O Scale Train Sets
Are you thinking about getting into the model train hobby? There are certain things you need to consider before buying your first model train. First is whether you should go with the O scale train sets or not. Many beginners go with an O scale train set, but there are some things you have to consider including price, space required, and realism.
Pricing: The first thing you will notice is that the O scale trains are pretty expensive when compared with N gauge trains or other train sets, but you have heard the old saying, “you get what you pay for”. This also holds true for model trains. Luckily, you should be able to get your hands on O scale train sets that will not cost an arm and a leg. However, you should be prepared to spend a bit of cash on the scenery. A railway system that just cruises around a plain plywood table is pretty boring. Scenery can be expensive, just because there is usually so much of it to buy in order to fill even a medium-sized layout. But that is something that you can build up to and buy along the way. You do not need to have all your scenery in place immediately.
The space required: Space is crucial. If you are worried about your space being limited then the most suitable train might be the N scale train. The O gauge train sets require at least 6×6 foot of area (36 square feet). Although the O gauge trains are a little bigger than the N scale trains, the space is actually not required because of their size. Rather, the O scale trains require more space because they take wider turns than the N scale trains.
Realism: O gauge train sets are quite realistic and if you prefer realistic trains then this would be the one to choose. These trains have a lot more detail, closely resembling the real-life trains they are modeled after. And since the trains are very realistic you will have a lot of fun building your scenery to match the realism.
Serious collectors: If you are one of the serious collectors, then surely O scale trains are the right choice for you as they were and still are one of the most popular trains of all time. When you are collecting the old model trains, you will find that most of them are O scale trains because they are the model that was most popular back in the day.
All in all, O scale trains have something for everyone and they are a great place to continue your model train building after you have become familiar with model railroading using beginner model train kits.
