# Need help, should I leave HO for N???



## morland (Sep 25, 2012)

So I have been having a discussion with a friend of mine. I have a bunch of HO engines (over 100) most are Athearn BB, Athearn RTR (DCC ready), Rivarossi steam and Atlas engines. I also have a fair amount of rolling stock.

I have been buying lots of different road names but mostly SP, Rock Island, Cotton Belt, Union Pacific, ATSF/BNSF, BN and Rio Grande but I have also bought lots of others if they caught my eye. My friend has been telling me I should sell most of my engines to get a few good DCC engines. I'm starting to get on board with that (I definitely want to go DCC) but then I got started thinking about HO vs N if I'm going to start over. I like HO for the size but I think I could get a bigger layout if I go N although space is not really an issue for me.

Are there any big gotchas or things I should consider before switching to N from HO? I'm 42 and my eyes are still pretty good so I'm not to worried about the smaller size. Any and all comments are welcome.

Thanks,
Trever


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

yes switch to N. 

Send me all of your HO stuff.

Sorry I just had to say that. At 42 your eyes are going to change for the better. there is more HO stuff out that and it cost less. If space is not an issue, then go with the bigger one.


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

My 2 cents. I have enough "fun" with the size of HO (I'm an old fart) so would not even consider N scale. Second, why would you want to get rid of all that equipment to go smaller? I don't know your layout size, but unless it's quite small and you want to conduct operations you currently are unable to perform, improve what you have. Do you have room to expand your layout, horizontally or vertically? How is your wife/partner/significant other going to react when she learns about spending a few thousand more?  Having asked those questions let me ask one more, when are your locos going up for sale?


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

I am also a "old fart" but find that I can enjoy a larger layout with N Scale. Yes it is small but it allows more layout space to enjoy model railroading.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Trever

I had a 4 X 8 complex N layout when I was in my 30s...I lived in an
apartment then and that's all I had room for. But IT WAS TOO SMALL (yes, SHOUTING!)
to work on and I had good eyes. A tiny gap in a rail, for example, would be the
equivalent of nearly a foot and cars would derail. 

Since you already have a large investment in HO and apparently you
have the room to create a big layout...stay with HO.

There are good reasons to model in N but it is so much easier
to work with HO scale.

Don


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## James Stoker (May 19, 2013)

I just went the other direction and stepped up in scale to On30. I love being able to mill my own scale lumber and whatnot, no regrets about taking the plunge. Something to consider if you having a bout of Scalatosis Indecisivis.


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## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

stay ho since they are DCC ready, just put the decoder in.

you say space is not an issue, then stay with ho.

this way you can spend the money you were going to spend on N on more ho train related items.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I too will say "stay with HO". When you go to sell your existing stock you will only get a fraction of what you paid for it. Just look on ebay and follow a couple of auctions to see this happening. Then it will cost you as much or more to build the N layout as you spent on the HO. Lots of N stuff is more expensive than HO too. Dealing with the tiny N stuff would drive me up a wall. Ho is bad enough. 
If your tired of your present layout or maybe just bored with it tear it down and build another one.
N scale is nice and good for places where there isn't a lot of room for a layout. But with everything so much smaller than HO it's really frustrating to work with it. Pete


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

If space is no issue keep the HO, build a table and build an N table too.
Best of both worlds.
If you really have plenty of room you could add some O too. 

That is what I am trying to accomplish, one of these centuries. :smokin:

Kids move out I might get some S too, I will have a big room on the second floor. :thumbsup:


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## Patrick1544 (Apr 27, 2013)

Can you get DCC into N scalers? Seems mighty small for all those PC boards. Also, when your 62, you might want to change to O scale. Just joking here.


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## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

Buy some N stuff and be sure you like at first. I like fairly good so far. N scale has gotten way better in quality in the last decade.


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## morland (Sep 25, 2012)

*Whew, decision made! I'm staying with HO!*

Thanks everyone for the comments...after much consideration I think I'm going to stay HO for now. I have the space plus I have around 10 - 20 engines that are DCC ready and quite a few others that would be worth converting. I'm still going to sell off a few road names that I don't have interest in. I'll put some up for sale soon in the For Sale section.

Regards,
Trever


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

With over 100 HO engines you have a very substantial investment. Add in your 'fair amount' of rolling stock and I'd say a very substantial investment. Track and structures add up quickly too.
If you have the room I'd stay with HO. Eyesight can change rather rapidly


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## Don Trinko (Oct 23, 2012)

You do not have to leave HO to get N, or O, or ON etc.
From what you have it sounds like you can afford a N starter set and see if you like it.
I have a small HO and N layout and a larger O layout. There is no wrong way to do it. It's a hobby, have fun. Don


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## Gordon the big engine (Aug 31, 2013)

I like HO, easier to work on while still not taking up to much space.


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## Hoot24 (Sep 5, 2012)

I think you will be happier if you stay with HO. I have a fair amount of older HO stuff that I really wanted to run, however my dilemma for my empire was space. So I went with N scale based on that alone. But besides not being able to run my HO "stuff", I have found so far that "sound" seems to be an issue in N scale. There are systems available ($$$), but, in my opinion, the on board sound which can follow an HO loco is much better than in N. Other than space and sound, I am finding N scale to be pretty cool though.


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

I think there's only one good thing about N gauge and that would be the small amount of space needed. I considered it for short while but I didn't find a lot of positive encouragement. I'm sure there are folks that love them but I will probaly never really know first hand. Just throwing that out there. I was able to find more space for my HO trains so I'm happy with that.


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