Who Switched From O Gauge

I switched from O Gauge to Marklin HO. It’s still 3 rail and at the time I switched, Marklin’s digital was more advanced.

Steve

When I was 5 years old I got a Lionel starter set. Dad and I built a 4 x 8 layout. About two year later I wanted and got a HO train set. A Marx set then replaced the O layout. It wasn't until 1993 or so I bought another O scale loco and slowly moved to O 3R again after about 30 years. That's as close as I come to your question. 

Didn't really switch, just added G scale outdoors as I wanted a really big layout, too big for my garage,  My outdoor layout is modeled to look like a High Rail Postwar layout, Berkshires, F3s, Alco PAs and streamlined passenger cars.  Scenery is my current project, some mountains will be 3ft high.  over 300ft of stainless track, 35ft of trestle, 7 bridges.  Nice to not worry about space outdoors.  Indoors you are constantly aware of space.

Chris Sheldon

I recently sold all my O gauge and began my third and final iteration of LGB: six engines and thirteen cars. I have retained two MTH standard gauge sets on two separate loops: a 408E work train with 200 series cars and a Lionel Classics 2-400E with three state cars. It's ALL good!

I also switched to LGB in 1991.  I still have my garden railway but have gone back into Lionel post-war hot and heavy, in the past three years.  

I grew up with Lionel and didn't leave permanently until about 1996 or 97 when my wife gave me an LGB passenger set for Christmas. I loved the big size and colorful trains, had a good size space in the basement for a layout so I sold all my O gauge and bought G. In 2001 I had to move for my job and had no room for the big trains. I had room for a nice N layout indoors and built a garden railway outside. I found that I really hated garden railroading and eventually sold all my G trains knowing I'd never again have room for them inside. I returned to O in 2014 when N became too small for me to work on due to shaky hands and poor eyesight. 

I started in O 3R when I was 6. This was my first electric train as a Christmas present.

In 1984 I switched to HO scale. I collected Athearn and Kato diesels. Later I joined a local NMRA club and my train grew from a few Athearn HO kits to 120 cars from different manufacturers. My cars came from Atlas, Athearn, Exactrail and Walthers. 

In 2010 I attended the Worlds Greatest Hobby show in Columbus and saw my first O scale 5161 Trinity covered hopper made by Atlas O. This was a 2 rail O scale version and I fell in love.  Now I'm back in O scale but instead of 3 rail, I'm now in 2 rail. My train has grown from one Atlas trainman box car to 60 cars by Atlas and Lionel. 

I plan to stay in O scale until I pass away.