# Scale mileage



## socalnscaler (Sep 28, 2014)

I divided 5,280 by 148 (what I understand to be official N scale) and came up with 35 + change:

Would that be 35 inches, or would that be 3.5 feet? :dunno: 

(For HO I got 60 + change.)

Thanks.


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## Howard1975 (Jan 6, 2014)

Here in North America and Continental Europe, N scale is 1:160 the size of the real thing. In the UK, the scale is 1:148, due to trying to get electric motors in their tiny steam models. The British loading gauge is narrower, then most other countries. And in Japan, most of the N scale models for the Japanese home market are to the 1:150 scale, except for the Shinkansen high speed trains (bullet trains), which are modeled in 1:160 scale. All are on the same track gauge of 9 mm. 

In HO scale, it's normally 1:87.1 in North America, and 1:87 in Europe. But for 00 scale in the UK it's modeled at 1:76th scale, while in Japan, HO scale is normally 1:80th scale. All on the same track gauge of 16.5 mm. 

And for O scale, in the UK it is commonly 1:43.5 or 7 mm to the foot, in continental Europe and Japan it is commonly 1:45, though 1:43.5 is also used particularly in France, and in the USA it's 1:48. The track gauge in Europe is normally 32 mm (1.26 in). While in North America it's 1.25 in (31.75 mm). 

It's all complicated if you don't research the historical reasons for this. I know this information because I'm basically interested in all types of trains, worldwide. 

Anyway to answer your question:

For N scale as practiced in North America, it's 33 feet. Because 5280/160=33

For HO scale, In 1:87.1 scale, that is 5280 / 87.1 = 60 feet.


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## socalnscaler (Sep 28, 2014)

Howard1975 said:


> Here in North America and Continental Europe, N scale is 1:160 the size of the real thing. In the UK, the scale is 1:148, due to trying to get electric motors in their tiny steam models. The British loading gauge is narrower, then most other countries. And in Japan, most of the N scale models for the Japanese home market are to the 1:150 scale, except for the Shinkansen high speed trains (bullet trains), which are modeled in 1:160 scale. All are on the same track gauge of 9 mm.
> 
> In HO scale, it's normally 1:87.1 in North America, and 1:87 in Europe. But for 00 scale in the UK it's modeled at 1:76th scale, while in Japan, HO scale is normally 1:80th scale. All on the same track gauge of 16.5 mm.
> 
> ...



I didn't realize that N scale was 1:160. 

In any case, it makes sense that it's 33 feet.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

FYI: here's a link to the thread on this forum that deals with sizes/scales:

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=15015


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

socalnscaler said:


> I divided 5,280 by 148 (what I understand to be official N scale) and came up with 35 + change:
> 
> Would that be 35 inches, or would that be 3.5 feet? :dunno:
> 
> ...


I bet that if you had given this a little thought you would have come up with the correct answer.

Since the 5,280 is in feet the answer will be in feet (the 148 has no units).


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

fcwilt said:


> I bet that if you had given this a little thought you would have come up with the correct answer.
> 
> Since the 5,280 is in feet the answer will be in feet (the 148 has no units).


Basic math. You always transfer all units all the way through your equations. If you divide feet by a number, your result is feet.

If you divide or multiply two numbers that have different units, you keep both those unit.

Examples:

5280 feet / 160 = 33 feet

100 miles / 10 hours = 10 miles/hour

You can't put feet into an equation and come out with an answer in inches unless you also specifically do a proper conversion that cancels out the units ( x 12 inches/feet).


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

cv_acr said:


> Basic math. You always transfer all units all the way through your equations. If you divide feet by a number, your result is feet.


Yes indeed - basic math.

I would like think had the OP given it some thought it would have become clear.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

On the other hand, him starting a thread like this has brought the topic to the forefront, which will in all likely-hood be beneficial to the membership......which is what a forum like this should be about....:thumbsup:


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## gator do 65 (Jan 27, 2014)

*Scale conversion*

I stumbled on this site "scale conversion calculator" it covers everything!

http://webpages.charter.net/sinkwich/sdventure/html/sd_scalecalc2.htm


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Thanks for the heads up! That's really helpful! :smilie_daumenpos:


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