N Scale Model Trains

N Scale Model Trains

I know, you’re not a big fan of the whole “bigger is better” thing.  You like your cars compact, your apartments in the one bedroom variety, and you buy your clothes in the kids section.  Well maybe not the part about your clothes—you weren’t one of the extras for The Wizard of Oz or Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory after all.  But I know you and I know you really dig those little tiny eye straining miniatures.  Well, you can thank me now because I’ve found you your dream model train scale.  N scale model trains are so small that you can probably fit everything you need in your Smart car and take it all home in one trip.  (Just imagine, that’s three less trips than it takes you to do your grocery shopping every week in that sorry excuse you call a car.)   ;>)

Here’s a few short points about N-scale model trains:

  • N Scale Model Trains can fit virtually anywhere:  Because N-scale model trains are so small—just 1/160 the size of a real train—they can be set up virtually any where.  (In comparison, HO trains are 1/87 the size of real trains.) All you really need is a 2’ x 4’ minimum space.  That means that you could set one up on your kitchen table.  In fact, some people call N scale model trains “Table Top Trains” for this reason.  So that means that while your Uncle Joe who loves those Lionel trains is forced to live like a Morlock in the dark underworld of his basement, we can spend our time up in the sunny confines of our living room with all the comforts and entertainments of the modern world.  I know, Uncle Joe claims that that’s how he gets away from it all but we have the Sports Illustrated in the bathroom for that. 
  • N Scale Model Trains give you the most flexibility in terms of complexity and variety:  Because N scale model trains are so small and take up so little space, you can create a really complicated, interesting track in a much smaller space than other train scales.  While many HO model trainers might be limited to making little more than a figure 8 in a 4’ x 8’ space, you would be surprised at the variety of track plans you could fit into a that limited space.  For this reason, folks with limited space who are really into model training love N scale model trains.  N scale lets them really create a full, complicated world.
  • N Scale Model Trains are fascinating because they are so small:  One of the things that really draws people to N-scale model trains is the very fact that they are so small.  It’s almost like the fascination that you get looking through a microscope.  It’s hard to believe that such a tiny world really exists and can be so beautiful.

There are some real drawbacks to N Scale Model Trains though:

  • N-scale trains are just too small for a lot of people:  Because they are so small they are a little like flea circuses; you can walk right by one without even noticing it.  Often what makes model trains so interesting is seeing the amount of work that goes into creating such an elaborate world.  When your train is just set up on a table top a lot of people will just not appreciate the level of craftsmanship that goes into creating a model train setup.  Also, because they are so small many people just buy most of these trains pre-fabricated and this can take an important aspect of model trains out of it for us.  I really like the artistic aspects of detailing that go into model training but N-scale model trains are often too small for this.
  • N Scale Model Trains may not be the best choice for small children:  Because N scale model trains are so small young children and a lot of us grown ups just don’t have the fine motor skills to work with these little trains.  It is just too difficult to create the sorts of weathering and decaling that can really individualize model trains.  Not only that, but the tiny pieces of the N scale trains can be a choking hazard for our little Tom and Jerry loving friends.
  • N Scale Model Trains are not as common as HO:  Because N scale model trains are less popular than HO trains the selection is smaller and there are fewer resources directed specifically to N scale trains.  Sometimes beginners like us will have a harder time getting going with N scale model trains.  That said, there is still a great deal you can do with these tiny beauties and we should not overstate the difficulties.

You know, this might be just the sort of thing to put in that space in the entry way that you’ve been wondering what to do with. These guys are just small enough to fit there.