Oh dear, a slippery slope

[DKS]

Just broke down and ordered one of these, as the first item for a static diorama. And now I feel as if I've stepped onto a very slippery slope, as I sit dazed over what may come next... yikes, what have I done?

[tom mann]

Nice.

Have you seen modern HO models up close before?  You will be impressed!

[DKS]

Have you seen modern HO models up close before?  You will be impressed!

Yes, agreed, but my interest is in transition era. I'm looking for something like an SW and an old wooden hack to go with it.

[tom mann]

Have you seen modern HO models up close before?  You will be impressed!

Yes, agreed, but my interest is in transition era. I'm looking for something like an SW and an old wooden hack to go with it.

Oh, by modern I meant "recently tooled and manufactured models".  They have nice detail, metal wheels, etc...

Atlas has this: http://www.atlasrr.com/HOLoco/hos2s42.htm
Walthers: http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/920-31434

[DKS]

Have you seen modern HO models up close before?  You will be impressed!

Yes, agreed, but my interest is in transition era. I'm looking for something like an SW and an old wooden hack to go with it.

Oh, by modern I meant "recently tooled and manufactured models".

Oh, duh. I really must cut back on the prescription cough medicine...

[Sokramiketes]

Oh sigh, I'm up to my thigh! Oh fiddle, I'm up to my middle!

[Mark5]

HO models are definately nicer than N, and always will be. Sprung trucks have been available in HO since dinosaurs roamed the earth, and there's been progress since then.

You just need space - more of it.

Personally though, I find found dancing on a fence to be tedious.

[DKS]

You just need space - more of it.

I'm not leaving N by any means; I'm just doing a diorama or two in HO. I've wanted to do a couple almost forever, and given that I'm not in a position to build a layout right now, it seemed like it was a good time, even though I have almost zero time for modeling these days. Maybe for the time being I'll just weather the hopper and put it on a shelf.

[Mark5]

Sounds like a plan!

I resist the temptation to buy HO stuff, even though the HO borg always is tugging at me when I get frustrated trying to get basic stuff in N scale.

[DKS]

...even though the HO borg always is tugging at me when I get frustrated trying to get basic stuff in N scale.

That's kind of why I wanted to do the dioramas--to make use of some of the cool stuff you can't get in N, particularly details. Of course, it's going to feel really strange, given I've been working in Z lately...

[Mark5]

...even though the HO borg always is tugging at me when I get frustrated trying to get basic stuff in N scale.

That's kind of why I wanted to do the dioramas--to make use of some of the cool stuff you can't get in N, particularly details. Of course, it's going to feel really strange, given I've been working in Z lately...

Oh yeah, Z to HO, maybe it'll feel like you're some kind of superhero, I mean like I can lift this enormous thing!

[tom mann]

...even though the HO borg always is tugging at me when I get frustrated trying to get basic stuff in N scale.

That's kind of why I wanted to do the dioramas--to make use of some of the cool stuff you can't get in N, particularly details. Of course, it's going to feel really strange, given I've been working in Z lately...

Here is a solution:  Still think small when working in HO.  For example, don't approach HO in the same way as you do in Z.  What is the smallest detail that you work with in Z?  It's a given in HO, so you can work at even a smaller level.  

The first HO car I weathered I did so in the exact same way as I weathered in N.  I was bored to tears, since it was essentially like weathering 8 identical N scale cars.  When I got into On30, it was big enough that I was forced to try new techniques that weren't possible/worth it/too big in N.  

So the challenge of working at a small level is there, you just have to find what that is.  With this mindset, all the scales start to feel the same.

[DKS]

...even though the HO borg always is tugging at me when I get frustrated trying to get basic stuff in N scale.

That's kind of why I wanted to do the dioramas--to make use of some of the cool stuff you can't get in N, particularly details. Of course, it's going to feel really strange, given I've been working in Z lately...

...So the challenge of working at a small level is there, you just have to find what that is.  With this mindset, all the scales start to feel the same.

That's exactly what I'm looking forward to (I meant "strange" in a good way!). I want to be able to model nuts and bolts and the stuff I can't in Z. Knotholes in wood... and seeing people with fingers!

[asciibaron]

That's exactly what I'm looking forward to (I meant "strange" in a good way!). I want to be able to model nuts and bolts and the stuff I can't in Z. Knotholes in wood... and seeing people with fingers!

i got your finger right here pal...

in moving my layout, i had to also move the boxes under the layout with the HO stuff in them.  the detail level just seemed so amazing and crisp on my Atlas cars.  i am so back to being on the fence - ugh.

-Steve

[tom mann]

Buy a little in all the scales.  Model Railroad products do not depreciate in value (according to what I see on ebay), so if you settle on a scale down the road, you can sell off what you don't need for little or no loss (or maybe even a gain).