Starting a first N gauge layout, and what to buy

Published 14 October 2026

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N gauge is the usual answer when space is the limit. A layout that would need a spare room in OO can sit on a shelf or a door in N. This article covers what a first N gauge layout needs, how Peco's track range is organised, and what is worth buying first.

The scale and gauge figures, and how much space each scale needs, are in the scales article, so this article does not repeat them. Peco lists its N Setrack as N gauge at 1:148 scale on C80 track.

Why N, and what it costs you

Peco sells N gauge Setrack in the same way as its OO range: sectional track in several radii, plus starter sets. What changes is the size of everything. The advantages are straightforward.

• A longer run in a small space. The same plan takes up much less floor, so a shelf or a door becomes a proper layout. The small space article covers reach, fiddle yards and baseboards.
• Gentler curves. In a given width, N can fit curves that look more like the real thing than the tight first-radius curves of a small OO board.

The costs are mostly to do with handling.

• The models are small. Couplings, wheels and fine details are easier to damage and harder to see. Good light and a pair of tweezers matter more than they do in OO.
• Re-railing is fiddly. A wagon that has come off the track has to be put back by hand with care.
• Check the stock exists. Make sure the locomotives and wagons you want are made in N before you commit to the scale.

How Peco Setrack N is organised

Peco's N gauge Setrack uses C80 track. The code number is the rail height in thousandths of an inch, as the track article explains. The curves come in radii labelled No.1 to No.4 in Peco's catalogue, each as a standard curve and a double curve. The ST12, for example, is a first radius double curve, and Peco lists it as 8 per circle.

The Peco catalogue labels the curves by number. Its pages do not give the radius in millimetres, so check the individual product listing or the catalogue for the dimensions if you need them for planning.

The radius rule for OO applies to N as well, in proportion. The longer a vehicle is, the larger the radius it needs, and a tight first-radius curve limits what will run on it without looking wrong. The track article explains this for OO, and the reasoning is the same. If space allows, build to a larger radius than the one in the starter set.

What the starter set contains

Peco's ST300 is the N gauge Setrack starter set on first radius curves. It contains:

• 6 standard straights;
• 3 double straights;
• 5 first-radius standard curves;
• 6 first-radius double curves;
• 1 right-hand and 1 left-hand turnout;
• 2 buffer stops;
• 2 power connecting clips; and
• a planbook of layout ideas.

Peco says it can be combined with the ST301 second radius starter set to make a double track layout, which is useful if you want a second, inner or outer loop. Peco's page does not state the size of the oval, so lay the track out on a table before choosing a baseboard.

What a first N gauge layout needs

Track

Ad A Peco N gauge Setrack starter set gives a loop with turnouts and buffer stops. If you buy a train set instead, the track in the box is often first radius, so check the listing. A starter set with its own track is fine, and extra track from the same range joins on.

Power and control

A train set comes with an analogue controller and power supply. Without a train set, a track starter set needs a controller. Ad An N gauge analogue controller is the usual route. Hornby states that all its DCC controllers work with any gauge, including OO, TT and N. N locomotives have less room inside for a decoder, so check each model before planning to go digital. The DCC article covers when to switch.

Locomotives and wagons

Ad A ready-to-run N gauge starter set is the simplest start, and the one decision that matters is the locomotive. Pick one whose era you like, because you will see it more than anything else on the layout.

A baseboard

An N layout does not need a big board. A shelf, a door or Ad a sheet of lightweight plywood cut to size is enough. The reach rule from the small space article applies, so keep everything within comfortable reach from the front.

Tools

The tools article on this site covers the first purchases: a multimeter, a soldering iron, rail cutters and a scalpel. For N, a couple of extras help.

• Ad A pair of fine-tipped tweezers for placing wagons and couplings.
• Ad A desk lamp with a magnifier for seeing what you are doing.
• Ad A rerailer or re-railing tool for putting rolling stock back on the rails.

A sensible first purchase list

Buying in this order avoids most regrets.

1. The track and a controller, or a train set that has both. Everything else depends on the track working.
2. One locomotive and a short rake of wagons. Get that running reliably round the loop before adding more.
3. A baseboard or shelf cut to fit the plan. Lay the track on it unglued, and run the train for a few evenings before fixing anything down.
4. Tools and cleaning supplies as the need appears. The tools article explains what earns its place and what can wait.

Planning before buying

The free trainset on this site lets you try loops, figures of eight and double loops before choosing track. It is a toy rather than a scale model, so it shows shapes, not sizes.

Draw the plan full size on paper or lining paper and lay the track on it before buying more. Geometry rarely closes up the way it does in the head, and a layout in N is easy to move if the board turns out to be the wrong size.