I love everything pertaining to the hobby of model trains. In my opinion, there isn’t a wrong scale/gauge to go with. They all have their pros and cons. However, my favorite trains by far are o gauge trains. While o gauge trains aren’t the cheapest or easiest to afford, they are worth every penny.
The main thing that could be considered a disadvantage for o gauge trains is their size. They are the largest of the indoor train models. If you are going to run an o gauge train you are going to need some space. I personally recommend at least thirty-six square feet minimum. If you available space is smaller than that, you should probably go with a smaller scale. If your space is very limited, you should go with an n scale train. N scale trains run on tracks where the rails are just 9 mm apart.
If you have plenty of space available, then size is the o gauge’s greatest advantage. The greater the size, the more room you are going to have for detail. Smaller scales aren’t as detailed as the o scale trains. Your model railway scenery is also going to suffer with smaller scale trains. The most impressive model railroad layouts that I have seen have run o scale trains. The mountains are more impressive. The buildings rise to greater heights. The tunnels are longer and have a greater effect. Your bridges are also going to be more eye-catching with an o gauge train. I just get goose bumps every time I see a model train pass over a bridge. Bridges are my favorite part of the model railway landscape.
O gauge trains also rule when it comes to authenticity. There is no comparison. If you just want a toy then by all means go with another scale. However, if you are the type of person who wants every detail right then you need to go o scale. O gauge trains tend to match their historic counterparts to the very smallest detail. I personally love to research the actual trains. What towns did they go through? What kind of architecture was around at that time? What did the landscape look like at the time? Search the Internet and your local library for photographs taken in your train’s era. It can be very addictive to say the least.
