New layout

[Mr.Train]

   I  am relatively  new to the hobby.Granted I have a 4-4-0 that if you read my other post you know has it's own set of issues. Also granting that the 4-4-0 is a HO locomotive I was wondering what, as a group of knoweledgable people you feel is the best scale for a bedroom sized layout.My only considered options are HO and N.

[Santa Fe buff]

HO scale is best for beginners. Lots of locomotives in different schemes are manufactured in HO scale then any other scale/gauge! Plus, it's not too big, nor too small. I would consider HO scale if you want a nice simple layout. N if you want an entire town/yard area. You can make an fairly large layout on HO scale on a 4x8 piece of plywood.

I have now idea what to ask you to chose-- that's the fun in the hobby after all! Different strokes for different folks, but HO scale does have more variety. Good luck on the hobby, and good luck with your American!

Josh

[Conrail Quality]

Personally, I would say go with N. You can build a far larger layout in N than you ever could in HO, and you could run long passenger trains and big diesels on an N layout that you couldn't fit on the same-sized HO layout. If you have at least a 5x7 ft area, than HO becomes a more viable option.

Timothy

[pdlethbridge]

Go here to get free software for both scales to see what is best for the room.
http://www.atlasrr.com/righttrack.htm

[Jake]

^For what its worth I do not like Atlas Right Track software at all. I prefer XtrkCAD. (available HERE) There is a bit of a steeper learning curve, but I feel that it is worth the extra time and effort to take all of the tutorials for the program.

[pdlethbridge]

The original poster is new to the hobby and should take a look at all software available.

[Jim Banner]

Mr.Train, the first thing I did on reading your question was to check your profile to see what age you are.  I was wondering if you were of an age where condo living stopped being an alternative and became a necessity, an age which I am all too quickly approaching.  Realizing that sometime in the not too distant future I will have to give up my house and my relatively large basement layout, I too have been thinking about what can be built in a typical bedroom.

Firstly, I decided N-scale is out.  My eyesight will never be as good as it once was.  G-scale is out, much as I hate to give up my garden trains.  That pretty much left H0-gauge.  But not necessarily H0-scale.  I am leaning toward 0n30, 0-scale trains on H0-gauge track.  Being narrow gauge, the cars are small for 0-scale - they are about the size you would expect for S-scale.  So what you can fit into a given space is not a whole lot less than with H0-scale.  But the possibilities for scratch building and detailing are greatly expanded.  I have been trying out some 0n30 lately and have found some other advantages, apart from its size.  Scratch building without plastics and their toxic solvents is easier in 0-scale than H0-scale and the results stand up as well indoors as plastic buildings do outdoors.  Painting is less toxic too - craft-type latex and acrylics are too thick for the smaller scales but work just fine in 0-scale, and are cheap to boot.  Figures are big enough to work on and paint.  A bag of 100 figures, 20 each of 5 different types, can easily be modified into 100 individuals with no two alike.  A nice change from H0 where all the people on my layout have clones on your layout and on half the other layouts in town.  Best of all, 0n30 locomotives and rolling stock are now widely available at very affordable prices, thanks to Bachmann.

[bevernie]

 :DGREETINGS!! For my 2 cents' worth, I have downloaded both (XtrkCAD4 and RTS 8.0 FREEWARE), and I find the latter much easier to get on the board. Of course, after you get on the board, and if you want to divert from the ordinary, you may have a problem! I've still not figured a way to pattern my layout, because is has more deminsions than their options offer!
But, still, I've not even figured out how to get on the board with the other one!!(YES, I am a complete ignoramus as concerning COMPUTER LITERACY!!) Part of my problem might be, also, that I really don't read the instructions!!                                                                      THANX!!
                                                                                         Ernie

[pdlethbridge]

Jim, you should move here to Irondequoit, a suburb of  Rochester, New York. Our 2 bed room townhouse has a full basement and I have put it to good use for my trains. Very dry plus in the summer we have air. Keeps it great for railroading. I thought of On30 but I had too much HO stuff.

[Frisco]

Z scale: Way to small don't even go there.
N scale:If you want mainline action N scale is great however every-thing is verry small and switching is hard.
TT Scale: A great idea but there are verry verry few products avalible.
HO Scale: The most popular scale a good size, although if it is bedroom size or smaller you probally want to stick to branch line operation. There are a lot of products made.
S scale: A great scale for more information see here.http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/s_scale/
ON30:Lots of products for narrow gauge. The size of O scale in the space of HO.
O 2 rail:Probaly not a good choice unless you have lots of space and money. I would only use it if you really want to.
O 3-rail:A great choice. It only takes a little more space than HO and has a really  nice size. It may seem a little more expensive but when you look at all the fetures it has it is not that much more.
G guage: Usaly only used for outside. It is verry large(almost too large) and would just barly fit in a normal bedroom.


I would recomend N, HO or O 3-rail for your condition.
Or....

You can do it my way and have N, HO, ON30, O 3-rail, and G.

[RAM]

on30 or ho are go choices.  If you go with ho keep your locomotives small, no larger than a 2-8-0 or gp7 or 9.  A switching layout are great in that you can have a nice on a 18 inch by 8 to 12 feet.

[Yampa Bob]

My HO scale layout is built on a folding picnic table, only 42" X 86". fits nicely in our living room.  Has 2 yards and a siding for enough action to keep me busy.

[Santa Fe buff]

Yampa Bob,
Showing off your CEO's AC4400? Nice layout, I like your locomotives, that might work for me... I need only two destinations.

By the way,
Atlas standard track is WAY easier to use if you want quite a bit out of your layout, E-Z track kind of uses more space, therefore, you don't get in more track. Although, E-Z track as some advantages.

As spoken in a topic I made earlier (Ex-Preferred DCC Systems), we discussed the E-Z Command. Which we all seemed to agree was the perfect beginners set for early DCC operators.

Josh

[Yampa Bob]

I installed a Tsunami 3rd Gen prime mover in the one shown, the sound is great.

The layout represents a short line from Phippsburg yard to Craig station. In two more days I get to run my new GE 44 Ton.   

[Santa Fe buff]

Sounds NICE. I'd like to hear that monster, plus, I hope you enjoy that GE 44 Ton, I heard there nice. 

Good luck!

Josh