does anybody ever lust for HO?

That's a big NO! After hand laying HO code 100 track onto Truescale roadbed and hand spiking  a gazillion tiny spikes into each tie, I had enough. Might say gandy-dancer burn out was the cause of me giving up. After 40 years, I got re-energized and jumped into O scale and discovered that the bigger the scale, the more detail you see. After all, you can't beat the detail seen in 1:1. All I kept of HO was a brass Southern steamer and a kit built house. So bottom line is yes in appreciation to those in HO and no to the lusting.

What I may lake about HO is probably easier store takes up less space and the prices are about half of the modern Ogauge

At the national model RR show in Portland last weekend, I marveled as I often do at all the stuff is around for HO and how little there was (other than 3-rail) for O.

 

I like HO for:

• How little room it takes up
• Just about anything you could ever want is available in that scale

But not, for:

• Lack of detail as it's so small
• How much tougher it'd be to work on, because again, it's so small

Yeah, my track in On30 is as wide as HO, and not a very long run for the size of layout I have with O scale everything. But in the end, I still have the detail I always wanted in a layout

Warning: self-admitted rubber-gauger here: reader discretion advised, but no lust for H0.

 

I started out, longer ago than I care to admit to, in British 00/H0 and then American H0. An experimental N scale 2' x 9' based on the original G&D trackplan cured me of N scale for good. 

 

0 scale won out with the size, the heft, and the just plain better running quality. Having started in 2-rail, I wouldn't even look at anything 3-rail for the longest time, as I considered a lot of it toy-like and overpriced. A few impulse buys of some 1930s Marx and Flyer tinplate for display got some 3-rail into the house, plus a few pieces of Flyer S gauge. That has grown into some modern Lionel and MTH, and it's probably the MTH revolution that got me seriously looking. Layout now a-building, with 0 tinplate tendencies.

However, I will not mention that Standard Gauge thingy I dragged into the basement last winter..................

Mom & Dad got me an HO set when I was a kid. I knew from the start is wasn't the same as Dad's Lionels.Dad has an HO layout for the lack of space for O. He tells me about HO steamers going for more than what I pay for O Gauge.

The NMRA Portland convention had many fantastic HO, N and Z layouts displayed.  All ran extremely well and the detail is amazing.  I am going to post some photos later.  You will not be able to tell whether a model is O or Z gauge from just the photo.

 

I am committed to O but the other scales / gauges are super also.

 

NH Joe

Possibly...

Rusty

Yes...in a minute if I did not have so much O stuff.  More realistic rail and plenty of craftsman kits.

"Lust" after HO--NEVER. 

I agree. I posted a few shots here: https://ogrforum.com/t...nal-model-train-show The Z scale modular group was simply amazing. That said, I'd go out of my mind modeling in a scale like that. No way could you even do any decals really in that scale.

There was a massive N scale layout which also changed my opinions of that scale.

That said, I still wouldn't go to either. I've seen people use N and Z to represent a 'ride on live steam' operation with larger scale figures riding atop them. But as I model the WW2 era, long before such things existed in the public, I wouldn't even be able to do that.

I like operating cars and accessories.  I never could get the HO milkman to put the cans up on the platform.  However, I could turn up the ZW voltage and get the Lionel milkman to bounce them off the platform rails if I wanted to.  Kinda like shooting pool.  O takes up a lot more room, but is more durable and consistent, IMHO.   I enjoy looking at the HO layouts at train shows, but I am more drawn to the G, O and flyer stuff.  Coal, barrels, logs, ice cubes, brakemen, forklifts, giraffes, cows (weathered of course), horses, cops&hobos, even a dog running around a fire hydrant, never a dull moment.  AND, you can put all those cars away, and get out the scale stuff and run different sound clips or intensity of smoke.  Older fingers are happier and the kids can see things happen better.
When I had HO, the decoration and paint schemes were far superior than Lionel, but now I think even that is more competitive.  Heck, I even have a car that the wheels start smoking and lighting up like they're on fire.  And then the people in the car start getting upset and talking about what to do.  And I dont think there's any way I could fit a Fatboy spkr in a HO tender. 
I still have all my Lionel from before I was born.  It stills works flawless.  And the milkman can still throw a curve on a milkcan 60 years later.

Rubber gauging has been a defining storyline of my model railroading life.

 

I like trains, so it all appeals to me. That being said, I do have favorites, and 2-rail O scale would probably be my toy train nirvana if I had unlimited money and space. 

3-rail isn't as bothersome to me as it is to some, but I prefer 2-rail.

 

The one thing I'm absolutely sure of is that most of the kvetching about HO and N scale being unreliable or not staying on the track is pure baloney. The smaller scales run great, and if you think differently you've probably not familiar with the product that's been coming out over the last 15-20 years.

 

The other falsehood is that the smaller scale trains require more track cleaning to run properly--it simply isn't even close to being true, and I run trains in a pretty inhospital environment and I never have problems with dirty track.

 

The single biggest reason I love O scale is because O scale buildings look so great, especially when those buildings are built to believable dimensions.

 

Jeff C

 

 

My "lusts" run in a different direction than trains.

As Ogden Nash might have said:

 

HO?

NO!

 

 

I like them all.  They all have their good and bad parts.  I have some N gauge in "someday storage", a collection of On30 for Christmas, a collection of old HO brass steam (no diesels) in wall cabinets and a collection of modern high range HO  to use on the HO modular club and a collection of three rail engines of various makes for operation on my home basement pike.  I started out on an HO pike in my basement but dampness and wide swings in temperature caused so much expansion and contraction that track buckled too badly.  I replaced the HO with much more forgiving Lionel three rail track and dug out my old stored Lionel trains and have never had a problem with derailments.  However I still like and treasure all my trains and mean to keep them all.

Attaboy, Odd-d.  They're all good as long as they run on rails.

I once was building a large HO layout back in the late 60's. I soon learned that wiring was a problem for me. The other big problem I had was with the size. Everything was so much smaller then my Lionel and my hands were just to big. Some other problems I had was putting the cars and engines on the tracks. Everything was just to small. I gave up and got my Lionel trains that I had as a kid out and that was the end of my HO dream.

"O" gauge was so much easier to wire, to work with, to see and run so I ended up selling all of the HO. Do I ever lust for HO, no I don't. I do like to look at the HO layouts at shows I love all the detail but I'm to invested in my O gauge now. 

 

Hm.  Have not read all of these posts word for word... but I note a pattern:

 

* A lot of the O gauge guys frequent the HONGZ forum.

 

* Many of them poo-poo the smaller scales.

 

Me? I'm a confessed HO-monger.  Lust for it?  Only select pieces. Trying to get a handle on it... but so far acquiring something like 30 engines over the past year hasn't abated it.

 

Anyway, I made the decision to return to HO as my model railroad medium and it's proving to be a good decision for my desires/circumstances.

 

However, I see things to like about all the scales, from little ol' Z all the way up to live steam. It's a great big hobby and offers something for almost anyone interested in trains.

 

 

Never met a scale that I didn't like! At the current time, I have a good number of model trains in Z, HO (Marklin), On30, O, and G (Large Scale). Each scale has it's own share of advantages and limitations, but I've had enjoyable experiences with each of them and I still tend to "rotate" my interests from one scale to another over time.

No, HO is bad for the eyes!!!

NO

 

At the end of the day, people like what they like; no need to rationalize.  I have always had O, O27, and some S.  I never had the room for a permanent layout except for the setup I do each Christmas.  A friend got me involved in a local modular HO club.  I was shocked at the evolution that had occurred since I was in HS.  The trains didn't derail every three feet, you could back up a train without it derailing.  As trainsrme said, there are re-railers that make it simple to get the cars on the track.  The track itself is fairly maintenance free partly due to the use of metal wheels now.  The best part was the DCC system.  I have Legacy/TMCC and have converted many of my locos with the ERR boards.  In HO, multiple suppliers keep the price down - a basic decoder for an engine costs $15 and it is usually a plug in affair.  Sound decoders can be had for $75.  I am not trying to convince anyone that it is better, but dismissing HO based on years old data is unfair.

 

Brendan

I'm not anti any scale. I used to be quite into 00 (what we have here in England) and running scale trains, everything super detailed. To be honest I got fed up with it - my skills did not match my demands so I gave up on it.

 

Then I rediscovered Lionel ( I came across it as a 9 year old and was amazed at the size and weight) - went the PW route, then PW with scenery and now a mix of PW and modern - I love the Lionmaster stuff.

 

I don't care about the third rail or the tight curves I have to live with, I don't care about the fact that the details are not quite right sometimes - I just enjoy running large American steam engines. They make me smile every time and isn't that what its all about?

 

At exhibitions over here most stuff is 00 - and despite the fantastic detailed modelling I always smile when the "hand of god" has to give a train a push over some track that might be super scale but has poor conductivity - a lot of serious modellers over here have no idea either about smoke or sound!

 

At an exhibition recently some guys were running some  MTH/Lionel an a loop of tubular. Sound on and smoke at max - you should have heard the "serious" modellers complain.

 

But all model trains are good

 

MIKE

 

 

Lust isn't the right word for me. I have some 1950's-1960's HO trains, and I while I am not actively pursuing them, there are a few pieces I'd like to find.

My chosen scale/gauge is O, but I would never intentionally poo-poo any of the other scales and I hope none of my comments have been interpreted that way. I like all scales too, just prefer O for myself. I also watch and subscribe to several youtube channels showing scales other than O. There is some amazing stuff out there in other scales. I read posts in the HONGZ forum as well. However, I see nothing wrong with a little good natured kidding around once in a while, we all need a little humor every now and then.

I don't know that I "lust" after any model or scale.

I do, however, feel that HO is the best scale overall to model in. 

Based on my experiences (your mileage may vary), I feel that HO:

-  Runs better.  I experienced more derailments in three rail O than I ever have in HO.  I do, however, equip all my MP&E with Kadee couplers (I prefer the oversize #5 family to the scale #58 for reliability), all my rolling stock has metal wheels, and if a locomotive doesn't operate properly out of the box, it gets modified with new motors, gearing, dcc decoders, etc. until it does. 
-  Has a better command control system, DCC.  ANY of the DCC suppliers provide control systems that are in my opinion better than DCS or TMCC. I've never had a locomotive run away and crash to the floor due to poor TMCC performance, or recognize a locomotive with "locomotive not on track" errors, or whatever other faults frequent the DCS kludge. 
-  Greater variety of motive power, equipment, and detail parts.
-  Greater variety of buildings, vehicles, and scenery details.

If you have not already committed to O, I'd suggest a good hard re-evaluation of the advantages of HO.  You may ultimately elect to go with O, and that is fine.  Obviously many on this forum prefer O.  I don't, and I've just about completely exited three rail O.

Regards,
Jerry

I don't lust over any train but there may be a female or two. But I am really enjoying my trip into HO. Great detail and  much cheaper than O but hey whatever floats your boat. 

I have boxes of HO stuff never run or opened that I acquired for my dream layout.  The stepsons came along and O was the only way to go.  What I do miss about HO is if something is HO then it is HO gauge and scale.  It will usually run on 2" if not 18" radius.  

 

These days between traditional, semi scale and scale offerings from O manufacturers it can be a lot to keep up with as to will it look right on my layout.  The sheer volume of HO offerings is always tempting but I am reclaiming my youth with all the approximately 13" long Lighted passenger car trains I can get.  

 

I looked at a lot of garden railways on YouTube and got a big bug for that but my yard doesn't lend itself to it.  I'll settle for a G,O and S Polar Express around the tree and a basement full of O........ Well at least for now!

Two inch radius????????????????????

My dad and I have aquired a decent amount of O scale stuff the last few years, mostly MTH. I have been in O scale forever, but I have some products in other scales as well. I had 2 small pre made foam top HO and N layouts at different times, both were my grandfathers. All of my real layouts have been in O. I was always into super detail and realistic looking layouts and I think thats what I want in a layout, however I like the plasticville retro layouts as well with operating accessories, but I have a hard time mixing operating accessories in a realistic detailed layout. I have thought of sticking to O for the accessories and the postwar look and going to HO for the more scale stuff, still not sure what I am going to do though since most of my O scale stuff is scale. Sometimes the lobster claw couplers, non fixed pilots, and third rail bother me when trying to go with "scale" equiptment. Other thing too is I like wide curves that look natural for a train to be traveling at good speeds with, and passenger trains with 8-15 scale cars gets long fast. I might be wrong here but I dislike how you need DCS/Legacy systems to use the engines at their full potential, DCC seems to be a standard, no matter from what manufacturer your engines will work to their full potential and with other engines from different brands. I might end up making a small HO layout and see if thats the direction I want to go in. Like previously mentioned more product, more room, and somewhat cheaper plays a big role in why I am thinking of switching primary scales.

Lust???   You could say that since i've got almost 1K passenger cars at this point, and more being added all the time !   HO Rules !

I got bit by the HO bug and I just had to scratch it so I built a layout for my dad, noting fancy but it'll work

I'm currently doing my best to ignore this nagging desire to buy a Rapido New Haven FL9. The Sunset 3rd Rail model of the loco is also very tempting, but I saw the Rapido model recently and I was completely blown away.

 

Never mind that I don't model the New Haven or that region of the country--for some reason that locomotive gets to me, and the Rapido model is simply outstanding!

 

God help me if I see the 3rd Rail engine--just seeing the picture is giving me the shimmy-shammies

 

Jeff C

 

 

I was weaned on Lionel 3-rail during my childhood, sold it all and converted to HO in my late teens and continued in that scale through much of my adult years.  Now my HO is packed and stored and I am reliving my childhood with 3-rail.  What goes around comes around.  To me, it is  part of the cycle of life.  In my retirement, I am once again a child and loving it!!!!  Only problem, I am buying back my childhood at a grossly inflated price.  

 

P.S.  My wife was an only child and her father, bless his heart, knew the importance of having a train in the house.  Fifty-one years ago, her original Lionel set from 1949 was part of the dowry, God bless my father-in-law!

No, but I'm going to a show this weekend at Va. Beach and if I see a piece of new HO rolling stock in Seaboard Air Line I may get one just to see what's taken place in the last 20 years.

 

All my stuff is Athearn or early InterMountain.  I was looking at it the other day and noticed how just about all the wheels are plastic and the axles are rusted.  if those things have changed that would be great news.

 

As it is, I'll stick with O (BPRC) but I'll probably clean up my HO and display some of it.  I also have a G gauge 4-6-0 that will go up for Christmas (unless the HO bug bites!).

I was in pretty much the same boat as you.  In 1974, I sold ALL of my Lionel 3 rail.  Bought a bunch of Tenshodo GN brass.  Dropped Dynatrol, then DCC decoders into all of them.  They still run on my HO railroad today. 

 

I don't miss the old Lionel one iota.  Even when I was into 3 rail, it was scale oriented hi-rail ( or 3RS if you prefer).  Gave up on that too, now solidly back in HO.  Not missing the scale 3 rail either. 

 

Getting a powerful hankering to dabble in N scale though.  Must......resist.....temptation.......at least until the HO railroad is well on its way to completion.

 

For me, my connection back to my youth is HO, as my dad was an HO modeler.  I still have some of his craftsman building kits that he built, and they are going to all be installed on the current HO railroad.   

 

Regards, 

Jerry