Choosing a Model Railroad Scale: Coffee and Trains Episode 8

Welcome everybody! Be sure to subscribe! Today we are talking about model railroad scales. If you are just getting into the hobby or you are looking to make a change, I am going to go over 5 of the most popular scales in Model Railroading and talk about why you should choose them!
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“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall;
don’t be happy when they stumble.
For the Lord will be displeased with you
and will turn his anger away from them.
Don’t fret because of evildoers;
don’t envy the wicked.”
Proverbs 24: 16-19 NLT

[@kraigsickels3918]

There is a “perfect “ scale for all people that want to build a layout or collect trains . That is what is part of this wonderful hobby!!!

[@DeathByFishing]

Good comparisons, I think space isn't the only reason people choose HO and Lionel. A lot of the vintage people have eyesight issues that make Z and N scale not feasible.

[@lescobrandon3047]

My brother and I received an S scale American Flyer set in the 1950 era. Local kids who had Lionel laughed that our layout only had two rails. 🙀 The curves were wider and they ran well. My first layout was HO. Then I tried N on a small table and it seemed that locos kept derailing, probably due to bacteria on the rails. Later, I joined an O scale TWO RAIL club and enjoyed it until the landlord threw us out. It had hand spiked steel rails. For the last ten or eleven years i have enjoyed On30 and will keep with it as my 80 year old eyes like it.

[@keg1029]

Great stuff as always. I picked N scale just for the ability to get more scenery in a smaller space. I’m a coffee snob my wife manages a coffee shop so right now I’m drinking Caruso’s Guatemala Antiqua fresh roasted last week, straight up black, nothing else. When it’s great fresh coffee it needs nothing else.

[@ianisaacs2340]

Same here, how big of a layout are you doing? I’m just 3x8

[@keg1029]

@@ianisaacs2340 mine an 8’ x 16” shelf switching layout.

[@chrisjones4423]

My grandfather gave me an HO Tyco Minuteman set from 1959! I still have it and still run it occasionally! My first was an HO set and I've never looked back. I do have some G scale locos cause they are so cool looking, but I have no ability to run them, They just look awesome in the train room. Great info today, thanks!

[@jolliemark6294]

I do n scale because of like you said more in small space, but do have some ho scale to run eith the guys down iin San Diego museum. Don't drink coffee just because of the bitterness, but love the smell 👍👍👍

[@kenshores9900]

The problem with Z scale is that with the pandemic the availability of locos has become nonexistent. You can still get rolling stock. It is more expensive than HO or N scales. The bright side is that it holds its value. Good video. Enjoyed watching it.

[@MillBrookRailroad]

N scale is also great for operations. I grew up with a large N scale layout in my parents basement and we used to have a switch job that took three hours to do! Then there were the 70 car freights. Definitely a lot of fun while N scale was coming of age in the laten 80's and early 90's. ...but what's the best scale? I don't think there is a best scale. It's all fun! My favorite scale at the moment is 1/8 scale (1.5" to the foot).

[@honestgbfan5324]

saw the update and notification. Will be watching it Sat morning instead of tonight so that I can enjoy it with a cup of Peets BIG BANG coffee. Looking forward to it :)

[@djweller72]

I love HO scale, but I'm thinking of doing an N scale coffee table display for Christmas this year. I'll still have an HO around the tree, but I'm going to put it on a board this year so the puppy can't dislodge the track as easy.

[@SirLANsalot]

Overall as you get with bigger scales, it all comes at greater space costs. This is where N scale shines the best as it is 1/2 the size of HO and as such you can get twice the amount of track in the same amount of space you were thinking about building in. Also N scale can turn around twice inside 24" where HO needs at least 32" to turn around once. So if your thinking of building a layout and want lots of trains and longer trains, and you have a spare bedroom or garage space, N scale is the way to go. Every time I see an HO scale layout, large or otherwise, I always think "how much more track and train they could've gotten with N". A 4x8 HO layout, can fit on a 2x4 with the exact same track plan in N, OR, you can double the track. HO is a great scale to do if you like intricate detail work (details in the cab of a locomotive or legible small print on the side of a locomotive/rolling stock without magnification) just know it comes at the cost of space and limited train length.

[@stevengibbs1378]

I would love to see you do an episode of your G scale stuff. I was a Lionel kid and then got into N scale later in life due to space constraints. I have a portable door layout in the dining room. But I am fascinated with G scale and hope to get into it one day.

[@willsagraves6535]

I'm drinking Gevalia french roast and I'm not a fan of it lol. My parents got me an N scale set for Christmas a little over a year ago and I've been in love with it since. I might change to HO later as my sight begins to go but until then, I really enjoy N scale. Great video!

[@carlpeduzzi3780]

I am an O-Scale modeler and I love the size and heft of the larger locomotives. Smoke, sound, and fun accessories are just a few reasons for my choosing this. It is also much more durable then some of the smaller scales. I must say that this was a fair review all of the scales. Some people can be so biased against different scales. Nice post.

[@BradleyFish-ln4vl]

thanks for the help

[@timlange531]

I started life with Lionel, then N scale. In my adult years I switched to HO because all my railroad friends used HO. This increased our operating pool as we all use the same scale (except for one) and all use the same DCC system.

[@ChadAmI80]

I spent my childhood with HO every Christmas. When I finally setup a dedicated layout in my attic back in my teen years, I went with N scale then switched back to HO. Fast forward 25 years and now I am in my 40s and ready to get back into the hobby. I picked up an O scale Lionel train on eBay a few years ago, but I have not set it up. I am torn between trying my hand at S scale or possibly going back to N scale and building out a sizable layout in my garage. I like the idea of N scale size for modeling a lot of different scenes in a smaller space, but the S scale size has me thinking I just need to go all in and take over the entire garage. Thanks for your great review!

[@danpugatch]

I am a HO Scale guy. I've been doing HO Scale since I was a toddler and I turn 40 next month; guess I don't like change! I wanted to do O Scale but I don't have the space. Maybe one day I'll do On30. As for coffee I'm drinking McDonald's coffee today, grabbed a cup of it at the drive-thru on the way to weekly Bible Study before work.

[@gravesclay]

Nice lighting work to catch the steam off the cup. I love little cinematography tricks like that!

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

Total accident hahah!

[@TheyMakeItLikeThat]

I model modern CN and BNSF in N scale, and my brother models the same in HO. I chose N scale for the space saving aspect and so my brother and I wouldn’t fight over the same rolling stock. However I do enjoy modelling both scales

[@OwenConcorde]

I collect 3 Rail O scale while very slowly getting back to HO (hopefully more European stuff). I usually drink Dunkin Doughnuts French Vanilla coffee.

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

good vid jimmy keep posting vids up

[@DCSk8er529]

O-Gauge/O-Scale is the perfect fit for me. They actually last forever. It's also a perfect fit for you if you love steam. I like to run G-Gauge on the side. I prefer the small tank engines in that gauge most because you can run them on tight radius curves. The N Scale is fun, though I just use diesels only in that gauge. Steam is a geadachein that gauge. HO diesels are fun too. But I'm mainly O.

[@jeffreyperdue3382]

I run mostly HO scale, I've tried N but I've got the fat fingers and bifocals. I have also dabbled in G scale outside but between work and weather it's a handful. Maybe when I hit retirement. And I'm drinking Emeril 's Big Easy dark roast plain and simple, no dairy, no sweeteners, just coffee.

[@traveltrektrains8365]

My first post on DIY and Digital Railroad : I stumbled across your channel while researching planning software and really appreciate your way of explaining things. So let me jump in with both feet "Coffee and Trains" as they say in the movies "you had me at coffee ha ha. Peet's Major Dickerson's Blend or their Big Bang. And I'll take one splenda - Thank You. SCALE: Spent years holding onto my HO scale items from early days, yard sales, and my boys. Things change, as they do, and based on current "move" I'm working two fold - HO in 4' modular with local train club, but also considering N scale based on space and options. Look forward to reviewing more from your selections, again "THANK YOU"

[@medwaymodelrailway7129]

Nice new video thanks like it.

[@jimbaritone6429]

Thanks for a really interesting review. I ran a 4 ft x 6-1/2 ft N-scale layout back when N-scale first hit the market, around 1967 or so, There was not a lot of equipment available back then; I'm glad to see that situation has improved. I liked it from the standpoint of being able to run longer trains in a semi-mainline setting, and I still think that's its big attraction. Back then, DCC and all of those wonderful things hadn't been invented yet. HO was king. I'm looking at getting back into the hobby; my long-range marksmanship competition has taken a serious setback after a multiple fracture accident on one arm. However, living in Canada, where the money is worth less and everything costs more, I've been trying - without a lot of success - to get a good feel about the initial investment I'd need to start up a modest layout - lets say a maximum of a 4' x 8' or 3' x 12' space. With all the advances in scenery techniques and materials, it looks like its possible to put together landscape and structures that have a somewhat believable appearance. I don't know if the same is true for rolling stock, particularly locomotives. I remember that long ago, anything "good" in HO was brass, and the cost of that was "BRA$$$$!" Being retired and on a fixed income once again makes that a factor. I can see 3D printing being useful for structures, and possibly even some basic parts of freight rolling stock, but I don't know about locomotives. More than once, I've heard people comment that "it's better to do _something_ even if it's just a small start with a 3' x 3' layout, or a diorama", and that seems reasonable. But, I'd sure like to hear more about the actual costs involved for half-way decent quality locomotives. Sometimes it's like comparing apples to oranges, but for starting out? It's not the oranges but the pockets - or rather their depth. As for coffee, I'm drinking Kicking Horse 'Three Sisters' this morning, only slightly adulterated. It's an appropriate brand, considering where I live. Thanks for your insight and advice.

[@loispadgett6306]

I have a Z scale and N scale train sets. Have to find the. Z scale set put some were and can't find it for now LOL. Working on the N scale set-up right now just built a log cabin from match sticks to go around the lake I am going to put on it. I drink Folgers decaf with teaspoon of stevea in it. GOD BLESS and thanks for another great video.

[@csi1392]

ANOTHER GOOD THING ABOUT S SCALE MATCHBOX AND HOTWHEELS CARS FIT IN THE SCENES. PLUS HO SLOT CARS

[@HulaViking]

I grind my own immediately before brewing. I prefer single source beans. Lately been drinking these three medium roasts. Starbucks Guatemala Antigua Grounds for Change Nicaragua Miraflor Hula Daddy Io (Kona), my favorite!

[@HulaViking]

I am building an HO layout, called the "newbie railroad" , in my garage. I picked HO because of the popularity, I have enough room to allow switching, and my eyes aren't good enough for smaller scales. Heck I have a magnifying glass to look at details on HO locos and rolling stock.

[@muir8009]

enjoyed your video. scales. interesting. I am TT, standard, and have recently started dabbling in HO (having had OO, N, Z, O, and G with a smattering of S in the past). Now, there are a substantial amount of variables that can really influence a decision. my ongoing foray with HO, it can take up an very unexpected amount of space. #6 turnouts etc are actually longer than standard gauge of roughly G scale size. modern diesels and appropriate trains are very long. N scale excellent, but can appear very small, and sometimes trying to capture the big landscape look may not be to everyone's ability. glad you mentioned S: it's easy to overlook that Z was the domain of one manufacturer for decades and was marketed almost sadly as not being for modellers, it was as a pricey deluxe novelty item and conversation drawcard. Anyway, enjoying your channel :)

[@richardchantlerrico]

You missed TT scale, popular in Europe and now being pushed by Hornby having the nice middle ground of N and OO

[@HumancityJunction]

Pick a scale? Only one? I am not sure that I can limit myself to only one. I currently have N scale, Z scale, HO scale and G scale. So far I have avoided O scale!! Thanks for another great coffee talk. -Heath P.S. Oh, I forgot, I have S scale also :)

[@ouchsour4573]

I really want to see your layout.

[@HumancityJunction]

@@ouchsour4573 It is more a room full of trains than a single layout. But you can see everything on my YT channel.

[@vernonsmith6176]

There is TT scale...Tabel Top, between Ho and N.

[@elleryparsons2433]

When Model Rail Roading If You Have The Room Get into your Choice Of What Scale You want. My wife And I Go Ho And N Scale. We Are Happy Of What We Are Modeling.

[@VintageRenewed]

Something that many people don’t realize but I came to find out when trying to plan my layout was that I was actually able to fit more o gauge into a space than I could my ho When you have detailed Ho locomotives especially like modern excursion trains and such those need relatively gentle turns With o gauge, specifically the Lionel trains made in the 50s which are not scale, those were made for really tight turns which can actually make it possible to do when compared to other sizes

[@DXTV1]

My mini world is H0 (mostly Piko Germany and Roco Austria) but I'm still missing a word about TT in 1/120, a very popular scale in Europe today, started during the 60's and 70's in East Germany and was built and sold in the colder and darker part of Europe. It's more popular today all across Europe for steam locos smaller than H0.

[@fredcookerly9385]

Our Christmas house collection chose our scale for us. Plus, my dad ran o-scale and I don't have a young man's vision anymore. Hate that MTH is going out of business, but there will always be stuff on the after market. Nespresso all the way.

[@LuckyDucky312]

I pick ho scale because of my dad . My dad inspired me for watching his stem engens

[@isaiahfurrow7414]

I'm debating between HO and N , amd have some HO stuff already but haven't built anything permanent. I think I'm going to build something small, like a module or diorama/program track in HO, and a small loop layout or shelf layout in N scale, amd then use that experience to decide what to build permanently around my hobby room...

[@paulhumphrey3195]

Love your videos. I think you should mention that you can start in g scale cheaply. If you look at the new bright stuff, you can find it cheap and get started on g scale. That is how I started and now(a couple thousand dollars more) I have lgb and aristo craft. But my point is you could start cheap. There are switches for that cheap track to if you look hard enough. Keep up with your great videos, i/ we appreciate you.

[@ioanekirarahu951]

Thanks for the mention of "S Scale." However, there is much more to this scale than "American Flyer", toy trains, or S "high-rail." There are many of us that model in "Finescale S," which is 1:64 model railroading using much more refined NMRA-NASG track and wheel standards, and typically a lot more detailing and realism. Most "Finescale S" modelers use track with code .100 rail or less. Some of us lay our own track, but you don't have to, as "Finescale S" flex track and switches are commercially available. This is a fantastic scale for modeling, realism, and scratch building. Not so big as "O Scale," but easier to detail than HO. Most people don't make the effort to learn about "Finescale S," but if they did, I'm sure there would be a lot more modelers in this scale. An unfortunate note however: While "Finescale S" and "American Flyer theoretically use the same "scale," these are actually two very different worlds. The respective equipment is not interoperable, and the building and operating philosophies are not the same. American Flyer is nice for going around the Christmas tree and such, but the "toy train" environment or nostalgia is not a part of "Finescale S." For a good example, look up the video "New York Central S Scale Layout Tour with Ed Loizeaux NYC," or " 'S' Scale in Fine Scale - John Pratt's Wonderful Scratch Built S Scale Model Trains." But thank you at least for the mention of "S" Scale, a lot of these videos on the various scales and gauges ignore S completely. Cheers. :)

[@SRJacobProductions]

N Scale is good if you like Japanese trains. Though HO is available, there is heaps at 1/150. The main problem is easily getting it outside of Japan (or cheaply).

[@StudiosGunslinger]

Listen, I got Model Railroad A.D.D.! I can't just pick one! In all seriousness though, this was good video. Picking a scale qnd gauge is pretty crucial when getting into the hobby. I strongly favor On30, although due to a lack of space (the bane of all model railroaders) I'm currently working on an HOn30 layout. HO scale on N gauge track with hand laid rail in code 55. Not giving up on my On30 empire dream though.

[@garfieldirwin]

If sound is important N-scale and smaller can be scratched off the list. HO/On30 is a compromise, but may be acceptable. O scale/G scale is where sound it at.

[@JakeSweeper]

I'm primarily an N scale guy, myself. I like the cross between quality and size. I do have a few Z and O scale sets as well. I am interested in a few of the American Flyer set. On top of that, I do have a big backyard.... :) Oh. And as for Coffee, I usually do medium Columbian roast that Pilot/Flying J truckstops offer due to my job.

[@DinsdalePiranha67]

Through the years I've done O (starting with a Lionel train set I got as a Christmas present when I was ten), HO (starting with a Tyco set a couple years later, again as a Christmas present), and now in N (everything purchased a la carte). My first two permanent layouts were in HO, but when I got back into the hobby in my mid 30's I went with N. Fun fact about O scale: nominally it is 1/48 scale, but the track that goes with it has a gauge of 1.25 inches - which corresponds to 5 scale feet between railheads instead of 4' 8 1/2". I suppose regular O scale track would work for modeling the Trans-Siberian Railway - or at least it would if you can find Russian prototype equipment!

[@michaelpfister1283]

Great video Jimmy! Drinking Starbucks Cafe Verona here, with half-and-half ONLY! The half-and-half does a good job of removing the bitterness, the cream/fat content is more effective at that than sweetner! I would recommend giving it a try, especially with the higher quality coffee. :-) One thing I would recommend to someone who is just getting into it, or back into it after a long time away, and is debating between HO and N (or other scale sizes) - CHECK OUT SCARM! In SCARM you can set a baseboard size that matches the space you have to work with (96" x 48", for example) and then you can lay track inside it with different scales to get a real feel for how much space you have and what it might look like to use HO or N or Z or O. Its not perfect but it does help you with getting a better feel for just how much space it will take in each scale to do whatever it is you want to do. For me, I am building in N scale because my 8x4 baseboard pretty much maxes out the space I can use, and I want to do some operations. And I LOVE diesels. Especially EDM GP9s, GP40s and 70's :-) But it was playing in SCARM and realizing how limited I would be on what I could do in my space with HO that really solified me going to N.

[@wild_lee_coyote]

There is one other scale that is quite common, and available, is L-Scale. L-Scale is also known as LEGO trains. It is quite expensive and the track is pricy as well. Not many kits as the other Scales, but it’s modularity is unrivaled. If you want a scale that allows you to build any type of train you want then L-Scale is the way to go.

[@andrewlaverghetta715]

I've fallen in love watching stuff about a railroad in France, Le Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme, or CFBS. It's using stuff that we don't really have in the USA. It reminds me heavily of Thomas the Tank Engine, and for good reason, since Thomas is about a fictional British Railway. They've got the bumpers in the front and back and all that. I'm pretty sure it'd be some kind of narrow gauge. I'd like to learn more about how to model something like this as a US resident. Definitely smaller cars, narrower rails.

[@taylom1980]

I model in HO but my dream is to one day build a G scale railroad out in the backyard. Today I’m drinking Balzac’s coffee Winter Blend with cream and brown sugar.

[@isaiahtheclassichistorian]

I don’t really stick with one scale/gauge. I collect almost every size that there is. Z, N, TT, HO, S, O, G, and Standard gauges. In the future I want to get some OO, On30, HON3, L (Lego), and Gauges 1 and 2 since I’m fascinated with those sizes too. I like having a bit of a variety with toy and model trains since it’s gives you a sampler of just about everything that was made across different eras and makers. Not to mention gives you a general understanding on the History. I mostly have O gauge out of all the gauges that I currently own but I’m trying to build up the others.

[@jeffreyglenhamrick926]

HO Scale getting in to building may own them park.

[@jeffreyglenhamrick926]

theme

[@4everdc302]

Good overview today. S scale meh lol..that a "merica" thang. Tim Hortons Kcups here just milk no sugar🚂🚃🚃🇨🇦

[@gregc4311]

I'm drinking Black Rifle Beyond Black.

[@marsfromrexford]

Way too much coffee for me, been cutting it with decaf. I started off in HO, been 10 or so years without a layout when kids were little. I decided to give G scale a try when I got back into trains and found it was a lot of physical work and joined the ranks of the failure to launch crowd. I love dead rail though. Then Proto 48 - found way too little available equipment not to mention the conversion process involved. Sold off all that and got into N scale. So far I'm glad I made the switch to N. There's no way I'd be able to have what I have in HO just in benchwork and space requirements. I do miss HO scale equipment though. Bottom line it's all a compromise as far as scale.

[@JforJenius]

Is there an option for less detailed s scale? I've been searching for a cheap option for my son and consider s scale as it's 1:64 the same as hot wheels. If anyone has any suggestions it would be fantastic.

[@TheCanadianbushpilot]

Steam or disel

[@abbofun9022]

Sugar in your coffee, brrrrrrrr. Do skip it for a few days and youwill never go back, lot healthier.

[@thetrainloverdk]

There is t scale!!