Modelers have many scales to select from when building their model railroad layout. Scale refers to the ratio between prototype and model. For example, on an HO Scale or 1:87 model railroad layout, rolling stock, scenery and buildings will be 1/87 the size of the prototype, or real life size. The most popular model railroad scale today is HO Scale, or 1:87. The smaller scales are N scale (1:160) and Z scale (1:220) and are ideal scales to use where you have a limited amount of space in which to build your layout. On an N scale layout everything would be 1/160 the size of full scale, and on a Z scale layout, things would be 1/220 the size of full scale. The smaller scales call for better vision and hand eye coordination when assembling buildings and working on rolling stock. The larger model railroad scales are S Scale (1:64), O scale (1:48) and G scale (1:24). Many of the old Lionel trainsets of the 50's and 60's were O scale, and today O scale is still a very popular scale in model railroading. G scale is known as Garden Scale and is extremely popular for outdoor model railroad layouts where it is easy to keep the natural scenery in proportion to the rolling stock. Garden Railroad Clubs are very popular and have sprouted up across the country in large numbers. Garden railroad are ideal for a husband and wife to share the same hobby. One can tend to the plants and the other the railroad. There is also a new breed of garden centers which make available plants and shrubs sized just right for the G scale Garden Railroads. The term scale and gauge do not have the same meaning. Scale refers to the size of objects in proportion to their prototype. Gauge refers to the distance between the rails. Most scales model standard gauge track. Standard gauge railroads are those whose rails are 4 feet 8 and one half inches apart. Those modelers that model 3' gauge, or narrow gauge railroads use a combination of scales and gauges. For instance, you can model narrow gauge using HO scale. It is called HOn3. The HO refers to the scale and the "n" refers to narrow gauge and the "3" refers to 3' between the rails. The only thing that sets HOn3 apart from HO is that the 10.5mm gauge track it uses is not as wide. You can also model O scale, N scale and S scale as narrow gauge. They are called On3, Nn3 and Sn3. Again, the only thing that differentiates them from their parent scale is the use of narrow gauge track. It is possible to use 30" gauge track (30 inches between the rails) and 2' gauge track (24" between the rails). Some popular scale/gauge combinations are On30 and On2. There are also even larger scales such as 1:12, 1:8 and 1:4. These would be used on park rides and on live steam layouts where you actually ride on the rolling stock. By: Greg Chadwick Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com For a comprehensive listing of model railroad websites please visit Model Railroads .Net

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When you get into model railroading, you quickly learn about model train scales. Every model train that is produced has a scale letter associated with it, such as: HO, O and so forth. The scale lets you know how true to life it is and more importantly, the physical size of the train itself. The scale refers to the size in comparison with the real thing. For example, 1:220 means the real version of the model train is 220 times larger. If you are a newcomer to model trains, the amount of space will be the first factor in determining which scale to go with. For the hardcore model railroader, mixing scales is a great joy when space permits. Let's take a look at some of the model train scales and minimum space requirements. Z Scale trains are 1:220, which means they are very small. I call these "cute" trains and they are perfect for those with an extremely limited space. As with any scale, you can expand the layout as large as you want to go. Next up is the N Scale, which is 1:160. N scale trains are semi-popular and are great if you want your focus to be on your layout and not the train itself. They are small as well, so you can fit these trains into minimal space. HO Scale model trains are 1:87 and the most popular scale of model train with model railroaders. They offer a good level of detail and allow you to fit a nice size track into an average size space. I like HO scale trains because they blend in great with any type scenery and you get a good balance as a result. The O Scales, my favorite, are 1:48 and very popular as well. Lionel has been making great O scale model trains for many decades. These model trains are larger and require a good amount of space for a proper layout. It is possible to setup a small oval track in about a 5-foot by 5-foot area. Although the track will seem small because of the train's size, it is better than nothing. If your layout is smaller, the O scale train will dominate the view. There are a couple other scales, such as S and G, but these are the main ones I choose to discuss in this article. Only you can decide which scale is right for you. Some, with limited space, prefer the O scale model trains, even though they dominate the layout, because of their detail and size. O scale trains are "meatier" and are really great for pacifying the children. All trains have a variance in quality so one scale is not necessarily more expensive than another. Although, I have found O scale model life to be a little bit pricier. You really can't go wrong with model railroading. It is highly rewarding and wholesome. In the end, you might find yourself collecting model trains across the entire scale spectrum. Get out there and ride the rails! http://www.modelrailroadstation.com is the place to come for info about model trains! About the Author Guy Scott is a Photographer and entrepreneur that is currently traveling the country by truck.

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Modelers have many scales to select from when building their model railroad layout. Scale refers to the ratio between prototype and model. For example, on an HO Scale or 1:87 model railroad layout, rolling stock, scenery and buildings will be 1/87 the size of the prototype, or real life size. The most popular model railroad scale today is HO Scale, or 1:87. The smaller scales are N scale (1:160) and Z scale (1:220) and are ideal scales to use where you have a limited amount of space in which to build your layout. On an N scale layout everything would be 1/160 the size of full scale, and on a Z scale layout, things would be 1/220 the size of full scale. The smaller scales call for better vision and hand eye coordination when assembling buildings and working on rolling stock. The larger model railroad scales are S Scale (1:64), O scale (1:48) and G scale (1:24). Many of the old Lionel trainsets of the 50's and 60's were O scale, and today O scale is still a very popular scale in model railroading. G scale is known as Garden Scale and is extremely popular for outdoor model railroad layouts where it is easy to keep the natural scenery in proportion to the rolling stock. Garden Railroad Clubs are very popular and have sprouted up across the country in large numbers. Garden railroad are ideal for a husband and wife to share the same hobby. One can tend to the plants and the other the railroad. There is also a new breed of garden centers which make available plants and shrubs sized just right for the G scale Garden Railroads. The term scale and gauge do not have the same meaning. Scale refers to the size of objects in proportion to their prototype. Gauge refers to the distance between the rails. Most scales model standard gauge track. Standard gauge railroads are those whose rails are 4 feet 8 and one half inches apart. Those modelers that model 3' gauge, or narrow gauge railroads use a combination of scales and gauges. For instance, you can model narrow gauge using HO scale. It is called HOn3. The HO refers to the scale and the "n" refers to narrow gauge and the "3" refers to 3' between the rails. The only thing that sets HOn3 apart from HO is that the 10.5mm gauge track it uses is not as wide. You can also model O scale, N scale and S scale as narrow gauge. They are called On3, Nn3 and Sn3. Again, the only thing that differentiates them from their parent scale is the use of narrow gauge track. It is possible to use 30" gauge track (30 inches between the rails) and 2' gauge track (24" between the rails). Some popular scale/gauge combinations are On30 and On2. There are also even larger scales such as 1:12, 1:8 and 1:4. These would be used on park rides and on live steam layouts where you actually ride on the rolling stock. By: Greg Chadwick Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com For a comprehensive listing of model railroad websites please visit Model Railroads .Net

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