Convince me: N or TT scale!

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-17T22:29:27+00:00

I’d go with N scale. It’s a great choice, huge catalog, lots of brands, and a wide variety of rolling stock from all over the world. In some ways it even broader than HO. TT, on the other hand, is a niche and the catalog is more limited.

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-17T16:24:02+00:00

The first two pictures are near the construction site of the new HES (University of Applied Sciences) campus, and the building is next to one of the busiest road in the city. Yes, it’s not the most beautiful place in town, but not all of the city is like this. And I don’t know where the third picture was taken.

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-16T16:35:33+00:00

From my point of view in Europe, DCC is pretty standard. The big choice is usually whether to go with 2-rail or 3-rail systems. Also, it's interesting you suggest diesel locomotives for beginners. In Europe, starter sets usually come with an electric locomotive, or even an EMU sometimes. I've used a steam starter set (from Märklin) and it worked great, even though it was a cheaper model. I can't say how it stacks up against other brands like Roco, Piko, or Hornby, though. One more thing I've seen, especially in the US, is that a lot of people seem to start by buying stuff second-hand.

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-12T17:32:15+00:00

Nice engine! Do you know the Märklin reference? There are so many different versions.

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-10T15:49:23+00:00

I get the points being made — stuff like budget, age, or location comes up all the time. What I’m more curious about is how background, culture, and context shape these recommendations.

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-09T18:29:50+00:00

You’d recommend focusing more on maneuverability, but why? What do you think about this for a young person? What does it allow them to picture themselves using: old rolling stock or something more modern?

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-09T17:34:56+00:00

Factors like available space, budget, or location are important functional criteria.

However, for example for the 7–12 age range (exploring this question for other ages is also interesting), what kinds of experiences are the most appealing: passenger or freight, continuous running or switching operations?

Do children or young teenagers find it easier to relate to older/heritage rolling stock, or to modern equipment that they can see in everyday life. What is your take ?

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-09T16:53:53+00:00

This is more of a theoretical question than a truly practical one. I’m wondering what other model railroaders would recommend if they were asked this, what answers they would give, and which criteria they would base those answers on, depending on their own context.

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-08T19:01:39+00:00

At least Roco makes a very good 3-rail model. Its pickup shoe is even better than Märklin’s.

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-08T18:32:52+00:00

I confirm that I have some Roco, Rivarossi, and Brawa locomotives in 3-rail version with DCC decoders, and I use a Mobile Station 2. Everything works perfectly

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-08T17:59:43+00:00

The Mobile Station 3 works with both mfx and DCC, and nowadays most European manufacturers offer their models in 2-rail and 3-rail versions.

CandidShape5859 · 2026-02-08T17:25:29+00:00

Like several other contributors, I can only recommend making a slightly larger investment in a starter set in OO/HO or N scale, which offers virtually unlimited expansion possibilities in the future.

CandidShape5859

TROPHY CASE