Choosing the Right Scale with Limited Space - Part 2

How Much Space Do You Have Available?


Building a layout in HO scale will be almost half the size of the identical layout in O scale. Turning radius’s in HO scale will be tighter; tunnels will be smaller and, most importantly, it is easier to hide mistakes in a smaller scale.

Larger scales need more detail and it can often be very hard to create a realistic looking layout in a large scale. HO scale has become very popular because it is a “middle-of-the-road” scale and easier to make look realistic.

An HO scale switching layout can be created on a 4 x 1 foot table, while a continuous loop railroad will need a 3 feet 6 inch x 4 feet table. A layout space of 6 feet x 4 feet would be enough to have an interesting HO scale layout with a continuous loop.

After gaining a clear understanding of the type of layout you desire, including the turn radius of your tracks along with the amount of detail needed to ensure your model train layout looks realistic, the next question to answer is “Which Scale Do You Prefer Working With?”