In another thread there were some comments about leaving N scale and then returning. I dont suppose I ever truly left but a lull would be a better term for me. Money and raising a family got me away for awhile. How about you?
I had an N scale layout some 15 years ago and while I enjoyed the variety of loco's and rolling stock available at the time, the quality of track and the scarcity of accessories sent me back to HO. I have been completely out of the hobby for the past 5 years or so I recently moved into a new(for me) home which has room for a layout. Not enough for what I want to do in HO but more than enough (is there ever really enough room?) to have a decent sized N layout. From what I have been able to gather from the different forums, etc the quality and quantity of N products has improved by leaps and bounds. So back into N I dive. Mainetrains:cat2::cat:
I left N Scale in '89 and went into HO and never was contended so,I been dabbling in N Scale since in '96 and when I overheard a conversation of a forming N Scale club I became interested and join 2 weeks later..That was by far my best move in many years. Since returning to N as my primary scale I went inactived at one HO club and losing interest in HO..In fact I sold off my excess HO and may thin my collection even more over the coming months.. I think my late wife summed it up when we was at a train show when she said "Honey,you are a N gauger by nature and by heart"...What was I doing? Looking at N Scale! So,looking back yes..I always been a N Scaler since I bought that Atlas train set in '68.So,I guess I came full circle when I realize I am a N Scaler masquerading as a HO modeler.
Time, Space, and Money After highschool I lived in dorms and very small studio condos. Between lack of room and money I really did not have a chance again unill I moved to my current place where living alone I don't answer to anyone - except the bank.
I wandered into a hobby shop back in 1968 and here was a bunch of n scale! first time i'd ever seen it! I'd always been interested in trains, having grown up near the tracks. this stuff was perfect for a small apartment. I talked dad into a Riverossi 282 a Atlas F7 and a 060 dont remember the brand. Two switches and enough track to make an oval and a passing siding. And about 10 atlas cars. About put dad in the poor house! Or so he claimed. I set it up on a 3.5 x 5 piece of plywood. no road bed or scenery! but I was in heaven! I ran the 060 to its grave. I still have it, even though it doesnt run. Dad decided to buy a small travel trailer, he followed highway construction building the interstate system so I packed up the train and stored it at moms. For the next few years I was to busy with cars and girls to give any thought to trains. Then I got married, had 3 boys. one day I happend on a Model Railroader and that got me fired up to dig out my old trains. There was a fledgling hobby shop in town so i purchased some new flex track. Let the boys pick out some new cars. This time we even had hills a tunnel and sceneryon a 4X5 chunk of plywood. Then we mooved. the "layout" hangs on the wall of the garage. I get it down and use it to run trains. My stock of Motive power and rolling stock has increased considerably over the years. The hobby shop has been defunct for many years. Thanks to the Internet I an still buying more code 55 track and other items To build a new layout that will be about 14 X 9. Thats my story, although much abreviated. Happy Modeling 282 Mike:tb-biggrin::thumbs_up:
I had a large N scale layout in the late 90s but then I saw the great models being put out in On30 for Colorado narrow gauge and moved to that because that is where my true modeling interest has always been. I still have all of the N gauge stuff and now that my kids are getting to an age to handle it I am looking at a door-type layout in N for them...while I maintain the On30 layout.
I modeled in N Scale in 1988 and left for HO Scale because at that time,the motive power and rolling stock was not the quality that it is now,and the track is also much better.So I am coming back to N Scale due to lack of space.
I was into N scale back in the 70's but the quality was just not there so i switched to 2 rail O scale. After deciding to downsize a few years ago i came back to N and was amazed at the stuff available and the quality of it. Kato, Athearn and Atlas make some incredable locomotives and rolling stock. IM, Walthers (LL), MP and some others are just a notch below the first ones but closing the gap. It's a good time to be in N scale. Dave
I have kinda fipflopped between HO and N for many years. the reason I went to HO after N was lack of modern equipment (tunnel motors to be exact) I had an HO layout about 15 years ago in a 10x10 room and I just got bored of it because I couldnt run anything longer than 15 cars, so I just got out of the hobby all together. One night a year ago I decide to check out what is out there in N scale nowadays an ended up buying three Locos off of ebay (All IM SD40T-2). Now I am full on back into the hobby and am looking to build a new layout.
I was an N guy for a while but Z took me over. I still have my N layout, the kids like it and I keep it in the basement. I haven't purchased any new N in a few years. But I keep it running and clean. Z is too much fun. I mean we hardly have anything in comparasion to N and HO but all the guys are fun and we don't have all the threads bemoaning what we don't have. I guess I like that. Don't get me wrong you guys in N are doing some great stuff and at times I wish I had the selection you had, but I kinda feel like I have to model again rather than just spend money and pluk down what is made if that makes any sense.
I left as was having surgery which left me blind and my eye sight slowly recovered and I found it hard to see N scale so I went back to OO scale and as my eyes have recovered and settled down I can see a lot better than before and I wanted to do Big Time railroading again so I came back
R/C Planes and Heli,s I left the the hobby of modeling Trains about 25yrs ago when I was a teenager. I had a bunch of N Scale stuff back when almost every body was HO, after going to a friends after school one day I had discovered N scale, I had always thought HO was the smallest scale. After discovering this small scale I talked him out of some cars,engines and track for about 20.00$ and was for a time hooked! Well then wouldnt you know after I got out of school I found another hobby, R/C Planes and Helis, its been my big thing for about the last 23yrs, but I have been back into the hobby of N Scale now for about the last 2 yrs and really enjoying it, also it makes a great winter hobby,Myself and Those Lipo Powered Planes, Helis dont do to well in cold winter temps/wind. Thanks to a Great Indoor hobby I,m now busy year round!
