New Engine and rolling stock.

[Pacific Northern]

I was recently given a new steamer for my HO model railroad layout. The engine is a 2-4-4 Forney. It came with a few cars, flat car, box car, tank car and a caboose.

The only problem is these are On30 scale.  The detail is superb and they run like a clock.  I had at first thought about how I would have to exchange these but the more I examined them the more I admire them.

I will  start another layout. I am fortunate that I do have the room to accomodate it.

I would not give up my ongoing HO layout, but I am totally taken with the On30 items. Well at least I can alternate between the two.

[Guilford Guy]

I suppose if you ever quit HO, The Atlantic Central could merge with/buy out the Pacific Northern!

[Pacific Northern]

I could never give up my HO layout.

As you are aware it takes quite a while to design a layout that you are happy with.
I am just now at that stage where I am no longer re-re designing my yards or other trackwork. I will now finally start my long delayed detailed scenery.

[Hamish K]

I realise that you have an existing HO layout and are making plans for your ON30 set up. I do however have  a couple of suggestions for anyone torn between HO and ON30. Both are - do both!

The first is that some people have designed layouts that run both HO and ON30 (alternatively, not at the same time!). To do this clearances etc. need to be able to handle the larger equipment. 2 sets of buildings are required, one to each scale, designed to use the same footprints. The O scale ones would need to be of small prototypes. Fixed scenery would be generic, i.e. nothing that indicates O or HO scale exclusively. If the track is fairly heavily ballasted the fact that it is HO and not O scale can become less noticeable.

The second is to build a micro layout for one, or both, scales. Recently there was a thread here  that mentioned Carl Arendt"s excellent site, which contains many ideas for very small layouts, often suitable  for On30. See http://www.carendt.com/

Of course if you have the space and money for two full sized layouts, why not?

Hamish

[az2rail]

Ya, the Forney is a great little engine. I realize you are into HO scale, but you should keep these. On30 is a very cool size. I swithced to it about a year ago, and have not been sorry.

Bruce

[Pacific Northern]

I realise that you have an existing HO layout and are making plans for your ON30 set up. I do however have  a couple of suggestions for anyone torn between HO and ON30. Both are - do both!

The first is that some people have designed layouts that run both HO and ON30 (alternatively, not at the same time!). To do this clearances etc. need to be able to handle the larger equipment. 2 sets of buildings are required, one to each scale, designed to use the same footprints. The O scale ones would need to be of small prototypes. Fixed scenery would be generic, i.e. nothing that indicates O or HO scale exclusively. If the track is fairly heavily ballasted the fact that it is HO and not O scale can become less noticeable.

The second is to build a micro layout for one, or both, scales. Recently there was a thread here  that mentioned Carl Arendt"s excellent site, which contains many ideas for very small layouts, often suitable  for On30. See http://www.carendt.com/

Of course if you have the space and money for two full sized layouts, why not?

Hamish

Now that is an idea I will need to mull over. Great possibilities.