an N scale version of the first Utah Belt layout.

   I can't recall what the first Utah belt layout looked like but in general when reducing an HO scale layout plan to N scale one has to stretch some areas to maintain usable aisle widths. As the scale gets smaller the people in the aisles remain the same size.....DaveB

As a rule....

When you reduce an HO plan to N you gain little in actual length of the mainline for the reason DaveB mentioned.  Of course the scale distance is nearly doubled, and you can fit more track across a scene, for instance in a yard.  And industries that may have looked a bit small in HO can now be more prototypical looking in size.  It can be an interesting design exercise.

Scott Chatfield

  "And industries that may

Yeah, ideally one would just build the layout in the same footprint but use N scale track and scenery instead of HO scale. This would allow the scenery to be more to scale size and the track plan compression and the curve radius to be more realistic.....DaveB