What is Special about N Gauge Railway Layouts

There are a multitude of gauges or scales in the world of the model railway hobbyist. What makes the N gauge railway layouts special? The world of model trains includes different scales and gauges including N, HO, O, OO, G, S, Z, G1 and TT. So why would one stand out over any other? What is special about the N gauge?

First of all just what is the scale of a model railroad train mean? Basically it means the size of the train in relation to a real actual train. The N scale is 1:160, which means the model is 160 times smaller than the actual train. In the HO scale, the model is 1:148 or 148 times smaller than the actual train. The G scale is often referred to as the Garden Scale because it can use outside in a garden as it is 1:122 to 1:129 or 122 times smaller than the actual train.



From this you can tell that the N scale is smaller than any of these other scales. It is not however the smallest of all scales as the Z scale is 220 times smaller than the actual train. The Z scale trains are known as micro trains because they are so small. They are too small for younger children and some older folks to deal with.

The three most popular scales for model train layouts among the train enthusiasts are the N gauge, HO scale, and OO gauge in the UK. The O gauge is also well known in the United States because of the popularity of Lionel trains.

Clearly one of the most popular is the N gauge. What makes N scale popular is specifically the size as you can fit a much larger layout into a very small space. N scale is perfect for those who have very little space to use for their layout or they don’t want to use much.

If you like a model train layout with many different types of scenery, towns and countryside, or housing editions and you love a long train, and then N gauge is the scale for you. You can make an empire with an N gauge railway layout with twenty or thirty cars attached to your engine. The American market was introduced to this scale by the Arnold Company in the mid-1960s.

Because of the smaller size of the N scale trains, they are not recommended for young children or toddlers. They are very popular in Europe and Japan where residential spaces are so much smaller than in the US. They are still very popular in the US as well. Recently Australia has jumped into the fray of N Gauge trains and their popularity is skyrocketing there too.

With standards for this gauge set by the National Model Railway Association of North America and MOROP in n Europe, there is much consistency across the different manufacturers of these models. One of the most popular layouts for N scale trains was constructed in the late seventies by Gorden Odegard. This layout is thirteen feet by six feet and is made of Styrofoam and aluminum in modules. Because of the Styrofoam this large layout is very lightweight. It was considered to be innovative and creative because of the materials used to make it. There are more N gauge layouts in public settings and museums around the world than any other scale size.

Despite the efforts of NMRANA and MOROP among others to completely standardize the gauge, there are still variations in the train sets depending upon the country that manufactured them. In Japan the N gauge scale is one to one hundred fifty while in Europe the same N scale is one to one hundred and sixty.

Regardless of the standards if you don’t have a lot of space and you want a train layout, your best bet is the N scale model railroads.

Getting The Most When Advertising N Scale Railway Layouts for Sale

Article by John PP Waterson Now that you have decided to sell, how do you get the most from N scale layout you have for sale? You really have a couple of choices. You can sell your entire layout intact with all your scenery and structures as well as the wood foundation and/or table. Your second choice is to dismantle your layout and sell the individual pieces including all the lumber. Which choice will get you the most money for your N scale model railway? How to Sell Your Layout What are the pros and cons of selling your layout in one piece or dismantled into the various pieces and components. 1. Selling the layout intact. Most model railroad enthusiasts believe that it is very difficult to sell a train layout intact and when you do, you usually only get back a fraction of the amount of money you have spent putting it together. The reason it is so difficult to sell the layout as a whole is because these layouts tend to be very large and very heavy. They are also very awkward. Because of this it is almost impossible to sell it in such a way that it would have to be shipped to the buyer. This would add incredible expense to purchase as much as $400 or more. Therefore your best bet to sell it intact is to sell it locally. You need to find a model railroad enthusiast locally who can come to your home and pick it up. However there are negatives to this choice as well. You are not likely to get the best price for your layout if the only buyer pool you have is your local area. A large group of model railroaders agree that any layout larger than 4X8 is incredibly difficult to sell because it will not fit easily in a pickup or van. It also seems that people are willing to come to you if you are a few hours away for a 4X8 layout. Where to Sell If you really want to sell the layout intact then try these venues for selling it.
    • Advertise in your local Craigslist and make it clear the item has to be picked up and what the size is. You might get lucky. A dad looking to get something for his son without building it might show up.
    • Wait till November to advertise locally so that the idea of a train layout at Christmas can be used to appeal to potential buyers.
    • Find a local train show and get a booth. Take the layout intact (hopefully it is a modular design that can be easily moved) and sell it there. This is your best audience. Or try a flea market, especially one that sells trains and layouts.
    • Sell it on consignment at a local train or hobby shop.
    • Advertise it to a local RR club.
    • Hire an auctioneer who is a specialist in the field of model railroads. You can look on the web for a list of auctioneers. Contact Train Collectors Association to see who they recommend.
2. Selling the layout in pieces Since we have already indicated that the majority of model railroaders feel this is the easiest way to sell your layout, you might get even less than you would if you were able to sell the layout intact. However, if the parts are in really good working order and if the new parts are ever increasing in price, you might be able to get a good price for them. Try to salvage as much as you can. There are several places to sell the dismantled pieces. Where to Sell
  • On eBay or another online sight as shipping costs are much less.
  • Take the components to a local dealer. You should get half the amount he expects to sell it for.
  • Flea markets and hobby stores. Advertise in national model railroading magazines and in RR hobby clubs.
In this way you can get the most for your N scale railway for sale.
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