00 or n gauge model railway
Discussion
Due to the recent passing of my father (who was an avid model railway fan) i have inherited an obscenely large collection of clockwork 0, 00 and n gauge model railway paraphernalia.
To be honest, he was a bit of a hoarder and there must be enough stuff to build a model railway to fill a house with each scale.
I am starting to sort through everything have have started listing some stuff on ebay.
I used to be into model railways as a child (when i used to build them with him), but since have mainly concentrated on RC and tamiya plastic models.
As i literally don't have to buy anything, i am thinking that it would be nice to build an 8 foot by 4 foot layout in our spare room. I have two children (6 and 8) and both have shown an interest in doing a layout.
However, i just cant decide whether to go n gauge or 00 gauge.
I'm swaying towards 00 as that is what we always used to do ( i have literally no experience with n and my father never actually did an n layout despite having such a karge collection) and i think may give a more detailed layout and would be better for young fingers. Also, there is a bigger collection of 00 locos than n.
However, i want to do something a bit more than a roundy-roundy layout, which is pretty much all i can do with 00, with the space that i have.
I have looked at layouts online and 00 on an 8 x 4 only allows for a fairly basic layout, i don't want to get bored with it too quickly and want something that will be come a 'work in progress' over a period of time.
As the stuff is literally taking over the house i am under a bit of pressure to sell the stuff that i don't want, however, i dont want to sell stuff and then change my mind, which i might regret afterwards.
Any thoughts?
To be honest, he was a bit of a hoarder and there must be enough stuff to build a model railway to fill a house with each scale.
I am starting to sort through everything have have started listing some stuff on ebay.
I used to be into model railways as a child (when i used to build them with him), but since have mainly concentrated on RC and tamiya plastic models.
As i literally don't have to buy anything, i am thinking that it would be nice to build an 8 foot by 4 foot layout in our spare room. I have two children (6 and 8) and both have shown an interest in doing a layout.
However, i just cant decide whether to go n gauge or 00 gauge.
I'm swaying towards 00 as that is what we always used to do ( i have literally no experience with n and my father never actually did an n layout despite having such a karge collection) and i think may give a more detailed layout and would be better for young fingers. Also, there is a bigger collection of 00 locos than n.
However, i want to do something a bit more than a roundy-roundy layout, which is pretty much all i can do with 00, with the space that i have.
I have looked at layouts online and 00 on an 8 x 4 only allows for a fairly basic layout, i don't want to get bored with it too quickly and want something that will be come a 'work in progress' over a period of time.
As the stuff is literally taking over the house i am under a bit of pressure to sell the stuff that i don't want, however, i dont want to sell stuff and then change my mind, which i might regret afterwards.
Any thoughts?
When i was a lad space in my room was tight so I build an N guage layout that lived under my bed - You can just get so much more in. I if was to build another layout now I think I'd do it in N - I like the detial in the stock, and that i could fit more complexity and interest into a small space. It is fiddlier for sure, but your boys will grow up quickly. I don't know about the relative cost and avialbility of track, stock and acessories these days, but sounds like you have a bunch to be going on with.
Might be worth testing the locos before making a choice, especially if some are fairly old. Modern N gauge runs well, but older stuff did not run as well as OO gauge of the same period. And of course lack of use does not always suit either.
I'm definitely in the 'both' camp though- I am currently wondering how to fit O and OO gauge into a similarly small space!,
Perhaps two boards, on above the other, hanging from wall or ceiling in some imaginative way?
I'm definitely in the 'both' camp though- I am currently wondering how to fit O and OO gauge into a similarly small space!,
Perhaps two boards, on above the other, hanging from wall or ceiling in some imaginative way?
Simpo Two said:
cholo said:
Haha, the wife suggested both, but I only have an 8 x 4 board to play with.
Propose two 8' x 4' boards, one above the other. Top one raises up to ceiling on 4 ropes/pulleys when not needed. Hole in middle goes round light fitting.How do I know this? Because mine did
mac96 said:
Simpo Two said:
cholo said:
Haha, the wife suggested both, but I only have an 8 x 4 board to play with.
Propose two 8' x 4' boards, one above the other. Top one raises up to ceiling on 4 ropes/pulleys when not needed. Hole in middle goes round light fitting.How do I know this? Because mine did
As suggested above, i am going to test some of the N gauge stuff and go from there. There is actually probably only about 5 N gauge locos and they wouldn't have been run for many many years,
I wouldn't be surprised if they don't workm so 00 may be the way to go (at least for now), but think i'll still keep a small amount of 'n' stuff in the loft.
cholo said:
Haha, the wife suggested both, but I only have an 8 x 4 board to play with.
I suppose I could do a miniature n inside the 00!.
Might look a bit odd though...
If you want to use N and OO track together, you can now buy rolling stock in OO9 scale. These are models of narrow-gauge trains made to OO scale, so they look ok when used alongside OO trains, but they run on N gauge track as it's about the right size.I suppose I could do a miniature n inside the 00!.
Might look a bit odd though...
For example: Heljan OO9 loco
I did some 00 work at school, and had aN layout at home, Graham Farish loco on ZTC DCC system.
The n-gauge track is a lot more fiddly to lay. It's not hard once you get used to it, and you get more in obviously, but the leading bogie did like to jump if it wasn't bang in. Avoid insulated fishplates anywhere near a bend if you can!
Daniel
The n-gauge track is a lot more fiddly to lay. It's not hard once you get used to it, and you get more in obviously, but the leading bogie did like to jump if it wasn't bang in. Avoid insulated fishplates anywhere near a bend if you can!
Daniel
ten200 said:
cholo said:
Haha, the wife suggested both, but I only have an 8 x 4 board to play with.
I suppose I could do a miniature n inside the 00!.
Might look a bit odd though...
If you want to use N and OO track together, you can now buy rolling stock in OO9 scale. These are models of narrow-gauge trains made to OO scale, so they look ok when used alongside OO trains, but they run on N gauge track as it's about the right size.I suppose I could do a miniature n inside the 00!.
Might look a bit odd though...
For example: Heljan OO9 loco
Well decision made (i think)
I am going to use the 00 stuff for the 8 x 4 layout (as there is more of it, i am more used to it, it is less 'fiddly', and in reality i probably got a huge amount of time to do a really complicated layout before the kids get too old and bored with it anyway.)
I'm going to keep some of the n stuff and hope to do a very small shunting yard layout (maybe 3 x 1?) at some point in the future also for myself.
I am going to use the 00 stuff for the 8 x 4 layout (as there is more of it, i am more used to it, it is less 'fiddly', and in reality i probably got a huge amount of time to do a really complicated layout before the kids get too old and bored with it anyway.)
I'm going to keep some of the n stuff and hope to do a very small shunting yard layout (maybe 3 x 1?) at some point in the future also for myself.
Bit late now, but I’d have said go for the N Gauge. 4’x8’ is too small a space to do anything in 00 apart from a simple oval. At least in N you have effectively 4 times the area.
The old school 8x4 is entirely the wrong shape in my mind, you want long and thin, not short and fat. Railways are linear things by nature.
There used to be a book available ages ago, titled Model Railways in small spaces, or something like that. Might be worth finding a copy to get some ideas.
The old school 8x4 is entirely the wrong shape in my mind, you want long and thin, not short and fat. Railways are linear things by nature.
There used to be a book available ages ago, titled Model Railways in small spaces, or something like that. Might be worth finding a copy to get some ideas.
velocemitch said:
Bit late now, but I’d have said go for the N Gauge. 4’x8’ is too small a space to do anything in 00 apart from a simple oval.
My OO layout was 8x5'. There was an oval in the middle to stand in, two concentric tracks right round, a station between them, two sets of sidings (about 5 offshoots in all) and a turntable.I guess it depends on what level you want to model at, whether you want something to enjoy or whether you're going all-out for realism. The trouble with smaller boards and oval layouts is that there's a temptation to cram stuff in - this is a board I recently acquired, and I think it's fair to say you'd struggle to get anything else on it.
I sort-of wish I'd gone with N-gauge back in the day, but everything was a present or stuff I'd saved up pocket money for, and I suspect N would have been too fiddly for me at the time.
I sort-of wish I'd gone with N-gauge back in the day, but everything was a present or stuff I'd saved up pocket money for, and I suspect N would have been too fiddly for me at the time.
droopsnoot said:
.... it's fair to say you'd struggle to get anything else on it.....
But would you want to!My n-gauge layout was an fig of eight in, half of which was doubled track making up a reversing loop, small yard one end which I acquired as a teenager track down and light scenery in place, turned into a folding layout mounted off a shelf which was due to have a large yard on it which would double and short term storage between lifts.
Had it all planned out, enjoyed changing and laying track, rewiring it etc, and occasionally running trains, ddc control with two locos, plan to wire for conventionally operated point motors and bought most of the bits for that and the yard over time via ebay 10-15 years ago, but most of it was done alone, and with time interest faded and I never used it after uni. Access to lay the yard wasnt good enough, should have used removable pin hinges.
Daniel
Late to the party and slightly off topic, but what the hell, it's lockdown.
I had a bunch of N Scale as a kid (my dad was 40 years on the railways so I got free/reduced train fares and spent my yoof traveling the UK by myself - thus was always interested), but sold it all to buy my first car. Had a remaining suitcase full of buildings and assorted stuff stored in a dark cupboard, so decided a few years ago to buy some new locos and build a DCC layout using three detachable boards, so it can be packed away and stacked against a wall (though you can imagine what a faff it is connecting 9 tracks simultaneously). Nothing is fixed to the boards, apart from the track, so when assembled it looks different each time. I would always go N gauge as you can create much more interesting layouts with any given space. This one runs up to 5 locos at the same time.
BTW - I bought 90% of what you see from eBay over a few months. Still costed a fair chunk mind, N gauge being much more expensive than OO.
Even more off topic... comedy clockwork O gauge round my garden (watch to the end for the special delivery).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbDa-2ckvXw
I had a bunch of N Scale as a kid (my dad was 40 years on the railways so I got free/reduced train fares and spent my yoof traveling the UK by myself - thus was always interested), but sold it all to buy my first car. Had a remaining suitcase full of buildings and assorted stuff stored in a dark cupboard, so decided a few years ago to buy some new locos and build a DCC layout using three detachable boards, so it can be packed away and stacked against a wall (though you can imagine what a faff it is connecting 9 tracks simultaneously). Nothing is fixed to the boards, apart from the track, so when assembled it looks different each time. I would always go N gauge as you can create much more interesting layouts with any given space. This one runs up to 5 locos at the same time.
BTW - I bought 90% of what you see from eBay over a few months. Still costed a fair chunk mind, N gauge being much more expensive than OO.
Even more off topic... comedy clockwork O gauge round my garden (watch to the end for the special delivery).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbDa-2ckvXw
I'm in the slow process of putting together a 00 gauge layout on an 8x4 board basing it o my sons Thomas the Tank set plus stuff bought on ebay.
It's hard to make a layout work that looks natural, two stations, engine shed, marshalling yard, few houses, couple of trucks, a bus, a WW1 triplane....
Had a layout in my head but it's not working.
It's hard to make a layout work that looks natural, two stations, engine shed, marshalling yard, few houses, couple of trucks, a bus, a WW1 triplane....
Had a layout in my head but it's not working.
I doubt it will on an 8x4 at OO Gauge (4mm).
Railways are by nature long and thin, they rarely work on rectangular boards unless you hide the corners and the rear. With OO gauge you wont be able to turn tight enough to get enough 'straight'.
In N gauge (2mm) you have a much better chance because you can comfortably turn the ends at about 12" radius, leaving about 6' of straight area to work with.
Railways are by nature long and thin, they rarely work on rectangular boards unless you hide the corners and the rear. With OO gauge you wont be able to turn tight enough to get enough 'straight'.
In N gauge (2mm) you have a much better chance because you can comfortably turn the ends at about 12" radius, leaving about 6' of straight area to work with.
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