What I DON'T like about N Scale

N-scale is if you want to operate in small space. HO is for more detailed models. O-scale is for more highly detailed models. My highly detailed models and kit bashes are O or HO. Now that I own a house and have room for a small layout I’m headed towards an N-scale layout to allow more diorama building.

I love n scale for the size I just need to know if it is possible to run a really detailed layout with DCC and sound and also is there a limit on how many locomotives you can put on one loop

I forgot to mention that Life-Life (Walthers) offered 'N' scale back in the day though limited in accessories.

I’m a n scaler and also a o gauges as well I love the heft that o gauge has even though it’s a 4x8 o gauge my n is going to be around 3x6 .

Sorry I'm a Red Bull and trains guy. Only drink coffee in the morning. Maudes bubbies breakfast blend.

Actually I'm drinking Mountain Dew, and trying to find a 3D printer willing to make a 2-8-0 camel back shell.

Kona coffee from Hawaii!!!👍👍👍

My dad bought me my FIRST Train set, for Christmas, 1949! I was 6 months old, and had them, until i was 15, or 16.
Then, i TRIED , H.O., BUT the track, had nothing but trouble, staying together, SO, i tried "N- Scale, and LOVED it since!

OKY, Comment! Only kidding, now that im an old gezzer, and my hands shake, and i dont see as good, N scale is to small for me. When i look at N scale, i am amazed at the details they have.for something that small i saw a10 coach, two engine set of the C@NW400 passenger train in N scale, its a work of art!.

Im hoping to.slowly getting back into model Rr i had oo gauge and debating whether to go HO or O scale

Ve čtyřech letech si má hrát s dřevěnou lokomotivou a dřevěnými kolejemi

I would love to n scale but the dcc sound seems a bit weak because the speaker is even smaller than HO. And they are to small for me to work on I believe so I'm going to go with HO. N scale is just so much less priced.

When I’m at home in SE Louisiana I drink only Community Coffee. Community is a family owner Louisiana company. It is roasted in Baton Rouge, Louisiana only 80 miles from my home. I blend equal parts by the cup full (8oz) of the Cafe Special, a Medium Bark Roast and the Breakfast Blend, a Medium Roast. Both are pure coffee, no chicory for me or my gal. To that I add 1/4 teaspoon of salt per cup of the blend. I drink mine just as it comes out of the pot. Hers I add local Honey and French Vanilla or Hazelnut creamer.

When out I actually prefer McDonalds if I’m going to stop for just a cup of coffee. There are only 2 other items I like at McD’s. Their breakfast burrito and the Caramel Sunday. Most of the restaurants in our area serve Community or a similar tasting coffee. Down this way in Cajun Country most of us prefer our coffee rather strong.

I’m in the planning stage of my next HO gauge layout after over 50 years of running or being the COO on standard gauge Layouts. The Class 1 layout was 233 miles west bound and 197 north bound.

Great coffee and fun railroading to all.

What about getting your son a larger less detailed and less expensive small layout of his own that could slid under his bed.

I am a Russian supporter and enjoying Vodka and dont like Coffee like you. I am eating German Bratwurst 😂. What are you eating , please let us know in the comments below 😊.

I like n scale because you don't own or rent your own place and don't have the luxury of having a place to put them somewhat long term .n scale I can basically stack the setups and Choo Choo as I I wish haha😅... Truth be told that's all pipe dreams at the moment shits expensive 😅..... Says the dude with the 1/5 Rovan....... Just a matter of will I get bored... Id like for the lack of a better work a cheap one I can try before I commit... Happy to pay then like I do with Warhammer etc but to me it's so steep for a beginner set😅 in comparison to RC these days.

N, Z and T gauge are the future imo. People coming up in the hobby don't have the space for larger scales. Dioramas are also popular with younger hobbyists and Z and T gauge fit that niche well. I only see those scales improving in quality and options if the hobby is to survive.

I placed my spekers below my layout at RR crossings using ho scale speakers, push button activated, and at the dep😊ots

I never converted to DCC. It wasn’t worth the expense or a divorce. I have a couple of box cars that have a micro trains coupler on one end, rapido coupler on the other so I can keep using older rolling stock without paying tons of money.

Z scale is the best

Biggest hassle is smallness. I bought a Model Power Mogul that ran fine until I switched engines the next day and it hasn’t run since, I am completely unable to fix it. And there are no places that work offer services.

I had Air coffee today. Quite good actually probably because I wasn't next to a Dash 8 at Notch 8.

Railroad Crossing Signals that have gates are insanely hard to find in N Scale. What always gets me surprised is when I see an Autotrain locomotive from the 70's in HO.

Thanks for the video, it helped me decide between N and HO.

Something tells me you won't be happy until they figure out a way to miniaturize REAL trains. Nothing manmade is perfect. There will always be compromise.

I’m drinking Wellesley Farms Colombian coffee. I enjoy your videos even though my railroad hobby is totally different from yours. I grew up with American Flyer S Gauge trains when I was a kid and still have them. As an adult, I’ve been able to add to my collection, which I couldn’t do as a child. These are larger toy trains, not intended to be ultra realistic. Along with Lionel, Flyer trains were meant to be fun for kids, and have become highly collectible. S gauge has less new products than other scales, but I like collecting vintage Flyer trains from 1946 - 1966. My focus is not on making the layout looking realistic, or operating trains like real railroads, but on the toy trains themselves. I’ve bought many trains that were not running and putting them back in service is very satisfying. I have three dead locomotives on my workbench right now waiting to be repaired. I love the fact that most of my trains are 60+ years old, and were meant to be toys, but they have survived.

it's just too small for me

I can agree. I got into N scale a couple years ago and bout up a lot of older stuff to my surprise didn’t work either some of my other stuff. Other than that it’s my favorite scale

This info was very helpful. I'm getting back into the hobby after having HO trains in the 80's. Looking at N or Z scale and just learned about DCC.

Acho que essas questões levantadas sobre a fragilidade são descabidas ,tenho várias locomotivas Kato,Tomix e Bachman’s e n tomo nenhum cuidado específico ,e elas permanecem perfeitas .No Brasil a escala N é cara e HO baratíssima pois temos uma fábrica brasileira chamada Frateschi que tem preços bem amigáveis . Como tenho acesso a materiais vindos do Japão com facilidade prefiro a escala N por questões de espaço e pela mesma manter os detalhes com ótima qualidade ,diferente das escalas T e Z .Ah ,no Japão a escala HO é menos popular e mais cara que a N

I'm revisiting model railroading now in my 50's and am solidly in the N scale camp. I modeled HO as a kid in the 80's but always liked N. I was always on a shoestring budget and couldn't afford to start over. And, back then I didn't have tools like a laser cutter, 3d printers and solidworks. I'm making 3d models of all the Kato track pieces and will build 3d assemblies for my layouts first.

TT scale (12mm or 1:120) was pretty popular in East Germany, so East Europe. A better compromise between tight space and fragility.

N scale has a huge advantage now, 3d printing, so much easier to print at n scale. Warping, material, clean up, etc.

I guess I never really thought about how fragile components on N scale models were. I honestly didn’t even realize it dated back to the 1960s. I would have guessed more like mid to later 70s at most. I was born in 74 myself, I don’t recall seeing much N scale merchandise until the early 1980s.

If he breaks one and he will dont hold that aginst him. My dad took the locomotive put it in his desk let it sit their for 20 years then gave me the one i broke .this was before e bay .i never ran his trains .i had to get my own .so i got narx because HO sucks .to small .and always wreaks . Now i do o gauge .scale models .

I remember owning Kato's when I was a kid. No matter how careful I was at the age of 13, something always happens. Like dropping it on the floor or breaking a piece when trying to modify something.

I'm an N scale newbie.
Should I consider consider flex track over specific curves and straight segment. It seems that eliminating multiple road joiners reduces continuity issues is a real plus for flex track. Your thoughts?

O27 gang rise up

What is perfect?

I'm drinking Illy coffee (dark roast).

Original Indian filter coffee ❤

Thanks. I have a large HO operating layout that has kept me busy for over 20 years and I am still working on scenery here and there. However, I am excited about N-Scale T-TRAK so I can lift my modules easily while traveling and joining others. I fully appreciate your informative videos. One question: toward the end I saw how you made your own car card holders. Do you have a video on them? Thanks and keep up the good work.

I have S and HO both. N scale appeals for reduced size requirements but I am not sure they fit these big clumsy mitts of mine. Thx!!

My biggest gripe about N scale is the price. In some cases its more expensive than HO. But I model in both, so I take advantage of the benefits of both.

It is a pity that the 1:120 scale (TT) has not been able to establish itself with North American models. Here in Germany TT is very popular. However, it still lags behind H0 and N scale in the market.
I love my North American TT scale trains, although it is a niche within a niche.

I think N scale looks more realistic than Ho.

Easy it's too small

i'm uk so my comment may not apply but...using peco track and mainly japanese locos i find the problem is a lack of realism, the track rails are too tall to be realistic, they perch the locos up. A secomdary grip is decoupling due to lightness i suppose but even with weights in the wagons it happens.

ONE OR TWO INTERESTING "N" GAUGE STATISTICS !
There are more "N" scale modellers on the planet than there are Modellers in ALL scales up to Gauge 1, PUT TOGETHER ! Indeed "N" gauge modellers outnumber all others on the planet by about 2.5 to 1. So where are all these "N" scale modellers hiding ? JAPAN is the answer. Which now has in excess of 13 MILLION N Gauge Modellers alone. Primarily due to the very small size of housing and the fact it is virtually impossible to live in Japan, without travelling anywhere except by TRAIN. These facts are exampled by the Worlds largest Model Railway Manufacturer TOMIX who have an annual turnover in BILLIONS OF US$ Dollars.

Most in the USA and even in Europe are aware of KATO, another Japanese Major. But how many are aware that for every Kato American or European outline Model, Kato make around 20 Japanese outline ones. Indeed 85% of all the model types made by Kato are Japanese outline "N Gauge". Kato's Japanese outline N Gauge catalogue is 500 pages !

Then if we add the third & fourth Japanese Manufactures (in financial turnover), these being GREEN MAX and MICRO ACE, both of these companies have gigantic "Catalogues" of Japanese outline "N" gauge ranges. After the big four, there comes a whole host of smaller companies including ARU, Hasegawa, Tsugawa, Modemo, and more. There is one further Massive Giant hiding in the woodwork called "Tomytec", who are indeed the "Parent" of TOMIX with an even larger annual financial turnover.

IGNORANCE IS BLISS - BUT NOT FOR MARKLIN !
Lack of comprehension as to what goes on in the Model Railway World in Japan, also afflicted Marklin. The famous & oldest toy brand in the World. The Marklin family began producing toys in the year 1645 - The same year Sir Isaac Newton wrote the "Theory of Gravity". But by 1998 Marklin were clearly resting on their Laurels. So when I told the Marklin Board of Directors at the Worlds Largest Commercial Toy & Hobby fair (which the Marklin & Fleischmann families control) in Nurnberg Germany, at the end of January every year. Which normally has in excess of 13,000 manufacturers present, at this 10 day trade fair.

I told them, that Marklin were NOT the Worlds biggest, and if I found anymore adverts in Modelling Publications around the World making this spurious claim I would Sue them. They insisted they were. So I handed the Marklin Finance Director the Annual Accounts for the Japanese firm TOMIX, revelling even back then the multi-BILLION US dollar turnover of the that company. To which they was obviously stunned, and it was obvious none of the Marklin Directors had ever heard of Tomix ! (Marklins turnover at that time 1998 was a couple of hundred MILLION US dollars).

So they were even more confused when I told them: "Would you like to meet the Tomix Managing Director ? As he is here in YOUR show on the Tomix huge stand in Hall 17". In transpired the Marklin Directors had never realised that the parent Company TOMYTEC (who mainly produce toys) had the worlds largest model train brand (TOMIX) under their control. And that Tomix annually occupied a part of the main Tomytec stand.

So I then stuck the knife in, and pointed out that as Marklin were unaware of what goes on, on this planet. That they clearly didn't even know who is actually in their very lucrative show. That they would be bankrupt within TWO YEARS. To which the Directors roared with laughter. The bottom line: Marklin went Bankrupt as a Family run business of over 300 years of existence, by the year 2000 ! So today's "Marklin" was bought out of bankruptcy by a group of ex Trix & Marklin company Managers !!!

ANOTHER MAJOR FACTOR
An important reason why modelling trains in "N" scale in Japan, is such a gigantic hobby in that country. Is simply because the real Japanese Railway network is quite bluntly a Million light years ahead of ALL the other railways in the World put together. There is a National Network spanning all the Five main islands, and all connected by undersea tunnels or 20 mile long bridges across the Ocean. But in direct competition to the National (Government) network called "JR" (Japan Railways), there are over 200 Private railway companies (using a number of different Gauges). Indeed the biggest Private the "Kinki Nippon" has a network itself using THREE different Gauges (2ft 6in, 3ft 6in & 4ft 8.5 inches). Even the Keio Commuter Railway in Tokyo uses two Gauges, 3ft 6in & the rare 4ft 6in gauge. The Worlds busiest station is of course Tokyo Shinjuku with over 3.5 MILLION passengers PER DAY. And as the Japanese took up the 1933 British 4 aspect signalling system, introduced in Britain to allow trains to run safely every TWO MINUTES on each track. Japanese Railways had the technology to effectively ensure the whole population (125 Million in 2025) will all be using TRAINS daily, NOT cars, planes or ships. Indeed trying to drive a car in Japan is hindered by very restrictive speed limits, and Expensive TOLLS on many roads, outside the immediate cities. Further Japan is similar to Switzerland in being VERY mountainous. So 85% of the Japanese population live on the coastal plains, all hemmed in by mountains. another ideal situation for Railways.

So as everyone uses trains daily and the "wife" is in total charge of the kids (a social requirement) and this requires her to deal with the kids hobbies. You can understand why the Model Train manufacturers also sell their products in the Food Supermarkets, so every little boy gets a trainset from "Mother" !!!! So central Tokyo alone also has over 300 Model train stores. And in the whole conurbation this figure rises to around 800 stores. So they're almost as common as Telephone Boxes used to be !!

With such incredible demand this allows and encourages serious and rapid technical innovations, massive ranges, massive production runs (100,000 items being a normal MINIMUM) so quantity of scale means seriously affordable prices. Indeed it means that you can buy even German model ranges in Japan, at about 60% of their price in Germany, and you'll also find the Kato U.S outline "Big Boy" for sale in Japan at around 175 US dollars !! Further Japan has real train types found no where else in the World, including trains with on board MUSEUMS, "Romance cars" and mindboggling luxury trains that make the World Famous "Orient Express" look more like a mobile "Shanty town". Baths, Big screen TV, large four poster beds, and all sorts of other luxuries being quite typical. Indeed in the Dining car, even the ceiling moves with a pattern of twinkling stars to mimmic the real stars outside, as the night wears on !!! With trains like that who needs planes or cars. Get yourself a Japanese model train, the models come with all sorts of unique extras not found anywhere else in the World !!!

Happy Modelling 😀