Had a couple of HO trains friends over to see my layout. The comment from one was that, while he liked the larger size, he "could not get past the third rail". I told him that I never think about "that" anymore. So, it got me thinking of the hesitancy of many to enter the 3-Rail O Gauge model railroad market.
I came up with my own "early" reasons for waiting so long to join the hobby.
#1. Not enough room - a 5x8 layout in O scale is not enough for me to "feel" the rail road. It is enough for a display to look at and to dream bigger. In fact, for a few years, my first O scale project was an RS-3, a box car, a gondola car, and a caboose mounted on a section of track just long enough for this short train. The track was ballasted and had RR spikes decoratively placed at each end. I now have a 10' x 12' layout and most of you know that is pretty small. But it suffices to keep me happy. And, actually, maybe the smaller space keeps me from spending more money than I should.
#2. Too expensive - The manager of my LHS said that he feels bad when a kid comes in with a $25 gift certificate because there is very little he/she can buy. The starter set I began with, an MTH RS-3 Pennsy freight set was, I though, a good value. But, in spite of myself, I have knowingly and willfully paid "too much" for items that I just "had to have".... How can a plastic boxcar be worth $64?? Part of this is my own fault as i am not much of a scratch-builder or innovator. I don't think I'd last long in American OO or TT scales whee you have to make just about all of your own buildings.
#3. Not realistic enough - I have long gotten past the 3 rail objections. I know now that the hobby has many facets. Recently I have even taken a liking to and someday would like to purchase a tin-plate passenger and freight train, maybe in standard gauge, for display. But back to O gauge, what really put me off after I had some idea of what I was doing, was the O-27 variety of cars. I understand why they were made, for small curves essentially, but I now try to buy only "scale" within O gauge. There is nothing wrong with the "toy" look if you want to go that way but I wanted to drive "real" trains.
#4. Reliability problems - My very first engine, the RS-3 I mentioned, was DOA on my "layout". I took it back to the LHS the next day and out of pity to the new guy they forgot the formalities of warranty, and etc., and just fixed it themselves free of charge. Turns out it was just a wire improperly fastened. I bought a Lionel subway set and had to take parts back no less that 3 times to solderer electrical breaks. I had another engine, why continue to bash the manufacture(?), that's smoke unit and drive train never worked at 100%. I have also had some coupler and truck problems on new freight cars. Mostly - stuff works ok, but I like to test drive just as much as the seller will let me before I buy.
#5. Lack of technical knowledge/ability - OK, so in many ways I am smart. But I have never been smart in a practical way that some guys are who can diagnosis and repair all kinds of problems. If I took a modern engine apart I am quite sure that it would never, ever, be the same. I run my trains conventionally, partly owing to the further expense of advanced control systems but also due to the fact that it is just so much information that boggles my mind. I have only just recently after several years running trains added "activation track" to my layout.
Bottom line is, I am still running trains and enjoying O gauge. I guess the positives must outweigh the negatives. I don't mean to bash are mutual interest so much as just to talk about it. That is what forums are for, right? To that end, your comments are solicited and appreciated.
Got to go (I have been putting it off) shovel about 20"s of snow!!!
