Time for Transition

Mark;

Does the basement need to be remodeled? If not, the layout can always be improved upon. If so, then make sure you have a good pictorial record of what you had in case you want to recreate some of what you had.
What is the theme of the current layout? Perhaps, the next layout could be a combination of old and new. Old at one end transitioning to new at the other end. Or maybe even the four seasons.
Just some suggestions.
Whatever you decide, have fun with it.

regarding the change to HO;
It seems that you get more scenery space but no more track.
This is due to the HO scale equipment not working on tight radius curves.
You end up with curves taking just as much space as O guage. No real gain there to me.
All depends if you want more track and trains or Scenery I suppose.
Depending on where you live you could go outside with G guage and make a nice railway if you have the space.
I'd do that if I didn't live in NH where it's too cold and have a yard that's ridiculously small.

You'll miss your memories of your Dad.
Alan

I think one of the reasons people get back into this hobby is that it brings back memories.

I'm not sure what your situation is that is triggering the desire to tear things down and remodel the basement. It sounds like there might still be some interest in railroading but you aren't sure where you want to go with it. Could you elaborate a bit more?

quote:

What do you do when things change and you might be done?

Just go where your heart and interests lead you. Nobody but you can answer that question.

quote:

Originally posted by Russell:
regarding the change to HO;
It seems that you get more scenery space but no more track.
This is due to the HO scale equipment not working on tight radius curves.
You end up with curves taking just as much space as O guage. No real gain there to me.
All depends if you want more track and trains or Scenery I suppose.
Depending on where you live you could go outside with G guage and make a nice railway if you have the space.
I'd do that if I didn't live in NH where it's too cold and have a yard that's ridiculously small.

Interesting points Russell, I used to model HO before getting into O, I think man this O guage stuff really eats up the real estate, but then that turning radius issue you mention is so true.

quote:

Originally posted by Russell:
regarding the change to HO;
It seems that you get more scenery space but no more track.
This is due to the HO scale equipment not working on tight radius curves.
You end up with curves taking just as much space as O guage. No real gain there to me.
All depends if you want more track and trains or Scenery I suppose.
Depending on where you live you could go outside with G guage and make a nice railway if you have the space.
I'd do that if I didn't live in NH where it's too cold and have a yard that's ridiculously small.

You can use a much tighter radius curve than any O scale engine .But using the same available space will give a much more realistic look to your curves.

You won't have anymore track but what you do have will allow for more scenery and a much much wider choice of track plans. The HO scale is by far the most popular so your choice of engines and rolling stock will be almost limitless.

DCC is the command system of choice and is far more advanced than those offered in O scale and you'll have the advantage of Loco's and cars built with NMRA standards which means they're properly weighted and have RP25 wheels.
There are a lot of advantages to HO I just like the heft and feel of O scale stuff so for me it's O scale or No scale

David

quote:

Originally posted by DPC:
You can use a much tighter radius curve than any O scale engine .But using the same available space will give a much more realistic look to your curves.
David

In my experience, when I had 18" radius curves in HO it made a circle about the same as O-36 FasTrack. I could use my smaller diesels and steamers as well as 50' rolling stock without huge amounts of overhang but if I wanted those long auto-racks, passenger cars or those 84' box cars or longer engines I had to dig out the 30-34" radius curves. This would roughly correspond to O-60 to O-72. So, the "real estate" (at least for a circle of track) is pretty close to being the same.

I agree with Allan, this is your call. I will tell you that in my opinion you would miss O-Gauge if you give it up. There is nothing out there that comes close to the enjoyment and pure pleasure of running our O-Gauge trains. You get to see all of the details and nothing else runs as consistently well.

Good luck with your decision.

Hi Mark,

That was my first of several cover shots for CTT. I loved the look of your layout. You and your dad did an awesome job. I especially liked how you used a similar color palette for your buildings and background art.

Dennis

Thanks so much for all your thoughts and comments. I need to remodel the basement because our water problem is just getting worse. Need to do a full inside drain system.

I am definitely going to do some serious picture taking and video recording of the layout. I think I will even keep some sections and see if I can reuse them. Also thinking about a more switching related layout with a rail-marine later 1940s theme.

Dennis! You did a great job on taking picture of the layout! Thank you so much.

Excellent feedback on the radius of HO being similar to 0. I do love the look of the big locmotives in 0 - would love to keep them.

Also thinking of modeling in a shelf layout a piece of the old NYC Putnam division. I love the Lionel F-12 (except for the tiny wheels on the front pony truck.)

Again, thanks for all the comments. Really helps me.

Regards,
Mark

If I were you, Id go HO. Like others have said, you would get more room for scenery and more prototypical curves. I would also like not having to add scale couplers and wheels to all my equipment and have standardized electronics.

Hi Mark, the bottom line is always this, it's your railroad and you should always build it the way that makes you happy. If it dose not make you happy any longer then maybe you should take up a little golf.

A hobby is all about having fun, if it's not fun then you may as well spend your spare time at work. At lest then you will have extra money to spend when you do find something you like.

quote:

What do you do when things change and you might be done?

Unless I know I'm done I put my stuff in storage in case I change my mind.

Pete

Burning your bridges can be a tricky thing, it might hurt your Dad. Take some photographs first then send them to him, if he was a part of putting it together with you he might not want to see you disassemble it, then again he might help you.

Being a son myself, I have always envied anybody who has had an involved father and have tried to get my father reinvolved for a long time now. I still haven't succeeded!


Mike Maurice

I do miss having my Dad around to help work on the layout. He is a great artist and always brought wonderful creativity to the project.

I don't think I will totally abandon model railroading, but perhaps go in a different direction. I just got the Model Railroader Planning 2012 special magazine and it's inspiring. So maybe into planning mode...

Now if Lionel or MTH started making some nice IC steamers that could change things too! How about a 2600 class Mountain or one of the Paduch rebuilt Mikes!

Thanks,
Mark

Something else to consider is where you want to be 10+ years down the road with a layout. I want to have a small (and sectional) HO layout but keep my focus on the O-Gauge. As I get older, my motor skills and eyesight are not likely to improve and the O-Gauge will be a lot easier to work on.

Excellent point Eric - I'm already wearing transition glasses - things will only get more blurry! Also thinking about perhaps joining a modular club.