Why Some Model Railroaders Prefer To Stay Small

August 5, 2007

The scale you model is usually dependant on the space you have available. However, there are advantages in building a smaller model railroad layout even if you do have plenty of space available.

A big advantage is that a smaller model railroad layout can be fully developed far more quickly than a larger model. Building a smaller layout means the investment in both time and materials is much smaller than for a larger model railroad layout.

Building a small layout means you won’t have to wait as long to see the finished result. As a result, you are probably less likely to give up or lose interest part way through the project.

If you do make major mistakes during the construction process then the cost of wasted time and materials will be much less than would be the case with a large layout.

Finishing the layout earlier may mean that you are ready to start a new (perhaps bigger) project much sooner. It really depends on you, and what you want from the hobby. We are all different and biggest is not always best.