In this rapidly changing world of gizmos and gadgets with the power of supercomputers, the appeal of trains survives. Model railroading is a hobby that can be as low-tech or high-tech as you want, and it's something that family and friends can work on together.

Ever since I got my first model train set as an eight-year-old, I've been intrigued by model railroading. I got another train set under the Christmas tree at age 12, even though my parents thought I was too old to play with trains. At 50, model railroading still has a strong appeal for me.

Model railroading doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. You can start out small with an HO gauge or N gauge train set for less than $100. The HO gauge trains are 1:87 scale, or as the letters indicate, half the size of O gauge, the standard for those classic Lionel train sets which were popular in the early to mid 20th Century. In HO, a foot in real life is reduced to 3.5 millimeters and the tracks are 16.5 millimeters wide. N gauge, at 1:160, is smaller nearly half the size of HO. Either N- or HO- gauge is great for the hobbyist with little room for a large track layout. People often set up layouts on 4-by-8 foot plywood bases or even hollow-core doors. My N-scale layout has a tunnel, bridges, a waterfall and a small town, all in a 2-by-4 foot frame which tucks neatly under my garage workbench when not in use. The locomotives and cars all fit neatly inside an old briefcase. N-scale, with its 9 millimeter wide rails, has been popular for some time in Europe, where in typical houses space is at a premium.

The Europeans also developed the even smaller Z-gauge, where trains run on 6.5 millimeter wide tracks. While you can get more layout in limited spaces with N- and Z- gauge, it is a challenge to get the tiny wheels properly onto the tracks and derailing is commonplace, primarily due to the size and extra light weight of the locomotives and rolling stock (cars). Adding weight to the cars and keeping the tracks level or at mild grades ensures optimum performance of these tiny trains.

For fun on a larger scale, the venerable O-gauge train sets have made a comeback in the last couple of decades, and have added high-tech extras such as digital train sounds, and even onboard video cameras that let you experience your layout as if you're in the locomotive's cab. For O gauge, you'll need more room and a larger budget.

G-gauge is even larger at 1:24 scale, with robust, detailed locomotives and rolling stock

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