Wow!

I don't question your reasons for wanting to switch to HO.  But you've put a lot into your N scale layout and some of it fairly recently.  It seems a shame to rip up recently laid track and what not.  Still, IMO, HO is a better bang for your buck.  But that is just my opinion, of course.

A couple of questions I had.  Do you have enough room to go HO and still have a satisfying track plan?  Are you going to have to compromise on curve radii?  If I remember correctly, you have some longer equipment that you want to run.  Can you manage the broad curves that will make it look and run well in your space?

That's the trick

I've been kicking around that very thing.  Passenger trains are my main interest, so its likely I would lean to doing a terminus or some sort where there is a lot of switching of passenger cars, like Vancouver or Toronto, or perhaps Calgary, from back in the late 70s/early 80s.  I would then pretty much just have one side passenger operations with a departure track out past some industries (to do freight switching) and then off to staging.  

My first love is the mountains and the long lashups, as you say, but I don't see how I can reasonably fit that in my space - even in N it was going to be a compromise.  I can likely re-configure the layout area now as we'll have the new "spare" room upstairs to move my wife's sewing stuff into, so I'll probably gain another 7 feet, but I'm not sure its a big gain because I don't think I can really do much of a peninsula in HO, but I'd have to mock it up.  The new area would be like a "P", so the long part of the P would be about 14-15 feet, the top of the P would be about 12'8" and then the right side of the P would be about 6' with possibility of extending to the right of the end of that 6' section for another 10-12' for staging or switching.

The availability of product in HO is a big draw as well.  I don't know how many times I've said, "Wow, I wish they made that in N!"  Extremely rare when something is offered in N and not HO.  

So, I might need to get someone to create a layout plan for me now.  Maybe I should do a contest here and offer the winner $150 shopping spree at an MRH sponsor or something?

Sounds like fun

A design contest would be fun. Who cares if You give anything away. After 30 years in Civil Engineering/Survey, I find it fun to help design Train Layouts. So let us know if that's what You are going to do.

Contest

Rob Teed did it, and he seemed happy with the results.  I'd love to see another, as I love making track plans.  If you're serious about changing, give it a shot.

As far as switching scales in general, you're the only one who can make the decision.  However, I would end to agree with you that HO is a little easier to see and more tolerant.  As much as I like the room for scenery that N gives, I've never been a big fan of N scale in general.  Trains are big, and N scale trains have never given me even the slightest sense of "big."  Even HO is a stretch in that regard.

Done the switch and happy so far

I've done it and I've not felt so good working on layout in a long time (my wife predictably said 'I told you so'). I'm sure you will not regret your decision. Have fun!

Contest...

That's an interesting idea, not that I think I can contribute a track plan or anything.  I think lots of guys here would do you a track plan for fun, as a couple already mentioned, no prize necessary.

You might also want to contact Byron Henderson, though I am not sure if he still has his company or not, having not seen anything of him in what seems like forever...?

I'll spend some time

this weekend looking over the room and through my stuff and see what happens.  I think the decision is pretty much made.  The more I think about it, the more comfortable I am with switching, and in fact a bit excited.  The part I don't look forward to is what return I'll get on a lot of my locos, rolling stock, and kits and deciding which pieces I will hold onto.  

I'll report back in a few days.  Thanks guys.

Decision Final

After talking with my wife this morning, it is official - I will now be flipping around my signature to be an HO modeler and N scale collector.  I sell off at least half my collection of N scale stuff, but keep some for display and potentially running on a club layout one day.  My wife also gave me the go ahead to re-arrange the room to fit her sewing desk in the middle, rather than to one side which will allow more straight area and avoid a peninsula.  

The next steps will be to measure up the room and start a design contest.  While Ken suggested I didn't need to offer a financial incentive, I will still do that.  I will post the particulars, though, hopefully in the next few days.  Then, I begin the sell-off, which will be a bit taxing emotionally, I think.  Funny how you get attached to some of these plastic and metal thingys!  If anyone reading would like a list of what I have to sell to see if they have interest, send me a PM, otherwise it will be going on the N Scale Yard Sale group on Yahoo in the next couple weeks.  

Thanks for all your input and I look forward to the next challenges!

Welcome...

Welcome to HO!