in HO years ago as a child. Still have my First Loco. I am now in my late 50's. I changed over to N Scale a couple years ago for the space benefits. Yes it is difficult to work on and to see some times. I wear Glasses with Bifocals. I have shaky hands. I have a good magnifying light on my bench. I work on all my own equipment including decoder installs. It does take patience at times. I enjoy the challenge of it. Yes we N Scalers think "N Scale is the Best Scale" but only you can decide what will work for you.
    Later Richard
    BTW I also work in Z scale. LOL
     
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  6. Carl Sowell

    Carl Sowell TrainBoard Supporter

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    what everyone above stated is true. I think it depends on how "into it" you are planning to be involved.
    In other words are you going to build structure kits, scratch build structures, paint locomotives, add dcc all of those types of activities. Yes, N scale is small but very much doable. I am 80 ( 08/15/1940) so I can speak from experience. I have had cataracts replaced with plastic lenses when I was 44 years old and now have 20/20 in both eyes. The main problem for me is my hands and fingers sometimes act like they are twice their normal size. And I do have to re-do some things when not satisfied with results at times. At times my hands get to shaking so bad when trying to solder or do any small work piece that I have to stop for that time and come back and try again later.

    The main thing to remember is it is your hobby, will be your railroad and you should do what is most comfortable and enjoyable for you. The main reason for a hobby is to relax and most importantly, have fun.

    Carl

    BTW, I forgot to mention that my wife (66+ years) keeps asking "why don't you have G scale around the backyard?).
     
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  7. Donstaff

    Donstaff TrainBoard Member

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    There is no magic in model railroading to match the perspective of N scale.

    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
     
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  8. IronMan1963

    IronMan1963 TrainBoard Member

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    trackside entry.jpg
    With patience this is a sample of what you can do in N-Scale.
     
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  9. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    Also, the other option is to do what I am going to do, which is to have several small layouts in different scales.

    I have ended up "collecting" a lot of trains and I must see my Lionel 3 rail O, my 1/55 narrow gauge, my ho scale european trains, and my American N scale trains run.
     
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  10. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    I'm in HO and sticking to it. And DC just to rub it in.:D

    Not switching to smaller scale because my fingers and eyes are aging and both must be in tip top shape to manipulate (and not mangle) little tiny details on proportionately tiny rolling stock and other stuff.

    Never mind T scale (1:450). I might lose and RDC in my belly button.:eek:
     
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  11. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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    What? End up in a dilapidated single wide?
     
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  12. gmorider

    gmorider TrainBoard Member

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    Great model! Such detail. (Former [filthy] N-scaler.) :D
     
  13. gmorider

    gmorider TrainBoard Member

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    Can be done....
     
  14. gmorider

    gmorider TrainBoard Member

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    I am trying to move into a van, down by the river....:p
     
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  15. IronMan1963

    IronMan1963 TrainBoard Member

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    Of course not. That's the Railroad Shed. Take your lunch and go play with trains. LOL
    Later Richard
     
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  16. IronMan1963

    IronMan1963 TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks. The porch is mostly stick built. Took about 2 weeks of evenings to build.
    Later Richard
     
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  17. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    After military service I got into Lionel trains with a group. Then moved 47 miles west and changed to "N". Two in my living room to be more exact. Then 85 miles north and went to "HO". Then got forced out of there but haven't decided what to go to next. Been thinking about "N" do to limited space more than being 70.
     
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  18. MP333

    MP333 TrainBoard Supporter

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    There's a huge range of N scale stuff from full RTR (even weathered) all the way to craftsman stuff. DC or DCC are both common and available.

    I'm 63 and still having a blast, with no real issues other than I can't hunch over a long reach. Have fun!
     
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  19. RailMix

    RailMix TrainBoard Member

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    That pretty much describes where I am. I find HO is the right size- for me anyway. I have a fairly large collection of HO locomotives and rolling stock. I like the idea of detailed structure interiors and other things that are not impossible in smaller scales, but are easier in HO. I also still use the DC block wiring that I learned from Model Railroader's Sierra Pintada project around 1965 or so. A transition to DCC might happen sometime in the future, but some scale other than HO, probably not.
     
  20. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    My grandfather modeled HO for decades, but when he was about 75, he started modeling in Z Scale. I asked him why, and he said it was too hard to reach over his layout, and too cold in the garage. He started with a 2' x 4' Z layout which is about the same scale real estate he had with his 5' x 10' HO layout, but he could do the modeling indoors in a spare bedroom.

    With N scale you can still fit a decent layout in a spare bedroom. As far as shaky hands, or poor eyesight, an optivisor lets you do fine detail work and see well, and shaky hands will affect any scale equally. Laying your hands against a work surface when doing detail work will allow you to do detail work in any scale.
     

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