# Sticky  Size comparison of scales



## eljefe

I adapted this picture I found on another site and thought it might be useful to people trying to decide what kind of train they want.


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## 05Slowbalt

LOL I like the picture. Isn't there more scales like HOn3. Not picking just wondering.


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## cv_acr

HOn3 isn't a separate scale. It's HO scale narrow gauge trains.


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## tooter

That's a great picture that brings scale to life. :thumbsup:

I want to do something similar with rails and have 3 so far... 1/87, 1/8, and 1/1.


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## cv_acr

Although rail size can vary. How do you know you're comparing the same size of rail in scale? 


(For example, "standard" HO track uses "Code 100" rail (the code is the height of the rail in thousandths of an inch). Code 83 is the next most common for HO. I've been handlaying Code 70 and Code 55 (yes that's half the size of the Code 100 found in most sets). Common N scale rail sizes are Code 80 (massively over-scale) and Code 55 (similar to Code 100 in HO, which is also over-scale for most rail).)


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## tjcruiser

Great graphics, guys ... good posts.

I stickied this thread!

TJ


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## Mr.Buchholz

Great pics, very helpful. It helps to understand the scales.

-J.


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## eljefe

05Slowbalt said:


> LOL I like the picture. Isn't there more scales like HOn3. Not picking just wondering.


I believe the original photographer wanted to show the most common scales. Or the popularity of the Santa Fe Warbonnet paint scheme!


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## eljefe

tjcruiser said:


> Great graphics, guys ... good posts.
> 
> I stickied this thread!
> 
> TJ


Woohoo--my first thread to get stuck!


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## norgale

If someone could put up some pics of HOn3 I need to see what that looks like compared to HO scale. I'm looking for something to use in a mine. Pete


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## BK R

I have a Shay (2 truck by Sprectum), it's 1;43  and runs on HO track, they called it on30 :dunno:


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## shaygetz

Here's my HO/HOn30 side by side...










1:48 O scale, 1:87 HO scale, 1:160 N scale...


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## cv_acr

BK it's O scale; the "n" is a common notation to indicate that the model is narrow gauge. In this case, the gauge is the same as HO, but the model is O scale.


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## BK R

Thank you.


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## BK R

This is where I got the On30 from.










And here is the Shay On30 in comparison to my Atlas HO










Had to make my tunnel taller to take the Shay.


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## wsorfan4003

I would love a good Warbonnet, I have one for HO but it's in rough shape...


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## Lack Valley

This answers alot of questions. THANKS!!!!


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## FranksHOLighting

I recently sent a 2 pack of Cobra Head Street Lights to a guy in Canada and he said they were a little big for HO. I was told by others that they were nice lights and 4 inches was about right for city street lights. I also compared them to lights I saw in a hobby shop and they were the same size. Is 4 inches right? Frank's HO SCALE LIGHTING and BILLBOARDS at http://www.hoscalelighting.com


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## gunrunnerjohn

That would be about 29 feet to scale, probably scale for the taller lights, but it depends on the style they were.


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## haphall

I know this an older post, but I had to get my 2c in. As I understand, HOn3 (commonly called 'narrow gauge') refers to the width between the rails and therefore the engines (and rolling stock) that can ride on them. HOn3 refers to a 3 foot (or 36 inch) width between rails, while HOn30 implies 30 inches between rails. An On3 would be 3 SCALE feet between the rails.
As it turns out, O narrow gauge can use standard HO track, and HO narrow gauge can use standard N gauge track.
BTW, great scale comparison photos! Wish I had seen them when I was younger. That distinction drove me nuts as a kid.


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## shaygetz

haphall said:


> As it turns out, O narrow gauge can use standard HO track, and HO narrow gauge can use standard N gauge track.


I would add...IF the O narrow gauge was On30 and the HO narrow gauge HOn30...:thumbsup:


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## eljefe

Thanks for providing some new info, haphall. A lot of people seem to be confused by what narrow gauges are relative to scales.


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## Robes

Can anyone post a picture of OO gauge? Is it closer to HO or O gauge?


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## cv_acr

OO runs on HO scale track and is very similar in size.

OO is 1:76 scale, HO is 1:87.

OO is mostly European, and European equipment generally has a smaller profile than North American equipment, which means OO and HO end up looking exactly the same size, although the European equipment should actually be a tad smaller that their North American counterparts.

There was actually a thread on this exact subject (OO vs HO) a while ago on this forum.

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=13216

I'm sure there's also been others actually.


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## Oiler fan

As for which one is best suited to a person, it's all about the space you have, and your eyesight. I love the size of O scale trains, but it eats real estate if you want anything but an oval. I like N scale, but I can't see that well without the cheaters. G scale is fun, and if I have a barn I'd have G scale in the basement.


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## CTValleyRR

I've been model railroading for a long time, and I have to say a reference like this would have been helpful many years ago.

The picture is great, but the thing that is missing is a real world object of known scale for comparison. One that I've seen uses a dollar bill (6") for comparison. For newcomers to the hobby, this would be roughly the size of the N scale locomotive.


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## 400E Blue Comet

You're forgetting Standard Gauge, 2 7/8 Gauge, and T Gauge


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## FM Trainmaster

Modelers who know better seem to carelessly use the word "scale," when they mean "gauge," which I believe is a source of massive confusion for those who don't understand the distinction. It's perpetuated right in the forum titles, here.

O-gauge is typically 1:43 scale, gauge referring to the rail profile (1-1/4" centers, etc.), and not the scale size. Most model rail gauges are at odds with the true scale of the locos, as necessitated by reasonably small layout tables.

This confusion really gets people, when you start discussing On30, which is really HO gauge in O scale (~1:43). :lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Big Ed

FM Trainmaster said:


> Modelers who know better seem to carelessly use the word "scale," when they mean "gauge," which I believe is a source of massive confusion for those who don't understand the distinction. It's perpetuated right in the forum titles, here.
> 
> O-gauge is typically 1:43 scale, gauge referring to the rail profile (1-1/4" centers, etc.), and not the scale size. Most model rail gauges are at odds with the true scale of the locos, as necessitated by reasonably small layout tables.
> 
> This confusion really gets people, when you start discussing On30, which is really HO gauge in O scale (~1:43). :lol
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


O scale model trains are all proportioned 1:48 to the prototype?
Which is 1/48th the size of a real train? 
O scale conveniently works out to 1/4 inch = 1 foot.

You could use 1/43 size structures and cars and trucks on the O layout. But they are a hair smaller then O?
That is what I always thought.:dunno:


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## gunrunnerjohn

FM Trainmaster said:


> O-gauge is typically 1:43 scale, gauge referring to the rail profile (1-1/4" centers, etc.), and not the scale size. Most model rail gauges are at odds with the true scale of the locos, as necessitated by reasonably small layout tables.


Actually, it depends on what area of the world you're in. In the US, O-scale is 1:48 for virtually all the manufacturers. In Europe, and probably other parts of the world, they use 1:43 as O-scale.

Ed, 1:43 scale is larger than 1:48 scale.


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## Big Ed

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Ed, 1:43 scale is larger than 1:48 scale.


That is right, what was I thinking?:goofball:
Must have been before I had a cup of mud. hwell:


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## FM Trainmaster

Interesting. I've always read that accessories for O-gauge were usually scaled at 1:45, to split the difference between the 1:48 and 1:43. In fact, I thought most of the trains were actually scaled 1:43, with the track scaled at 1:48, but I guess I was probably just assuming, there.

All interesting, but aside from the point I was trying to make! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## gunrunnerjohn

Well, maybe most O-gauge is 1:43, I don't know the percentage of US vs. the rest of the world production. 

FWIW, *FM Trainmaster* would correctly be _*FM Train Master*_. A Trainmaster is a mid level RR employee, a Train Master is the locomotive build by Fairbanks-Morse.


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## FM Trainmaster

Doh! Oh well... lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## FM Trainmaster

gunrunnerjohn said:


> FWIW, *FM Trainmaster* would correctly be _*FM Train Master*_. A Trainmaster is a mid level RR employee, a Train Master is the locomotive build by Fairbanks-Morse.


So, while searching for a manual to tell me how to get my 675 loco apart for lubrication and service this evening, I came across the manual for my 2321 FM Trainmaster. The original Lionel paper refers to it as the "FM Trainmaster," not the "FM Train Master". I knew I had seen it that way somewhere.


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## gunrunnerjohn

Lionel has gotten this wrong, even in current products. That doesn't make them right.


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## 400E Blue Comet

Great pic, man, everyone must love the Santa Fe F3 and the Santa Fe F7.
But... Standard Gauge and T Gauge are missing. Hulk smash!
One question though, why was Marx used for the O Scale F3/F7? Not that it's bad, Marx trains are fun, but it's less realistic.


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## eljefe

400E Blue Comet said:


> Great pic, man, everyone must love the Santa Fe F3 and the Santa Fe F7.
> But... Standard Gauge and T Gauge are missing. Hulk smash!
> One question though, why was Marx used for the O Scale F3/F7? Not that it's bad, Marx trains are fun, but it's less realistic.


It's not my collection--just a picture I found on another site. At the time, we had a few people here asking what size of train they should buy, so I thought this was a nice way of giving some idea how the different gauges compare.

As for what's included and what's not, you'd have to take that up with the guy who owns them! Alas, I've long forgotten where the pic came from...


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## Aberdeen

Did my fuzzy brain do this scale speed approximation right? 

If 60 mph = 88 fps, then on a 1:87 scale, 60 mph should be about 1 foot per second.

If true, then timing my HO train at a moderately slow rate, it took four seconds to go four feet (1 fps). Therefore it was going a scaled rate of about 60 mph.

I think new people (like me) want to run their model freights trains too fast. In the 1960s, the Milwaukee Road's tracks were so bad that they had to limit freight speed to 50 MPH (as best I can remember). It was one of many nails in the coffin of that often unprofitable railroad.


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## tjcruiser

Yup ... "fun speed" is often much, much faster than true scaled speed!


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## MtRR75

Aberdeen said:


> Did my fuzzy brain do this scale speed approximation right?
> 
> If 60 mph = 88 fps, then on a 1:87 scale, 60 mph should be about 1 foot per second.
> 
> If true, then timing my HO train at a moderately slow rate, it took four seconds to go four feet (1 fps). Therefore it was going a scaled rate of about 60 mph.


Your calculations are correct.


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## rkenney

Railroad scale speed calculator:

http://www.mcr5.org/articals/speed.php :smokin:


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## microbuss

I likes G scale cause it is nice to cuddle a loco
I likes HOn3 too
BUT both are REALLY expensive


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## norgale

I'm usually happy if my trains will run a any speed. However when watching some video of a long freight going a scale 25 MPH on a hug layout with fifty foot long straightaways I get really really impatient and bored. Even real RR's don't move very fast. It takes five days for a train to cross this country and that time hasn't improved in many decades.
Speed 'er up boys. Get 'er done!

https://youtu.be/LhOs0tddGKg


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## Water Stop

When I recently converted from O-scale to HO scale, I experienced an instant 3-dimensional expansion of space.

HO is 1/87.1, and O-scale is 1/48.

The linear ratio between these scales is 55% or 1.81, taking the reciprocal.

Thus, what used to be 1.127 scale miles on my 124-foot main line run is now 2.045 scale miles.

My artificial mountains are now 1.81 times as high, or 81% higher!

The volume and weight ratio of exactly-scaled O and HO locomotives is 1.81 cubed, or 1.81x1.81x1.81, or 5.93 times the mass!

That's all.....

Water Stop Hal


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## jimtone

*scale*

I'm trying to find the correct scale of the Mar-Line trailer truck that came mounted on the Marx flat car? I can't determine if it is 1:64 or not? When I find the actual trailer and or tractor truck, I never see any dimensions describing the size. My brother has the Marx 666 set with that car and trailer truck, and I have the same flat car but would like to find a similar trailer truck to mount on it. The originals are far too expensive and I'm wanting to find something else to fill the bill. I'm pretty sure the width is about 1 9/16 inch. The 1:64 th trucks I see look to be Hot Wheels size and that isn't the correct size. Any info would help.


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## Lee Willis

I'm not sure it was any scale. I've seen some Marx truck/flatcars from the 1950s that look to be around 1/50 scale, but many (don't know the era, but they look older) seem to be toys that just were desiged to be the right size to play with. 

With respect to finding a truck/cab of the right size, it's likely to be 1/43, 1/50 or 1/64 so you could just watch for those until you find one that looks good with it.


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## jimtone

I'm sure the truck mounted in our set was made by line-mar with the red truck and white trailer. I've seen that Sear sets came with thr rigs painted in Sears green and grey or orange with Allstate lables mounted on the same flat car or 2 trailers mounted back to back with no truck. Line-Mar has Marx pressed into the bottoms of the chassis.I will keep watching but thought there was an absolute measurement "sience" being discused here that I could learn to try shopping for other pressed steel vintage trailer trucks. I'm willing to make allowances for non original brands but even these aren't being given away so I really don't want to buy the wrong size several times before finding the correct one.


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## Lee Willis

I have one seen the Sears version with my own eyes. ERTL makes a couple of different ten-wheeler tractor trailers, each available in dozens of different company livery, that are very close in size the the Line-Mar Sears truck. The first time I saw a Line-Mar Sears truck at a swap meet, I thought i was one of those until I picked it up and looked more closely. 

Here is one of the ERTLs so you know what I'm talking about . . . 

http://www.diecastdirect.com/asp_modules/add_item.asp?ProductCode=E9030

If you can't find the real thing these might do. You can often find them at swap meets for as low as $15. If not, you can check out ERTL offerings of trucks of the site in the link about. They have tons of trucks about that size. 

the other option is o go to ebay and try o find one just like you want. My experience is that if it is old Marx stuff you want, you eventually succeed but it can take up to a year to find and score something rare that you want, and it can be cost more than you are originally want to pay - but after a year of looking, you do.


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## jimtone

They have many of those savings bank trucks listed on Ebay for very low prices with the branding of AHL, but they are die cast which has to make them very heavy compared to the pressed steel model Mar-Line trailer truck that came with the 50s Marx set. I've saved several of those AHL trucks in "My Ebay" after writing the sellers for size verification on the width but still feel they'll be heavier than what I'd want to carry as a load. If I could verify the exact scale size, I'd be able to search other makers of pressed steel trucks from the same era. It's tuff writing so many listers asking for dimensions that may never be answered or takes days waiting. I've had one clown write me with the dimensions the day after their truck sold?? I also feel that waiting and searching is the only way to purchase an original and I'm not in a hurry, but thought getting the scale would help this from going wrong. Most listings don't have any size reference in them with some trucks looking exactly like the original Mar-Line but turning out to be 4 inches wide? If I were selling a vintage toy truck with photos on line, I'd have a ruler sitting next to it in every shot. It kills me that so many people listing on line are not willing to communicate with the buyer. If you are in an "E" business, it's almost impossible to not explain questions folks are asking?? "MODERN LIVING"!


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## king0735

here is an article about gauges and scales that might be useful http://unlimitedmodeltrains.com/model-train-gauges/


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## Mr.Buchholz

king0735 said:


> here is an article about gauges and scales that might be useful http://unlimitedmodeltrains.com/model-train-gauges/


Great article! Thanks for sharing! 

-J.


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## CTValleyRR

Mr.Buchholz said:


> Great article! Thanks for sharing!
> 
> -J.


Not so much sharing as redirecting you to his own website, where he will try to sell you all kinds of merchandise, including directing you to that quick and easy way to separate you from a lot of your hard earned cash: "Model Trains for Beginners", which has been discussed elsewhere.

Also, linking his site to this one probably helps to boost his Google Page Rank score.

A site that really wants to help beginners learn will provide the advice for free, not shill products. His site is thinly disguised advertising, not helpful advice. Yeah, you might pick up some useful info, but you're also likely to pick up a lot of merchandise that you don't need.


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## Bwells

CTValleyRR said:


> Not so much sharing as redirecting you to his own website, where he will try to sell you all kinds of merchandise, including directing you to that quick and easy way to separate you from a lot of your hard earned cash: "Model Trains for Beginners", which has been discussed elsewhere.
> 
> Also, linking his site to this one probably helps to boost his Google Page Rank score.
> 
> A site that really wants to help beginners learn will provide the advice for free, not shill products. His site is thinly disguised advertising, not helpful advice. Yeah, you might pick up some useful info, but you're also likely to pick up a lot of merchandise that you don't need.


CTV: You are always welcoming to new members and provide a lot of good info and tips. However, the above statements sure threw me for a loop. I saw nothing in the posters response that would indicate anything other than a link to some information that could be of use. There is embedded links but they are easily bypassed without seeing the sales propaganda. The poster probably did a copy/paste and has nothing to do with any sale activity. Just my thoughts.:stroke:


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## /6 matt

I really don't think that article was written and linked to for the purpose of peddling products since the books are all from different authors. Although that may be an ignorant assumption on my part. What is more important though is the misinformation in the article.

1. G scale is not 1:22.5. true standard gauge g scale I believe is actually 1:32 while the former scale represents a narrow gauge of 3'4"

2. HO scale and OO scale are not 1:87 Ho scale is 1:87 and OO is 1:76.2 but they both utilize 16.5 mm gauge track


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## geo61bird

Here is a nice tool for scaling.

http://www.modelbuildings.org/scale-conversion-calculator.html

Not my website just something I found.


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## CTValleyRR

/6 matt said:


> I really don't think that article was written and linked to for the purpose of peddling products since the books are all from different authors. Although that may be an ignorant assumption on my part. What is more important though is the misinformation in the article.
> 
> 1. G scale is not 1:22.5. true standard gauge g scale I believe is actually 1:32 while the former scale represents a narrow gauge of 3'4"
> 
> 2. HO scale and OO scale are not 1:87 Ho scale is 1:87 and OO is 1:76.2 but they both utilize 16.5 mm gauge track


First of all, thank you to Bwells for the compliment. I do try to be welcoming and helpful (whether I succeed or not is another issue).

In this case, though, yes, the website is one of many salted throughout the internet that purport to be a "review" or "advice" website, but just serve to provide links to a vendor, in this case, Amazon.com. I have experienced many, from tools, to exercise equipment, to golf clubs.

The hyperlinked text words are deliberately placed, with direct links to the Amazon products. You may notice that the author doesn't actually discuss different books to help the beginner, but takes a "buy this one" approach (again, right to Amazon). His other articles "Best Lionel Set", "Best HO Train Sets", all link to one manufacturer's products on Amazon. Just on the subject of HO train sets, why anyone wouldn't discuss LifeLike and Trainman sets, or even the pros and cons of trainsets vs. scratchbuilt, is a dead giveaway.

The "Model Trains for Beginners" is a book-club type product, which attempts to sell the reader overpriced books filled with information that can be found elsewhere (like here). It touts it's "closely guarded secrets of model railroading". Really? Ask any model railroader of my acquaintance about the hobby, and you're likely to get a lot more information than you want or can handle. Anyone who would recommend that product as the best way to get information has an ulterior motive.

I'm always suspicious when someone directs you to a website that they created, especially when the same answers are located in the thread he's directing you away from. I've been wrong about people (Mixy and SCARM), but not in this case. If you search King0735's posts, you'll see how he responds when challenged on the subject. I hope he only gets revenue when someone actually buys one of his linked products, because if he gets paid purely for web traffic, then I've given him money just by investigating, and that would tick me off.

And yes, the errors are worrisome to us, but not to the author. He's a salesman. If he were forthright about it, it wouldn't bother me, but he's trying to push product under the guise of helping beginners. To me, it seems too much like taking advantage of someone who comes to you for help, and that's always rubbed me the wrong way.


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## gg1hokk

Robes said:


> Can anyone post a picture of OO gauge? Is it closer to HO or O gauge?


There are actually TWO OO gauges. British OO is HO for all intents and purposes.

American OO is halfway in scale between S and HO. A truly lovely scale. 

I would post a picture as I have NYC steam in G-O-S-OO-HO-TT-N-Z for comparison purposes but I have not figured out the picture format here yet.

Check this out for an American OO primer. http://www.tcawestern.org/scale-craft.htm


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## jouni rautiainen

at one show i saw T scale 1:145?
http://www.tgauge.com/


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## time warp

I saw a T scale train back in the spring at a show, not running though.


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## ErnestHouse

Leaving a breadcrumb here to other noobs with a Lionel postwar collection who didn't know: Within "O" scale, there's "Scale" and "Traditional" which appears to work out more like 1:48 and 1:56 respectively. An excellent dissection by Lee Willis with photographic examples is found here:
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showpost.php?p=1296305&postcount=32

and here:
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showpost.php?p=1297969&postcount=34


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## DonR

Here is information on 00 scale that will help
you decide. It is used in Britain, much of Europe and 
other parts of the world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OO_gauge

Don


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## Icantthinkofausername

Maybe something like a ruler or a coin in the pictures for "scale" (no pun intended)


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## Lemonhawk

And just how much does that short piece of 1:1 rail weigh?


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## gunrunnerjohn

Lemonhawk said:


> And just how much does that short piece of 1:1 rail weigh?


Most railroad track used for main line trains in the United States weighs at least 130 pounds per yard, or 43.33 pounds per foot.


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## Ace

*OO and HO size comparison*

Most of the items in this photo are 1:76 OO scale models of English trains, except:

second shelf, two items at left are HO Sydney commuter cars.
third shelf, brown-and-cream car is HO, compare to OO versions of similar-style English cars on same shelf.
fourth shelf, diesel at left is HO painted for Victorian Railways.

HO scale models of English railway stock look noticeably smaller than American HO because of the smaller English loading gauge. OO scale bulks them up to a similar height and width, which in earlier years helped to fit available motors in the locos (according to references).

OO scale models of English passenger cars make them about the right size to resemble some older Australian passenger trains in HO. These mostly English-made trains in the photo were gifted to me from a friend in Australia, where modelers often made do with foreign-prototype models. Some of these passenger cars were repainted to cover up the original English markings.

English OO scale uses HO gauge track which equates to 4'1.5" gauge. This disparity has been explained in historical context:
http://www.doubleogauge.com/history/history.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OO_gauge


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## Vincent

I'm new at this, but I snagged a copy of the starter photo for this thread.

I already understood the differences in scale, but that photo makes it easier to explain.


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## MohawkMike

I have a collection of NYC Steam engines that I exhibit in the following scales and/or gauges:

G
O
On30
S
OO (American)
HO
HOn3
TT
N
Z
T


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## gunrunnerjohn

I removed the "offending" graphic and the argument that followed. 

In the future, please simply report any offending posts using the







link at the left of every post. We can handle the moderating from there.


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## trainmeup

Love this pic. I am new to this Hobby. This is a great reference for me. Thank you.:thumbsup:


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## harryson

Has anybody started out with g scale indoors and converted to a smaller scale because of space restrictions indoors? I am considering a complete change to O scale.


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## Guest

harryson said:


> Has anybody started out with g scale indoors and converted to a smaller scale because of space restrictions indoors? I am considering a complete change to O scale.


Yes, it's been done. I grew up on Long Island where we had basements and plenty of room. I had O gauge. In my 30s I wanted more scale realism and switched to HO for a few years. In my 40s I discovered G and fell in love with it. When I moved north of New York City for my job I didn't have room for G. After much thought and evaluating possibilities in different scales I decided on N. That was in my 50s and lasted until I was 64 when N became too small for me to work with. At that point I completed the circle and returned to O gauge.

Are you considering 2 rail or 3 rail O? 2 rail generally requires larger curves and so needs more space.


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## videobruce

It's apparent that many don't know the difference between "scale" and "gauge" since both are used interchangeable, but shouldn't be.



> Although scale and gauge are often confused, scale means the ratio between a unit of measurement on a model compared with a unit of measurement in corresponding full size prototype, while gauge is the distance between the two running rails of the track.


(from Wikipedia)

Scale as in 'scaling things down to size'.
Gauge as in 'gauging distance'.


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## Bonz85

I wish S scale was more popular. Was big into Ertl in my younger days and would have been fun to model both on the same layout. Don't think I'll stray from HO though. I think for the most part they look more realistic than the larger scales.


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## Big Ed

Bonz85 said:


> I wish S scale was more popular. Was big into Ertl in my younger days and would have been fun to model both on the same layout. Don't think I'll stray from HO though. I think for the most part they look more realistic than the larger scales.


You are entitled to your opinion, I am sure others would not agree.


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## All Scale Rails

cv_acr said:


> HOn3 isn't a separate scale. It's HO scale narrow gauge trains.








ALL SCALE RAILS - ASR Issue 10 September October 2016


What is Gauge, Modify Märklin Z Scale Adjustable Track, Edward Lorence L&S Div. of the B&O, Card Stock Modeling, DL&WRR Oil House Scranton PA Blueprints



allscalerails.com





Go hto page 5
It will explain gauge


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## CTValleyRR

It doesn't need a magazine article. Gauge is the distance between the rails (inside edge to inside edge). Scale is the relative proportion to the real size. Very simple concept, really.

HO and OO scales use track of the same gauge: 16.5mm, which is not quite equivalent to standard gauge (although pretty darn close in HO): 16.5mm x 87 = 1435.5m / 25.4 mm to the inch = 56.5", or 4' 8-1/2"


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