HO Magazine/Premade Layouts

[modelrailroadforums]

Had an N-Scale for about two days when I realized my eyes are too old and bad to see what I was doing. Now have an HO-scale and would like to know:
1. Which Magazine is geared exclusively to HO-Scale?
2. Are there premade layouts (around 4'x8')? I really don't have the eyes or patience to put the hundreds of hours into the thing. I know that http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/index.cfm makes relatively inexpensive kits, but again, I'd have to build the thing.
Thanks.

 

[kbkchooch]

IMHO there are no magazines devoted strictly to HO, however Railroad Model Craftsman and Model Railroader both, by and large, have at least 1 HO article a month.
Once upon a time you could get premade layouts made of white foam and factory decorated that were about 4 ft square, I think from Sears or JC Penny. I still see them from time to time at swap meets, but generally they need an overhaul.
For a 4x8, your best bet is a sheet of plywood with a 2x4 frame, then lay the track to your own liking.

 

[modelrailroadforums]

Thank you sir.

 

[RW&C]

You can sometimes find a premade layout of Fleabay. Some of them aren't bad. But for most of us, building the layout's half the fun. Kit layouts should be quicker and easier than building one totally from scratch.

Most of what's in Model Railroader is HO, but I don't know of any magazines dedicated to the scale.

I've seen some pre-formed (vacuum formed I think) layout bases in the ads in MR, but I imagine they're about as much work as starting fresh, without the flexibility.

 

[sd50f]

Woodland Scenics offers kits that allow you to build HO and N scale layouts. They're not cheap, but the products aren't cheap (low quality). They also offer track packs and companion building kits as well. You can probably build a layout for less than what they're selling their kit for, but if you have little to no experience building layouts, this may be the way to go.

timothy dineen

 

[NYW&B]

Probably the closest any commercial outfit comes to offering a semi-ready HO layout base is Terrain For Trains:

http://www.terrainfortrains.com/hotimrid.html

They provide you with a pre-formed shell, already painted if you wish, ready to lay your track on right out of the box. Likewise, areas for a town and hills are molded in, with recommendations as to which commercial building kits (sold separately by others) for the former space described. You may have to look around a bit to find someone who handles these.

These layouts are not cheap, but represent a considerable savings in time...and time is money, isn't it? I would point out that even small, fully finished, commercial HO layouts by other companies START at around $12,000 and go rapidly upward from there.

NYW&B

 

[ianacole]

Probably the closest any commercial outfit comes to offering a semi-ready HO layout base is Terrain For Trains:

http://www.terrainfortrains.com/hotimrid.html

They provide you with a pre-formed shell, already painted if you wish, ready to lay your track on right out of the box. Likewise, areas for a town and hills are molded in, with recommendations as to which commercial building kits (sold separately by others) for the former space described. You may have to look around a bit to find someone who handles these.

These layouts are not, cheap but represent a considerable savings in time...and time is money, isn't it? I would point out that even small, fully finished, commercial HO layouts by other companies START at around $12,000 and go rapidly upward from there.

NYW&B

Wow! That's a great price!! and looks like a decently entertaining layout.