# What Scale/Gauge? Please Help!!



## daferretboy (Sep 28, 2013)

I have been trying to find trains to add to my mother's Christmas Village. She has been collecting these house's for 40 years. This year she wants to pull them all out of boxes and set them up...and to top it off...with a running train! Actually that sounds kinda cool and would be a fun setup...one problem...while asking around, absolutely no one can help me with what train to look for. I read up on the different gauges and stuff, but honestly explaining the differences doesn't really give me direction....I found this site searching the internet, it is my hope there are train smarties here that can make this easy for me...please help!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

daferretboy said:


> I have been trying to find trains to add to my mother's Christmas Village. She has been collecting these house's for 40 years. This year she wants to pull them all out of boxes and set them up...and to top it off...with a running train! Actually that sounds kinda cool and would be a fun setup...one problem...while asking around, absolutely no one can help me with what train to look for. I read up on the different gauges and stuff, but honestly explaining the differences doesn't really give me direction....I found this site searching the internet, it is my hope there are train smarties here that can make this easy for me...please help!












O scale would work just a bit too big. 
HO is a little too small.
I think S scale would be better.

You don't need much track right?
How big of a display table are you thinking of?


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## daferretboy (Sep 28, 2013)

When all is said and done, probably a length of 10-12 feet and a depth of about 6 or 7 feet. I appreciate your feedback, my followup would be: are these all easy to find? My preference would be to have "real" looking trains, not plastic...but I may be asking too much??


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

daferretboy said:


> When all is said and done, probably a length of 10-12 feet and a depth of about 6 or 7 feet. I appreciate your feedback, my followup would be: are these all easy to find? My preference would be to have "real" looking trains, not plastic...but I may be asking too much??



What is the brand name of the "Christmas Village" that she has? Hawthorne?

No your not, O gauge is a little bigger but you would have a larger supply.
S as with O comes with a cheaper plastic locomotives and metal ones.

Both scales have some that are less detailed and some with more.

Go through the S forum, http://www.modeltrainforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=37

Plenty of pictures there.
Occasionally they are for sale in our for sale forum.

By the way welcome to the site, you will have to study up on trains.
Ask away someone should help.

I have been trying to find pictures of an O next to an S next to an HO and next to an N scale. I know they are in here some where.
Someone has done what you want to do with HO then changed to S I believe.
I found his thread but the picture links don't work anymore when you click on them.

Maybe someone else can find what I am talking about. Give it time they got to wake up and drink their coffee.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Tell you the truth, I think HO would look OK too, just a bit smaller.

In all I think it would be the scale people that would look funny with the houses.

They do sell Hawthorne village trains, most are HO.

Go to e bay and search Hawthorne village train.

Edit,
I think they are On30 which are the size of O but they run on a HO sized track.
Look at the picture I posted.
They are both 1/48 scale but the On30 runs on smaller track.


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## daferretboy (Sep 28, 2013)

thanks for the help...you got me farther along than the previous week of trying. I am not sure of the Village maker, actually I think she has several different makers. I am not worried about getting the train to match exactly to scale, but I don't want it to look dumb big/small either. I will start going through the forum too and see what stuff i can find to help.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

daferretboy said:


> thanks for the help...you got me farther along than the previous week of trying. I am not sure of the Village maker, actually I think she has several different makers. I am not worried about getting the train to match exactly to scale, but I don't want it to look dumb big/small either. I will start going through the forum too and see what stuff i can find to help.


They are most likely Hawthorne, and the other brands are the same size. You should see my mothers collection I think she has everyone they ever made! Plus all kinds of trees people dogs cats fences trees you name it she has it!

Search e bay Hawthorne village trains.
You can see the details too from the pictures.

Though some are over priced because of the name.

Better yet just search On30 train sets to see what is out there.

Just remember that these run on HO track.

Here, see if this link works, http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...+sets&_nkw=On30+train+sets&_sacat=0&_from=R40

No It doesn't work, just type On30 train sets there. (That is the letter O then n then the number 30.)


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## daferretboy (Sep 28, 2013)

I am looking at the On30 stuff now...seems to be pretty good detail on alot of it. Is this a pretty common size? I just want to be sure whatever I do that I can easily add to it moving forward. I never would have guessed there would be so much to consider!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

On30 will be in short supply and more expensive than the other scales. 

One thing I haven't seen is what size are the buildings in this Christmas Village?

It's really difficult to recommend a scale for the train without knowing what size buildings we're dealing with.


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## daferretboy (Sep 28, 2013)

That's the hard question to answer...the Village is made up of different makers, purchased from stores like Macy's. I looked at the boxes and they really don't put a scale on it, at least the ones I looked at. It may be helpful to take a picture with a ruler next to it. As big ed notes, the figurines are always big for the houses, so I just avoid putting them in there. I was searching the internet and found a pic with a HO in a village, and it looked at tad small, but not outrageous. I have learned this will not be a cheap investment, so I want to be sure the scale I pick will be easy to add to in the future.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Here is a site that confirms On30 or O size.

http://www.bigindoortrains.com/primer/combining_trains_n_towns/combining_trains_n_towns.htm

Now S scale would be a bit smaller then these.

I would look for a On30 size, they are out there. And in the coming months they become plentiful but watch the price take your time and shop around.

From the site I linked,
another link,
http://www.bigchristmastrains.com/christmas_rr_collectibles.htm

Collectible Christmas Trains and Towns

For maximum charm! Order now for maximum enjoyment! Hawthorne Village(tm) features a collection of "On30" trains that are designed specifically to look good with Holiday Village sets, such as those by Dept. 56, Hawthorne Village, etc. Many contain artwork and other detailing created by painters and designers such as Thomas Kinkade and Al Agnew. They are also large enough to look good around your Christmas tree. For your convenience, they run on HO track, so they will fit just about anywhere.

The Hawthorne Village trains use reliable mechanisms and other parts from Bachmann On30 trains, so they run like "champs," and service will always be available. But the Hawthorne Village designers add artwork and other detailing that make these trains much more attractive and collectable. In spite of the fact that they are limited-edition, subscription trains, they are also an excellent value (and our best sellers every Christmas season). New trains are constantly being added, as well, so check back often. Still, it's never too early to consider signing up for the one you like while it is still available.

To learn more about On30 Collectible Christmas trains, click on the picture above.


I think it will be a Christmas display? If so I think a Christmas themed train would be appropriate.
And like I said no matter what brand of the Christmas houses most are the same size.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, HO, S, and O are all in plentiful supply nowadays, especially in the US, so I'd probably stick to one of those. A couple of the houses with a ruler would be useful to get an idea of what we're dealing with.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

One problem with that site you listed Ed, they are careful not to put any prices in their listings! I'm always a bit suspicious of a place that can't list prices until I have an order placed, and then they'll "tell me later"! Sounds like our current healthcare system!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Well...you could always ask the price first. 


I have some of the houses talked about, my mother has hundreds.
No scale is going to match those exactly. I think On30 would be the way to go.

I told him to shop around, if he watches he should be able to pick up a nice Christmas train. This starts the time of the year where they come out of the wood work.

The site was mainly link as a reference for him.
It has pictures, he knows nothing about trains.

Somewhere here on the site are a few threads and pictures of the Christmas villages.
I can't find them. :dunno:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> One problem with that site you listed Ed, they are careful not to put any prices in their listings! I'm always a bit suspicious of a place that can't list prices until I have an order placed, and then they'll "tell me later"! Sounds like our current healthcare system!



If you had clicked on their link it brings you directly to the Bradford exchange who distributes them.

First one I clicked on, $209 bucks for a starter set.
http://www.bradfordexchange.com/products/1400906010_thomas-kinkade-train-set.html
I don't think that is too bad of a price.

But like I said if he shops around he might pick up a starte set cheaper.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Well the above link was for the 2008 issue?

One thing wrong is that you don't get the whole train all together it is a monthly thing.

But the main reason was to give him some reference...a starting point.

I think he could pick up a whole set with track and transformer if he shops around.

Hell John nothing is cheap today.

Buy a nice O or S or HO heck even N and look what you spend.

I think for the Village one of those On30 would be nice.
I am sure his Mom would agree. :smokin:

Edit, Nope I guess you can buy the $209 starter set I clicked purchase an it looks like you can buy it.


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## daferretboy (Sep 28, 2013)

Thanks guys, that cost doesn't deter me..I actually thought it may a bit higher. My biggest problem has been trying to find someone that could give me direction. I visited a hobby shop yesterday and felt that guy was more clueless than I was! and that is scary! It appears I still have alot of research to do, but it looks like at least now I know I should be looking at On30 or HO. Unfortunately there isn't too many places around here to go look at them, so I have to do alot of internet searching.


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## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

next tim you go to a LHS bring a couple of houses. put them next to some trains, HO/S/O
and see what you like.


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## James Stoker (May 19, 2013)

You can measure a door on a building to tell approximately what scale they are. Probably O, which is 1:48. A true O scale door should be a little over 1 1/2" tall. S scale (1:64) would have 1 1/4" high doors, HO around 1".


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## cole226 (Feb 8, 2013)

i've got a dept 56 movie theatre that is perfect with my O scale ameritowne buildings.:appl: and i have an entire set of hawthorne Eagles football village i picked up on a money owed get what u can get type deal. they are definetly more HO. looks kinda hard to pin them down.


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## The New Guy (Mar 11, 2012)

I know some of those villages purposefully skew scale, small doors and large people, on purpose. Some find it charming. whatever. You might pick up some HO and O people to see what looks best. It's the people that'll make the scene.

Best of luck with this. Remember to take some pictures once it's all together, we'd love to see what you've done.


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## cole226 (Feb 8, 2013)

if u find some of your buildings appear smaller scale than others, keep them to the back. it will add depth to the layout and make it look larger


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