I have always wondered the what and why on the choice of a model railroad for the hobbyist. So here’s a chance to let it out.
Rule's
1. No BASHING ALLOWED on choice of scale.
2. Everyone has an opinion, HONOR IT.


Scale:
Style of layout: Roundy Round, Point to Point, 100% switching.
Brief reason of choice:
DCC or DC:
Sound or No sound:

Rule number 2 pretty well sums it up.
Charlie

Scale: H0
Tried Z when I came back to model railroading. It was a disaster! Could hardly connect two tracks. Stepped up to N. Much better but still to poor eye sight and to clumsy hands. So I ended up with H0. I would like to do N and use the available space better if I could....

Style of layout: Roundy Round, Point to Point, 100% switching.
Around the room at the wall. One side four track staging yard, the other side an ISL feed on both sides from the staging yard. I love to run a train around the room if I am in bad mood. It helps

Brief reason of choice:
No space for "real" trains. Do usually run 1 -2 engines with 4-5 cars as the maximum "train". That help a lot to decide for an ISL.

DCC or DC:
DCC, got used to the freedom to run my engines as required by the operation and not by wiring of isolated tracks. Todays H0 diesel engines make it very easy to install decoders (mostly ZIMO MX630 with superb motor control)

Sound or No sound:
Very few engines, mostly steam, with sound (ESU) but I do usually shut it off after 3 minutes. I do not like "noise" while enjoying my hobby.

Scale:
HO. There’s a better selection of everything. It’s also easier to detail in HO (I made this choice before my eyesight required longer arms). The prices are comparable between N and HO.

Style of layout: Roundy Round, Point to Point, 100% switching
I’m doing a roundy round variation of an Inglenook or Palmetto Spur. The curves serve as interchange tracks, switching leads, mainline, and well, curves.

Brief reason of choice:
DCC or DC, Sound or No sound:
I’m running DC now, but I plan on converting to DCC. I might also run DC with a sound controller (I'm only running one engine at a time).

N scale: While I don't have a lot of room if I did I would still stick with N as there is nothing I could do in HO that a billion people before me haven't already done and probably at least a million would have done a better job.
Style: Point to point but it does have a hidden loop for breaking in locos or letting a train run when non modeler types are visiting. I prefer switching more than running.
DCC or DC: I went with DC because on a small layout like mine it was quicker, easier, cheaper and problem free.
Sound : I have a under the table sound system but in about 2 hours the newness factor wore off, I got sick of the noise and only turn it on for visitors now.

HO - Space and money, would have preferred O. I can't afford HO now.
Roundy round / point to point. It can and dose do both. With large yard and local stops for switching.
Started DC before DCC was. Now DCC because of sound. Hey that is two answers in one. But sound is not in all locomotives. It is just to expensive.

I feel this is fast becoming a rich mans hobby.

Scale : I went with HO after I got back into mrring about 1994 . If money was plentiful , I'd be in On30 in a New York second .

Style : Tore down the big complicated layout to build a small point to point ...glad I did .

Reason : My old eyes and body told me so .

DCC : Digitrax

Sound : A buddy is installing LOK sound in one steamer as a "gift" .......I know that is really meant to get me hooked and buy sound for the other 11 locos .

Terry

Scale: N scale. Layout is in a spare bedroom, so more bounce for the ounce, and better value for the money. Got myself a lighted magnifier and a set of "spare hands" to deal with the eyesight problem.

Style: operates as point-to-point with hidden access to allow new trains to appear on scene and departing trains to move off layout. Some switching as required, but scenery, structures and trains themselves are the primary interest.

Reason: I like the more expansive possible in N Scale. It's also cheaper to buy N scale locos and stock and rework them to meet the theme of the layout.

Control: Block. It's just me, and the layout doesn't require that many blocks, so no reason for the expense and difficulty of equipping N scale locos with DCC.

Sound: Unnecessary on a solo layout.

Well let's see then

Scale: HO

Layout style:Switching layout-to be built.

Brief reason of choice:

DC control using a MRC Tech 6 for Sound.

I see no need for DCC on a small one horse switching layout and the Tech 6 will cover the sound needs.

Scale:
OO (British version of HO) used to be in N but found (30 years ago) that it looked just a tad crude. I claim that the O, On30 and G layouts are my wife's. British because my wife liked the looks.
Style of layout: Roundy Round, Point to Point, 100% switching.
Brief reason of choice:
It started as a point to point around the room. My wife persuaded me to join the ends as she felt I would run more trains that way. She was probably right. There was also a good selection of equipment coming out that I liked.
DCC or DC:
DC Too much heritage equipment to convert.
Sound or No sound:
No sound on my layout. The O and the On30 have some.

HO scale for me, 'cause that's what I started with in the '50s. The layout is point-to-point-to-(eventually)-point, when I get around to building the partial second level. There is provision for a continuous run around-the-room, too, but that's mainly for the times my grandkids want to run trains.
I run DC and don't have (or miss) sound. The layout is designed to be operated sequentially by a single operator, so it's wired essentially as a single block with passing sidings.

Wayne

HO (also HOn3) - probably because that is what I started in.

Roundy-round - again this is probably what I started with, and what I enjoy. Most of the time I would rather just watch trains run or fiddle around than andy serious operation.

DC right now, but I would prefer DCC when I can afford it.

No sound - ever. If I want noise while I run trains, I turn on the radio. What they do with sound these days is incredible, but it still sounds a little phony to me.

Scale: HO and N...HO is cheaper in the long run because so much has been built over the years that's reliable and reasonably accurate. The N scale was free for the taking, so I took

Layout: I have both roundy round and point to point...each has its pluses and minuses.

DC or DCC: DC as DCC kept beckoning me to more and more cash outlays; sound, systems, controls...oy! DC was again the best bet as I can pick up some serious old school power transistor throttles that do the job just fine. Today's models are beautifully done, but there is a nagging sterility to them that keeps me running my old school Mantuas and Rivarossis...models that I have converted to DCC but prefer to run on filtered DC. Sound really annoys me...I'm a polite bystander but, until they find a good mini subwoofer, it will always have a tinny sound that grates me like fingernails on a chalkboard.

ChuckC Wrote:1. No BASHING ALLOWED on choice of scale.

But a little bit of bashing allowed about style of layout, eh? As in "Real trains don't go in circle's [sic]" :-)

Scale: HO
Style of layout: Roundy Round, Point to Point, 100% switching: Yes. Transition era urban switching, operated point-to-point, with continuous run possible
Brief reason of choice: I like the looks and rolling stock size of era, urban switching is fun and works for small spaces, H0 is big enough for clumsy fingers
DCC or DC: DCC
Sound or No sound: both

Btw - I see that you have posted the same survey to trainboard as well.

Smile,
Stein

Stein, Sorry about my signature. It's just a real life thing. Can't make revenue going in circles LOL. But I didn't print a word about scale, SOoooo I'm still clean.
Yes, I did post on Trainboard as well. There's some great modellers over there as well and the thoughts as to why and what are fun to hear and see from another camp. I would say Trainboard members are mostly N scalers but the HO guy's and gal's participate as well in harmony. With the guests that Trainboard and Big Blue have daily, it seems like a lot of new and current modellers are looking and watching whats being modeled and why before they jump in and invest in the hobby or join the forum. I hope the what ,when, where and why helps them out. Need to get a score card done to track the info.