Help Please

[Khonda714]

Hey all I think that I have done something very wrong. The reason why I am saying this is that I got fed up one day and I have completely dismantled my layout because I was not happy with the way it was looking. I have been looking at a lot of pictures of other people's layout and it blows me away. Now I am at the cross roads of what I want to do. I have a custom table in my back room that I work on my sectional layout but I have to put a pause on that for now. anyways I have this table that is big but I am not sure what scale would do best on it. I love HO scale but I am not sure that it will fit. Is it easer to place an N scale layout to make the best use out of the space or should I just go forth with HO scale? Sorry if it was a little hard to understand I am like very lost on what to do.

 

[UP2CSX]

Exactly how big is this table? How much money do you already have invested in HO? What era will your layout be in an and how big are the engines you want to run? You'll be able to make better decisions if you take this one step at a time.

 

[Rico]

If it's a small table and you want to run older 40' cars then HO may work. If you'd rather model modern freights with autoracks and 89' piggy backs then N is the way to go.
I have 30" curves and still prefer shorter cars.

 

[Selector]

There is an old saying, "Sin in haste, repent at leisure." I feel it applies to your situation. Your quandary is a direct result of your hasty dismantling of something that displeased you, and yet here you are still displeased because your way ahead is not clear. I suspect that it was not clear when you destroyed your layout.

You may have to re-think your approach to modeling. If I were in your position, and tight for space, but already committed to a scale with a sizeable investment in it, I would try a switching layout with industries and a small set of classification tracks or a rudimentary yard. Be realistic. You don't have 10'X10' for a decent loop that folds over itself and a yard with plenty of industrial tracks with runarounds. So look online for track plans that are meant to keep users happy and involved in modest spaces.

But I wouldn't be thinking of a conversion to N scale unless money were not an issue. If you can spend on a conversion, then by all means, the way ahead is that much easier and more certain.

-Crandell