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Only Enough Space for a 10ft x 9ft Railroad
Mark used the “Submit Your Question” link in the right hand column to post this question:
“I only have enough space for a new 10ft x 9ft layout but don’t know whether to switch from HO scale to N scale. I already have some HO gear from my last layout but I had more space for that. With less space I can’t decide if I should make the switch to N scale which would give me more room for the scenery etc. What is best for in my 10 x 9 space? Does anyone have a similar size space?”
5 Responses to Only Enough Space for a 10ft x 9ft Railroad
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My layout under construction is approx 5m x 2.5m with a depth of 60cm. In OO/HO this would not give me much room for a descent layout so I went straight to N gauge. THis gives room for a double track around the outside perimiter loads of scenery including building (brewery, village with the obligatory chrurch, several through stations, terminal station and shunting yard for shunting puzzels and stock holding) and at least another 2 tracks and additional sidings. So as you sugest N gauge/scale will allow you much more varitiy. Yes there will be additional costs for the change relating to locos buildings etc. Though alot of your trees shrubs ec should be transferable. You can offset these additional cost as well by selling your old stock unless you wish to keep them. If you have not already thought of it go for DCC as well, It will give you much more more fun and opperating scenearios. Good luck and happy railroading.
Steve
I went from G-Scale (600 feet of main line) to an area of 13″ by 32″. I chose N Scale it afforded me the most railroading for the space. To make matters worse, I chose the 1850-60’s to model. Smaller engines and rolling contributed even more space to work in – have mountains with a mine, farms, a small town, rail yard with turn table and service facilities. I’ve packed all this in and there space and distance between all – no over crowding. My biggest problem is finding a variety of N Scale wagons.
Couple of things to consider, how good is your eye site and how steady are you hands? I went from HO where i had very little difficulty with working with the scenery and small parts to N scale because I felt like i didn’t have enough room for a decent layout at HO scale. The eye site can be fixed with reading glasses but the hands need to be fairly steady for N scale work. A small HO layout that’s easy to work on is a lot more satisfying than an N scale that frustrates you much of the time.
Actually, you can set up a fairly decent “HO” layout in the 10×9 foot area that you have, without switching to “N” scale. I have seen a folded “figure 8” “HO” layout in a little smaller space than the area you have. It had a small station and a train yard of three tracks for switching, and a couple of siding tracks along a side.
Before you get rid of your “HO” stuff, see if you can set your tracks on the 10 x 9 foot base in an interesting arrangement or a basic oval then add to the oval until you have an interesting arrangement. Remember that a layout does not need to be a circle or oval to be interessting. Be careful of locations for possible derailments. If you don’t have enough room for a interesting layout, then sell your “HO” material on craigslist.org or on e-Bay. Then you can buy the needed “N” material that you want, for your new layout.
Since I live in a small studio apartment, I went with “N” scale which allows me to set my double oval layout on a 3’x6.5′ door. I planned for an oval within a larger oval, a couple of cross-over tracks, a siding, a three track switching yard, a passenger station, a two bay engine house, a freight house and a small factory.
I fully agree with Lee. I looked at N but decided with my eyes and hands HO was the best.
You can do a lot in a small space, just don’t fall the trap I did with my first lay-out and have too tighter bend.
Have one loop, then some sidings, quite good fun and looks good.
Have fun, Derek.