Which scale is best for yard switching?

[homersimpsonlikestrains]

I'm moving away from running trains around a boring oval, and what scale is best for operating a small yard in a 2 x 8ft layout? I used to play N scale in an oval layout but it became boring. Is HO the best scale for a switching layout? Is N scale too small to decouple a car? I'm tempted to go with O scale because Lionel Legacy locomotives have a "Electro-coupler" but their price tag is expensive. Any ideas?

 

[timlange3]

I would say the bigger the scale the better. Hard to get a lot of action in 2' x 8' though. I would want the ability to couple / decouple where ever I want. I use a decouple pick with HO, can you do the same with O and N? That said one of the most fun railroads I had was the Gum Stump and Snoeshoe in HO scale, about 14" x 8'. My kids (at the time) could do it, ages 5, 8, and 10. Took them (and me) about 45 minutes to run through a cycle. The Gum Stump would be 2' x 12' in O scale. I used a SW1200 and 40' cars in HO.

 

[cv_acr]

Lionel Legacy locomotives have a "Electro-coupler" but their price tag is expensive. Any ideas?

DCC or otherwise remote controlled/automatic locomotive couplers are 100% completely useless and worthless gimmicks.

If you're ACTUALLY switching cars, more than half of the coupling/uncoupling actions will be between cars, not at the engine.

 

[PMW]

cv_acr makes a good point. I use the Rix uncoupling tool on my HO scale.

Just a personal anecdote; I seriously considered N scale when building my layout but am glad I decided on HO. Changing couplers, building kits, etc... is hard enough for me with HO. I don't think I could deal with N.

As for O, In my opinion you don't have the space for that large a scale. Just my opinion based on what I like to do in my yard.

 

[Rico]

Best switching scale would have to be O I’d think but in that space HO would do better.
Of course N would work too but not as forgiving as HO when it comes to handling cars as I’m finding out.
There are some great switching layouts with those dimensions, dig around and report back, we’ll wait.

 

[PMW]

Best switching scale would have to be O I’d think but in that space HO would do better.
Of course N would work too but not as forgiving as HO when it comes to handling cars as I’m finding out.
There are some great switching layouts with those dimensions, dig around and report back, we’ll wait.

Just curious, why do you think O is the best switching scale.

 

[Rico]

Just curious, why do you think O is the best switching scale.

I guess I’d have to say of all the shelf layouts I’ve seen the O scale (2rail) just seemed to roll and sound better because of the heft plus the details really stood out. I should also mention a friend’s S scale layout was equally impressive.

 

[J.Albert]

My vote goes to HO.
Anything bigger will be "too big" for the allotted space.
N scale -- too small for me to see.

 

[NorthBrit]

IMO. For switching, the bigger the scale the better.

In the space you have available O scale would work with as small amount of rolling stock.

In half your space I operate Leeds Sovereign Street in OO scale.

Whatever you choose, keep it fun. Do something a little different to the normal.

 

[bnsf971]

If you had "plenty of room", two-rail O would be my choice.
Since you don't, HO would be my choice.

 

[santafewillie]

I'm moving away from running trains around a boring oval

While ovals are boring to me as well, that doesn't mean that they are boring to others.
You posted "a small yard". Do you really mean a small area with several industries to switch? There's a difference. In a yard, you are breaking down arriving trains and assembling departing trains, both of which would require yard leads to effectively work. A switching layout just needs a track for trains to arrive on, a runaround track and several industries to service.
I prefer HO for switching, my entire 640 sq ft two level layout has 75+ industries to switch, with staging yards on each end to originate and terminate traffic. Granted I have a lot of room, but for a layout of any size, in my experience HO or larger is best. I cannot read car numbers on N scale cars which would negate the use of switchlists. I also use the Rix uncoupling tool, or occasionally picks (kebob skewers) to uncouple cars, I have no interest in the automatic uncoupling - one more technical thing that can go wrong. I do use track magnets in a couple of places that are a bit harder to reach.

 

[Snowman]

GOOD question. I'm an N scale guy for reasons other than switching, but I also think HO works well. O or S scale make it even easier to avoid derailments or other problems, but I don't see HO as much of a compromise there. Rix-Picks, barbecue skewers, fixed magnets, raised magnets if needed, or even moveable magnets will all get the switching jobs done, and generally without problems (like derailments). As always, the heavier the cars, the more reliable the switching will generally be.

N scale is quite a bit tougher to switch seamlessly, or at least without problems like derailments, and the older you get and the shakier your hands get (if uncoupling manually) the more..."interesting" the problem becomes.

If I had to vote, I'd go for HO, given the present state of the art.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Just curious, why do you think O is the best switching scale.

Much better coupling system either remote or manual. Guess it depends on which coupler one goes with but generally.
More room between the cars for when something does go wrong.
Much less chance of knocking the larger heavier cars off the track.
Knuckles that have to be opened just like the prototype before one can couple the cars.

 

[Iron Horseman]

You posted "a small yard". Do you really mean a small area with several industries to switch? There's a difference.

Yeah that was my next question. Drilling a yard is way different that spotting cars in an industrial area.

 

[rgeiter]

I would love to have a switching layout with O scale. (That’s two rail O scale.)

 

[Mixed Freight]

I'm moving away from running trains around a boring oval, and what scale is best for operating a small yard in a 2 x 8 ft layout? I used to play N scale in an oval layout but it became boring. Is HO the best scale for a switching layout? Is N scale too small to decouple a car? I'm tempted to go with O scale because Lionel Legacy locomotives have a "Electro-coupler" but their price tag is expensive. Any ideas?

Here's a link to my 3-rail O-gauge switching layout, for an idea or two....................... 3-rail O-gauge Switching Layout

Yeah, the loco was a bit expensive. But the track and switches were even more expensive. Of course, at 2' x 8', you would only have roughly half the expense in track work that I did, with my layout being 2' x 16'.

The loco sound system is fantastic, and just seems way more realistic coming out of a bigger O-gauge model, as opposed to the smaller scales. Uncoupling by hand or Electro-couplers is super easy either way with O-gauge. The deep wheel flanges and tall rails virtually eliminate derailing (unless you forget to throw the switch to the proper direction - oops! ).

Rolling stock wouldn't have to cost all that much. For one thing, there's a big, second-hand market for O-gauge, and a lot of really nice freight cars can be had at very attractive prices. And for another thing, it doesn't take too many O-gauge cars to fill up our layout.

One caveat though, since 3-rail O-gauge has its roots in toy trains, there's a LOT of variation in the the actual scale sizes of the trains. Most of the scale sizes vary anywhere from 1/4" scale (1/48), "Traditional" size (approx. 1/56 scale, give or take), down to 3/16" scale (1/64). There are a few even slightly larger and slightly smaller sizes than within these parameters. It can be a steep learning curve trying to figure out just exactly what the real size is you're getting, because the manufacturers rarely tell you exactly what the true, scale size of a loco or the rolling stock actually is - they simply say it's O-gauge. One good thing to know though, all the Lionel Legacy series are a true 1/48 scale size. Bottom line in any case - do your homework thoroughly before buying anything in O-gauge, if you want your locos, rolling stock, and even structures, signals, vehicles, and all other odds and ends to match size-wise.

 

[Marlin39]

Time for my .02.....whatever it's worth.

N will give you more operation opportunities in your stated space, but fumbling with the small s*$# can become frustrating on the eyes.

HO will give you vastly more choices, less finger fumbling, and a decent amount of operation. I have a 12' shelf that goes from 3', to 2', to 1' about every 3'-4'.

O scale, with the space you have, will limit you. Structures take up a lot of space and will be more costly, but it's easier on the eyes and fingers.

On30 would be a great compromise also.

Again, just my worthless .02.