Model Trains and Accessories Collecting

H0 scale (HO scale in North America, Japan, and Australia) is the most popular scale of model railway in most of the English-speaking and non English-speaking world (in the United Kingdom, 00 gauge?with trains built to a larger scale but using the same track as H0?predominates). In H0 scale, represents 1 real foot; this ratio works out to about 1:87.086. In H0, rails are usually spaced 16.5 mm apart which models the standard railroad gauge of .

0 scale (or 0 gauge) is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading. Originally introduced by German toy manufacturer Märklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current 0 gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the United States and remained so until the early 1960s. In Europe, its popularity declined before World War II due to the introduction of smaller scales. Britain stuck to a lower voltage direct current.

0 gauge had its heyday when model railroads were considered toys, with more emphasis placed on cost, durability, and the ability to be easily handled and operated by pre-adult hands. Detail and realism were secondary concerns, at best.

In the United States, 0 gauge is written "O gauge" with the letter "O" and is pronounced as "Oh gauge". It remains a popular choice for hobbyists who enjoy running trains more than they enjoy other aspects of modeling, and collecting vintage O gauge trains is also popular. A number of changes in recent years have addressed the concerns of scale model railroaders, making O scale more popular.

Conversely, in the United Kingdom 0 gauge is popular among fine-scale modellers who prefer to make perfect models than run trains. 00 gauge, because of its low price and high availability, is the choice for those who prefer running their trains to intricately detailing them.

TT scale is a niche model railroading scale, whose name stands for Table Top. Its 1:120 scale (from a common engineering scale where one inch equals ten feet) and 12 mm gauge sizes it almost halfway between HO scale (1:87) and N scale (1:160). Its original purpose, like the name suggests, was to make a train small enough to be able to assemble and operate it on a tabletop. In wargaming the TT scale equals the 15 mm scale where the height of "standard" 180 cm soldier height is 15 mm.

TT retains a comparatively small but growing popularity in the former East Germany, Eastern Europe and in the United Kingdom. Adherents to TT maintain it is the smallest practical scale, especially for those who like to build models from scratch.

Z scale (1:220) is one of the smallest commercially available model railway scales with a track gauge of 6.5 mm. Z scale trains operate on 0-8 VDC and offer the same operating characteristics as all other two-track, direct-current, analog model railways. Some of the newer Z scale locomotives feature Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders.

"S Scale" is a model railroad term referring to a proportional size of 1:64 (or 3/16" = 1'-0").

This term is often used interchangeably with "S Gauge".

Strictly speaking, scale is the relation of the size of a model to that of its prototype, and gauge is simply the distance between the railheads.

However, within the modeling community the terms "Scale" and "Gauge" seem to have taken on very specific connotations. In many cases, the original "toy" trains were built of plated & lithographed tin and/or thick printed cardstock, making use of oversized wheels & couplings and running on track sections that were designed more for ease of use and robust service rather than pure fidelity of reproduction. Small or delicate details were often represented as simple graphics on the models or even omitted altogether. This style of modeling enjoys a large and enthusiastic following to this day, with a brisk trade in both vintage and contemporary models. Many annual public events are held to promote and proudly display fine examples of the genre. These "tinplate" works and displays are most often (rightly or wrongly) associated with the term "S Gauge", perhaps because many of the early firms marketed their wares using this specific phrase.

As production methods and consumer tastes changed over the years, more accurately detailed models were made available by manufacturers and constructed by enthusiasts. In an effort to distinguish these efforts from the "tinplate" products, the term "S Scale" has been adopted by the adherents of this "higher fidelity" approach. Examples of scale works are seen at many shows every year but, it must be honestly noted, there are fewer modelers in the 1:64 proportion than almost any other. This means fewer models on display than in the remaining, arguably more popular, scales followed within the hobby.

Neither approach to this facet of model railroading is incorrect or less worthy of pursuit. In spite of this, the S modeling community often appears fractured and divisive to newcomers. Factions focusing on modern diesel, early steam, narrow gauge, standard gauge, "scale", and "tinplate" all exist within 1:64. There are simply fewer 1:64 modelers to populate each of these interest groups. Given the low population base, commercial manufacturers typically treat this as a niche market and offer an understandably limited range of low volume (higher price) products to choose from. The economics of the situation can force modelers into building their own objects of desire from basic raw materials, which has given rise to the belief that S is purely a scratchbuilder's scale. It must be said that there are several manufacturers that offer ready-to-run items of high quality and reasonable price in 1:64; seemingly more now than ever in the past.

Gauge 1 (also referred to as Gauge One) is a model railroading and toy train standard, popular in the early 20th century, particularly with European manufacturers. Its track measures 1.75 inches (44.45 mm), making it larger than 0 gauge but slightly smaller than wide gauge, which came to be the dominant U.S. standard during the 1920s.

No 1 gauge was standardised, according to Model Railways and Locomotive magazine of August 1909 at 1 3/4" or 44.75 mm. The distance between the wheel tyres at 1 17/32" or 39 mm and between the centre of the track 48mm (no inch equivalent suggesting it was metric users requirement only). The wheel width was set at 19/64" or 7.5 mm.

Interestingly gauge, rather than scale, seems to be used more in the early days. For the record the four gauges for which standards were adopted were No. 0 (commonly called O gauge nowadays), No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3.

Initially popular in the United States as in the UK, 1 gauge lost popularity in the USA due to World War I, which dramatically decreased foreign imports, allowing the U.S. wide gauge standard to gain traction. After the WW I, most surviving U.S. manufacturers switched to wide gauge. In the UK and the rest of the world 1 gauge also declined, although more slowly, and by the 1940s had practically disappeared.

In the 1950s and 1960s 1 gauge experienced a renascence, first in the UK and then elsewhere. This was helped by 1 gauge being the same size as the modern G scale, a popular standard for outdoor model railroads.

Although vintage 1 gauge trains use the same track standard as modern G scale, scale modeling was not a primary design consideration in 1 gauge's heyday, so the actual size and scale of the locomotives and cars varied. Generally, 1 gauge equipment worked out to approximately Category: 1:32 scale - . G scale at 1:22.5 means the 1 gauge track represents narrow gauge track. Such railways are to be found in, among other places, in Switzerland, the inspiration source for many commercial G gauge models.

By comparison, 1 gauge's Category: 1:32 scale - makes it nearly three times the dimensions of modern HO scale, the most popular size today.

Due to the size of the locomotives it is possible for them to be powered with live steam, which to many is a large advantage as they are cheaper than traditional live steam garden railroads. These are usually fired by gas or methylated spirit, which are both very popular. Another form, which is becoming popular is coal, which gives the user the unforgettable smell that only steam locomotives carry.

Accucraft Trains [http://www.accucraft.com/] in California, The Gauge One Model Railway Company [http://www.g1m.co.uk/index.html] in Britain, and Aster Hobbies Ltd [http://www.asterhobby.com/] in Japan produce gauge 1 items, mostly coal and meths fired.

Wrightway Rolling Stock [http://www.wrightwayrollingstock.com] produce a range of quality coaches for British outline Gauge 1 railways and a range of cars for North American and European outline railways. They can supply from their range or custom build. Some of the range is available in 10mm scale.

Märklin, in Germany, also produces two different lines of 1 gauge equipment, one cheaper, made of tin plate metal, and less detailed than their premier line, which is super-detailed and expensive.

There are many producers of gauge 1 items in the USA and the UK; see the Gauge 1 model railway association website listed below under "External links" [http://www.gaugeone.org/Links.htm].

0 scale (or 0 gauge) is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading. Originally introduced by German toy manufacturer Märklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current 0 gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the United States and remained so until the early 1960s. In Europe, its popularity declined before World War II due to the introduction of smaller scales. Britain stuck to a lower voltage direct current.

0 gauge had its heyday when model railroads were considered toys, with more emphasis placed on cost, durability, and the ability to be easily handled and operated by pre-adult hands. Detail and realism were secondary concerns, at best.

In the United States, 0 gauge is written "O gauge" with the letter "O" and is pronounced as "Oh gauge". It remains a popular choice for hobbyists who enjoy running trains more than they enjoy other aspects of modeling, and collecting vintage O gauge trains is also popular. A number of changes in recent years have addressed the concerns of scale model railroaders, making O scale more popular.

Conversely, in the United Kingdom 0 gauge is popular among fine-scale modellers who prefer to make perfect models than run trains. 00 gauge, because of its low price and high availability, is the choice for those who prefer running their trains to intricately detailing them.