I love reading these old classics in any scale. It was a neat era of simplicity, adaptation and economy that invited hobbyists of all ages and abilities, and I miss it. Times have sure changed.
The blatant prejudice against N scale in those days! Just kidding. I like the old books/magazines too. I fairly often reread the 1968-69 Model Railroader NY&Q project layout series. It's such an interesting read. Also, the original red and black "HO Railroad That Grows". Doug
When I worked at a hobby shop back in the 70’s we used to sell that book and Kalmbach’s HO Primer to most of the new model railroaders. And we sold the track products for the Great Eastern Trunk a lot as it was a great track plan for a 4x8 layout. Rick Jesionowski
You're right though, that N Scale articles were rather rare. It was frustrating for a young modeler like me to spend a whole 50 Cents on a new issue of MR or RMC and find little or no N Scale in it. The N Scale Primer was a boon. I still have mine, c. 1974 from Kalmbach Books @ $3.00.
Your post helped me to remember the kindness of the staff at my local hobby shop in the early '70s when I was young teen. Even though my pockets were often empty, they were always happy to answer my questions and let me look at things. I must have rotated their motorized case of N Scale cars a thousand times. YouTube videos will never build memories like that, nor substitute for genuine friendship and encouragement.
Amen to that! There's no YouTube or other video that can compare to the joy of what I felt way back when, with friends, family, the LHS staff, etc. Though in my case, it would probably be Super 8...
Still have mine, with the receipt they also stapled inside the front cover. (Summer of 1974.) A bit shelf worn, but I have read and re-read it. Great book! I have always admired that "E, Z & Kwick" door layout.
Even though I am an HO scaler and the preponderance of our customers were HO Scalers, we did stock a large amount of N scale models and sold a lot of the N Scale Primers as we felt it was good business in the future. N scale was in its grade school years then with Atlas (Rivarossi) steam engines and FA diesels, Minitrix Steam Engines (With a 2-10-0 mechanism under a K4 boiler where the cylinders did not line up with the smokebox. Also great runners and favorites were the Con-Cor Husons, PA's and Turbines along with the Con-Cor passenger sets. Again we never said anything bad about N scale as they were customers also, and we did not want to alienate them. Rick Jesionowski
In the '70s I got into O scale and don't recall see N scale until I moved back out to the country life in '90. My layout ran around on my work bench were I tinkered on computers and learning electronics. Now I have HO and N.
The Atlas 6 HO Railroads... We built the Granite Gorge and Northern several times in HO scale. I started with this plan in 2022 when I changed to N Scale. Added a bit, modified a bit, but the core is there.
Yep. I did change to mostly (say 90+%) Code 80 flex track from Atlas. I know it is a bit taller than the Code 55, but the code 80 seems to be more tolerant of variations in car wheel dimensions. I can lay track faster, with fewer joints (and most of these are soldered together to only leave a few joints for expansion/contraction. I use PECO switches only if necessary, otherwise Atlas #4 and #6. If I had more space, I might use the Atlas Custom stuff.
And looking back at the Atlas books from TB- the thing I remember best is the guy yanking the track together, with an "Oh, Nubbins". Cracked up my brothers, too.
