O getting cheaper or HO more expensive.

The gap is definitely narrowing for rolling stock and diesels anyway. At my LHS, the other day I was looking at some Atlas HO switches and really wishing I could use those in place of the Atlas-O switches I have been purchasing (bit of a price gap there)! Also still a pretty large gap in the price of steamers, fortunately I don't use those, only modern diesels.  I'm with you on the Atlas-O SD70 & ES44's, that would be nice!

Hadn't noticed any gap between HO and O scale modelers though - both populations define cheap! 

I have Athearn as one of my like pages on FaceBook, I see guys posting on Athearns page complaining about price increases. I myself just stick with O, but started with HO originally.

In my expierance, There is still a gap, I guess it depends on what and where you purchase.

I rarely purchase anything new unless it's discounted. That applies to my O and HO.

You mentioned $50 a car for HO. Most I've ever spent is $22.00, and that was for only two cars. otherwise, I think a $17-$20 per car if purchased individually is about right, and that would be for either new or used on the secondary market. If I buy 6 packs, I expect to pay about $10 a car. If you buy new from a dealer, expect upwards of $100+.

Secondary market for HO Sound Equipped Diesels also,purchases are usually in the $155-$175 range, they have been new and some have been used.

I have found some O gauge cars (MTH Premier) in the $25-40 range. local train shows canat times yield $15 and $20 Premier cars.

If your post is only about newly released products, from dealers, then yes, it would appear that prices have gotten closer. I would imagine that could be due to the advances that Manufacturers have made in HO. The HO sound equipped diesels have made great strides in the last 6 years. A simple comparrison of MTH or Lionel to Walthers HO(on sale) would show the differance. 

I see a general rule that HO I pursue is about half of the O that I pursue.

Either way, the hobby can get expensive, careful selection can minimize the cost regardless of Scale.

Hey, enjoy!

Thats a good way of putting it. Lol.  O really does seem to be the perfect size.

Having said that, I am populating my new HO layout. Including two BLI AC6000's .... Broadway Limited's latest release of their DCC/sound units, discounted to $179. Compare that to my Legacy AC6000's.

BLI NW2's down to $140. I have a BLI SW1500 on backorder at TrainLand for $170.

At least compared to Legacy ..... yea, HO is way cheaper.

But, two different animals. And they're both fun.

Both are appreciating, but HO is catching up with O.  I, too, have been surprised at

some HO prices, but I was in HO decades ago, and out of touch, even though I read

MR every month.

I've always contended that HO isn't really any cheaper than O at all when you consider that a lot of guys are going to run at least 2:1 on the rolling stock and sometimes 2:1 or even 3:1 on the engines.  If you do that, then you don't save much space either.   To me, HO is for the guys who want diversity and authenticity, N is for the guys who want the space, and O is predominantly for the guys who just enjoy running trains.  There are exceptions to each group, and you'll find fantastic modelers in each scale, but by and large this is how it breaks down in my mind.   I do some N scale, and you can put together a 4-engine consist with DCC and sound (weak sound...) for probably somewhere around 4-600 dollars.  Couple them to a prototypically long freight drag and you're likely in it for close to a grand.  

I agree with thestumper above. I don't think one goes to HO because of the savings anymore unless they only buy used older rolling stock which is low on performance, electronics, and details. HO might be a little cheaper than O today but it isn't like it was many years ago when HO was a LOT cheaper.

Don't forget, HO is more and more being "tricked out" with DCC, sound and prototype-specific details.  The days of out of the box conventional DC, basic detail, generic HO are dissapearing rapidly.

Rusty

I agree with the general observation that HO is moving upward in price and it will be interesting to see what S gauge does as the product line expands although I suspect it will be close to O. That being said, for the sake of comparisons, you can get a fairly detailed conventional G gauge unit, say a Alco S4 ( conventional) from USA Trains for around 275 at full retail or a GP7 for 315 so...I do think all the command and detail add ons do make a difference in price.

have been taking the train board to shows for about 20yrs and have noticed prices dropping in the O gauge department. dealers want some cash flow and are willing to deal and are dropping prices dramatically. example: ZWs were selling for $300 at shows 20 yrs ago, now I see them for $150. And I can always find locomotives for less than $200, most are between $100-$150 and if you don't mind doing a little restoration, locos can be had for $50 or less.

True, HO has gone bonkers, they guys in our club up here pay upwards of $300-$400

for DCC ready HO locomotives and $50-$60 for rolling stock. I don't pay more than $20 for O gauge rolling stock.

Itappears to me that Ebay has been knocking the prices down for o scale equipment. The prices remain high at shows, but a lot of the pricier high end brass just doesn't seem to sell. Perhaps it is a symptom of the general impoverishment of the American populace. Take some of the beautifully detailed Challenger Imports, Glacier Park Models and Division Point models in HO and their detailing is equivalent to the finest O Scale models. Since the work and skill involved in making these models is the same, perhaps that explains the narrowing price spread. Believe a lot of the higher prices in O Scale are more related to smaller runs, so costs have to be amortized on a smaller quantity.