If you had to choose

ge-maN Aug 4, 2010

  1. ge-maN

    ge-maN TrainBoard Member

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    Howdy

    There are 2 groups in model railroading that are really passionate about their scale. They are 3 rail O and N (IMHO).

    Here is a question.

    If you had to make a choice for some reason which would you choose and why? Each scale has its own qualities and you like both equally. Also, you are involved in both scales but must choose one or the other.

    This should make for some interesting replies.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 4, 2010
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I grew up with Lionel (O, O-27) 3-rail, and also American Flyer.... Still maintain a great fondness for the memories of so many happy hours building and running those layouts.

    I am in N scale almost by accident. My wife gave me a set for Christmas, 38 years ago. I have never looked back. NTrak opened the doors to many new friends and possibilities. While I have dabbled in other scales, including HO, HOn30 and recently On30, (which the latter I still have), I have retained my N. As long as my eyes will allow, I am remaining here in N scale.

    Boxcab E50
     
  3. Tudor

    Tudor TrainBoard Member

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    tough one. Most of us started out in the nostalgic O 3 rail stuff. I still love the nostalgia of it. I don't have anymore O stuff, but if I had endless room, I might be an O gauger now. The reason I went to N years ago was the amount of realstate you can get in a small space. So, that said, and my limitations now I would choose N between the two. But, if my eyes get any worse, that could change things..
     
  4. Papa

    Papa TrainBoard Member

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    I started in HO and then switched to O 3rail. I'm new to N scale, so for me it was a matter of sacrificing my second level of my O layout for an N scale layout 5'x15'. Both is better than just the one. I would have hard time choosing one or the other and it would come down to space available. If I end up in small apartment at some point it will probably be N scale for me.
     
  5. k-59

    k-59 TrainBoard Member

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    I'm mainly N-scaler mainly because of the space over HO and i don't like to follow the crowd. But when i get tried of looking up Prototype info and trying to make all the things i want fit together i often think how nice the ridiculous of 3-rail O would be(where else can you get a green and silver north shore ps-1?) the space issues trends to drive me back to N.
     
  6. nscalerone

    nscalerone TrainBoard Member

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    Started in "N", back about the Aurora days, and there I'll stay. Can't see worth a hoot anymore, but I've got my Opti-visor handy, and we do fine :tb-cool:
     
  7. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    3 rail O is for losers. American Flyer all the way. :D

    Anyway, I went into N purely for space reasons. I left N when I realized that I didn't value space as much as I valued the look and feel of HO.
     
  8. maxairedale

    maxairedale TrainBoard Member

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    Hi,

    I started with Marx 3 rail O followed by American Flyer as a wee lad. It was 26 years ago that N Scale found me. My brother in law gave my son, age 7 at the time, a used Atlas set. I built him a 2 X 4 layout and after a few months he became tired of it so I took it over and have not looked back. I still have both the Marx and American Flyer along with some G, Marklin HO found by a coworker in the attic of a house she purchased, and an unopened Athern HO set made for the Saturn car company.

    My oldest granddaughter seems to be the most interested with anything to do with trains. Her older brother has a fleeting interest now and then so maybe there is hope for him.

    [​IMG]
    Elizabeth age 8
    [​IMG]
    Gary


     
  9. verse2damax

    verse2damax TrainBoard Supporter

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    I model in both N and HO. If I had choose I would choose HO because I can see details better and also better sounding.
     
  10. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    It doesn't matter the scale. From the 1X1 foot scale down to the smallest of scales. From Tin Plate to Prototype... I'm passionate. It's a great hobby.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 5, 2010
  11. Lone Wolf

    Lone Wolf TrainBoard Member

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    Yep, I'm with BarstowRick on this. From full size, right down to a layout in a suitcase....its all great stuff. I chose N because of being able to get a more realistic end result into the space I had available.
    Rob
     
  12. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    Isn't changing scales a lot like changing wives?

    I can't imagine dropping all of my N and changing
     
  13. ge-maN

    ge-maN TrainBoard Member

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    Well I should expand upon my original question.

    I am not looking to change scale. I do N for micro layouts and what ever else the muse should drag to the shop. I also have an operating G loop and O Gauge loop under the ceiling..

    The question arose when we were having a party and were playing a game "Would you rather". The premise of this game is as follows:

    A card with a topic is chosen. The player choosing the card asks a member of the opposing team a "would you rather question" consisting of 2 choices. The member writes his answer down and everybody tries to determine what he chose. To make it interesting a quarter is thrown into the pot for each guess. At the end of the game the player with the most right guesses wins the pot.

    The topic was "HOBBIES" The player knew and understood model railroading and knew I had both O and N. He asked the question, if I had limited money and space which would I choose, O or N. I had to go get samples of each as most players didn't know the difference.

    It was such an interesting question, I thought I would post it to see the results.

    I am surprised, but should have suspected it, that many do more than 1 scale. Why should I be unique?

    What did I choose? I'll let the thread run a bit before I reveal my answer so as not to skew the answers.
     
  14. country joe

    country joe TrainBoard Member

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    I model in N and prefer it because there is more real estate in any size space than with larger scales. A two foot wide shelf is more world in N than any other scale except Z. It's hard to explain, but every thing is more reachable in N. A large yard is more manageable than HO. There's more of a feel of a train in the world than some track side scenery as in larger scales. The main drawback of N used to be oversize details and poor running. Modern N has fine details and operates as well as any other scale. It used to be easy to identify N scale in a photo. Today it's hard to tell what scale I am looking at.

    Why N over Z? There's just so much more available and the size difference is not that great. If I had all the money and room in the world I think I'd stay with N because I like the size. I think it's the perfect relationship between trains and scenery. At least for me.
     
  15. Allen

    Allen TrainBoard Member

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    About 20 years ago I was president of an Ntrak club that was situated in a city-owned crafts mall. We normally had our clubroom open for the public on Saturdays. Without fail, someone would always ask "which scale is best?". As an aside, I'm in total agreement with Barstow Rick. I would usually answer that it depended on what they wanted to model and how involved they wanted to get. First, N scale offers the ability to run long trains and do lots of scenery But suffers from not having a large variety of products (improving BUT still true after all of this time). Second, HO is the most popular scale and offers more variety than some of the other scales. If the person(s) was really hooked by now, I'd offer up that IF you had the time, money, AND space.....two-rail O scale would be the way to go. ;-)
     
  16. Zandoz

    Zandoz TrainBoard Member

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    I'm now in N, but given the space and the money I'd go with O...simply because of severly impared dextarity issues, and not so severe eyesight issues. Likewise, given suitable space and money I'd go back to HO for the same reasons. I have absolutely nothing against N, and I do not regret taking the N plunge. It's given me the opportunity to have a layout when I'd otherwise have none. Actually, I've been trumpeting the virtues of N to friends and relatives considering getting into or back into the hobby.
     
  17. Grey One

    Grey One TrainBoard Supporter

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    Given unlimited resources I would go with a larger scale. Given realty I will stay with my 20 car trains in the dining room.
     
  18. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Why be stuck with one scale?

    Perhaps, due to budget restraints but besides that why....?
     
  19. SleeperN06

    SleeperN06 TrainBoard Member

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    I have both scales and they're both just as intriguing. Like everybody else, I wish I had more space.

    For Christmas I got a Williams AMTRAK GENESIS with 4 Amtrak Couch cars and it doesn’t fit my Christmas layout. I’m planning a 5x12ft O scale layout on my covered patio, but have to move an 8x8 spa out of the way first.

    [​IMG]

    I just got my own train room for my N scale layout and I want to build a shelf all the way around the room above the widow for my O scale trains, I think I have 6 or 7 trains right now. I went nuts and bought a few steamers off of eBay this last Christmas. :pcool:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 9, 2010
  20. oldrk

    oldrk TrainBoard Supporter

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    Pro for the big stuff: They have stuff you cant get in N. My eyes arent what they use to be.
    Pro for N: Everything else...
     

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