What model train scale should I use?
This is a question often asked from novice train modelers and the reply depends upon many different things such as the amount of space you have for your model train layout, available funds you have to commit to the hobby, the age of people who will be involved in the model railroad and personal taste such as amount detail you desire.
1) Space: This one is quite obvious. How much space you have for your set up, such as do you have a 2’ x 10’ space or a 20 x 24 garage/basement or are you attempting to do a garden railway. If all you have is a 2’ x 10’ area that can give you a quite nice N scale but would not be a very good HO layout. The bare minimum beginning layout for HO & O Scale should be a 4’x8’ sheet of plywood. A Z Scale layout can be contained in a space as small as a briefcase.
2) As for money you'll find if your budget is unlimited that the garden Layout or G scale is a nifty way to go. If funds are fairly tight a HO scale is one of the best ways to go as it's the most popular and consequently there are many different brand names at many degrees of price. O scale can be somewhat more expensive as there are only a small number of manufacturers; the main one being Lionel. N scale comes in the upper to mid price range with not quite as many options. Z Scale is in the high price because of the very small number of suppliers.
3) When mentioning age as a influencing factor in what scale you should model there are two different things with this; both have to do with the two smallest Scales. Z & N scales maybe too small for smaller children or someone’s who has vision troubles.
4) Personal Preference - the more detail you want? N & Z Gauge are the smallest so some little details may not show and there are fewer products to from which to choose. HO products are bigger and more detailed then the two smaller gauges. O Scale and G Gauge are the biggest of Model trains and have most detail, but once more they are limited by the number of items available for your layout.
Model Railroading can be fun for the entire family, for everyone from 2 to 92 years old if your choose the right scale. Go ahead and set up that basement as your train room. Get everything from signs for the walls and shelves for your locomotives and rolling stock. Do the Garden Railroad outdoors with signs and bridges crossing the little river you put in. The chief thing with Model Trains is figure out what you like, then do it - and enjoy it.
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