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Dreams of track layouts have been dancing through your head. For weeks, maybe months or even years, visions of that perfect model rail line snaking its way through the immaculate scenery you've devised have been coming to you in flashes of brilliance. Notebooks filled with sketches detail options that will create that perfect combination of track and scenery that match your dreams. And now it's time to put all of those plans into action. But wait. All those visions of grandeur first must be checked with a little bit of logic. What's the best way to fit your perfect track layout in the space where you are working? What size train model will most accommodate the scenery you plan to build? These questions and more lead us to the next step in preparation of your model before you actually get down to building: determining the scale you will use. First things first, let's start with a definition. Scale, in its most basic meaning, is the size of train you will use, judged in proportion to its real life counterpart. In model railroading, there are multitudes of scales available, but here we will focus on a few of the most common in use today. HO Scale HO Scale is today's most popular scale. At 1:87 (or 1/87th the size of an actual train), it is small enough to cover quite a bit of ground even on a standard 4' x 8' piece of plywood, while remaining large enough for even the biggest hands to work with comfortably. Additionally, being the most common scale also comes with the perk that there are more accessories, cars, locomotives and other equipment available than any other scale (which can also equate to the scale being, overall, a less expensive option than others). N Scale At nearly half the size of HO Scale, N Scale (1:160) is also popular with model builders that want to be able to fit more feet of track into a smaller space. And the scale does allow you to put nearly twice as much track as HO Scale in the same amount of space. With this freedom come some disadvantages, however, in that the smaller trains can be much more difficult to work with, requiring some fine tuned attention when laying track or detailing trains. Scenery can also be a task, as every building, tree and shrub must be built (and detailed) at half the size of how most modelers work. O Scale The famous Lionel Corporation played a big part in popularizing the O Scale (1:48) in America.
The mid-20th Century (and beyond) found multitudes of these bigger trains running on a three-rail alternating current (AC) track around Christmas trees during the holiday season and in the middle of living rooms the rest of the year. While the size and sound of the O Scale trains can be impressive, many collectors find the largeness a burden in layouts, requiring large spreads and imposing scenery to match the size of the trains. G Scale The O Scale's burdening bulk is seen as an advantage in the even larger G Scale (1:22.5), as it is commonly used in "Garden Railways," or models that are built in outside gardens. The outside space allows for more expansive layouts, and many modelers combine their model train hobby with a love of gardening, creating the scenery for these layouts with real plants and shrubs. The G Scale's larger size also provides for a greater durability in the increased hazards presented by running a model outdoors.
Of course, there are many other scales out there, ranging from the smallest Z Scale (1:220), the popular HO Scale (1:87), all the way up to the Large Scale (1:12). With a multitude of options, it's up to the individual model train enthusiast to decide which size best fits the vision of his or her perfect model train layout. The beauty is in the options, and what you do with them.
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==== ==== Check Out this very popular online forum specifically for Model Rainroaders. Beginners or advanced users will benifit. http://tinyurl.com/ModelTrainForum ==== ====