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Model Train basics: Understanding Scale and Gauge

Posted on June 20, 2022

DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate We earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything through one of these links we will earn a commission.

 

What’s the difference between scale and gauge? Inb this video we sort through the differences between scale-sized and traditionally sized trains and see how equipment of widely differing scale proportions can run on the same O gauge track.

 

 

Not sure which scale/gauge to start with? Here’s a short video where we look at four of the most popular “standard gauge” railroad scales.

28 thoughts on “Model Train basics: Understanding Scale and Gauge”

  1. KUMBOR MONTENEGRO says:
    June 21, 2022 at 1:11 am

    You forgot TT scale , berween N and HO

  2. francis47 says:
    June 21, 2022 at 12:44 am

    I stand to be corrected but for me O scale is 1/43.5

  3. ChrisTTking says:
    June 20, 2022 at 11:56 pm

    I collect TT scale European prototype since 1978, I am very upset that not a lot of people heard about it and mostly the ones that heard about it deny it that exists, how can some one overlook a scale that was invented by an American?

  4. Nostromo says:
    June 20, 2022 at 11:31 pm

    S gauge is a thing, right?

  5. Paul Horn says:
    June 20, 2022 at 11:30 pm

    0 gauge, best gauge!

  6. Uyscutie 2009 says:
    June 20, 2022 at 10:59 pm

    Model railroading would replace My Trainz game

  7. Sonic&Mario64 says:
    June 20, 2022 at 10:50 pm

    G scale?

  8. Juan Silveti says:
    June 20, 2022 at 10:16 pm

    una maquina en ho cuanto cuesta aqui en mexico es dificil conseguir una gracias

  9. Aiden Sypolt says:
    June 20, 2022 at 9:30 pm

    HO scale has another variant as well. HO gauge

  10. Mary Nollaig says:
    June 20, 2022 at 9:04 pm

    You should have given track width

  11. Henry Hamann says:
    June 20, 2022 at 8:53 pm

    forgot S

  12. Error 404 says:
    June 20, 2022 at 8:33 pm

    Song name?

  13. Joker Production says:
    June 20, 2022 at 8:14 pm

    O scale is frustrating its my favorite gauge but can’t have to different scales together

  14. Bob Wieland says:
    June 20, 2022 at 7:42 pm

    So what the hell did you waste my time explaining noting

  15. Frank Garofalo says:
    June 20, 2022 at 7:39 pm

    I agree with Robert Thomas. Looks promising that was disappointing I mean there's more than just a 0 gauge tracks…indifferent scale types it would have been nice to gotten into more detail of what what the different scales are and what different kind of tracks that run on.

  16. Little Joe says:
    June 20, 2022 at 7:00 pm

    Great video!

  17. John Ramirez says:
    June 20, 2022 at 6:03 pm

    I love them all. The biggest challenge in my opinion is n scale. Anyone can do g, o, and ho. Everything is big deals are slightly easier depending on size, how, and what your doing your layout. N scale everything is so small. Harder to paint details. To me it's always about the details. I don't have a layout. I have only been collecting trains for 4 yrs. I have the last time i counted was 176 or 177. Not including railcars. Just engines. I restored more than 120 pieces. Not completely most are missing hard to find parts. such example… Have 2 ho scale lionel s both dual drive cast body, frames, and axels. Exception of the plastic truck covers. I need 4. Also a 56-59 revell sw7. I need the small driveshaft and number plate. I need a frame for a f7 i think. Rock island. Has the brass looking covers on the axels. As i were… It's always about the details. The amazing way people and groups do the layout. The length they go to make it real. N scale even the engines are harder to work on due to the small size and fingers to big.

  18. John Ramirez says:
    June 20, 2022 at 5:32 pm

    Not deals – details

  19. The Wonderful World Of Trains says:
    June 20, 2022 at 4:56 pm

    I am getting a Scale Polar Railroad k4 locomotive, would MTH Railking Christmas freight cars look okay with the locomotive, I know railking is traditional size im just very OCD on making sure everything looks good and not weird looking lol

  20. Peggy and The Green Family says:
    June 20, 2022 at 4:06 pm

    another incomplete waffle sad?

  21. Sam Mariti says:
    June 20, 2022 at 3:27 pm

    Very helpful, thanks!

  22. Tsu 800 says:
    June 20, 2022 at 2:38 pm

    The most confusing thing in model railways is Japanese N gauge because they use 1/160 scale for the bullet trains and 1/150 scale for the ordinary trains. It gets even more confusing when you consider in real life bullet trains are wide gauge bodies running on standard gauge track but ordinary trains are standard gauge bodies running on narrow gauge track but somehow miraculously they have managed to make both types of model trains fit the same track!

  23. ChrisTTking says:
    June 20, 2022 at 2:26 pm

    I collect TT 12 mm European , proportion 1:120, some call it ratio

  24. Lesco Brandon says:
    June 20, 2022 at 1:51 pm

    When i show my On3/On30 railroad to others, place an O scale and an HO scale loco alongside and ask what scale they think my railroad is, they are quite puzzled.

  25. KAY_AJ says:
    June 20, 2022 at 1:08 pm

    What is between 3 rail o scale and g scale

  26. s Buzz says:
    June 20, 2022 at 1:07 pm

    no no no help

  27. steven rowe says:
    June 20, 2022 at 12:19 pm

    You lost it after gauge, gauge is a asimple measurement
    Scale on the other hand represents and defines the dimensions the proportions of the locomotive or rolling stock plus building etc as to the sizez compared to the prototype.
    American 0 gauge is 1/48 scale and so if you divide the dimensions of the prototype by 48 this will be the scale length so if you had a wagon which was 48ft long then it would be one foot long as a model.
    Where all this comes unstuck is track gauge is not to scale.
    O gauge track has a gauge of 32mm and standard gauge prototypical track is 4ft 8 1/2 includes or in metric 1435mm.
    If you divide 1435 by 48 the result is 29.9 mm so the gauge is to wide for the scale.
    HO or half 0 gauge is 1/87 and gauge is 16.5mm and is accurate for the scale.
    British finescale 0 gauge is 1/43.5 and is more accurate although the gauge is 32mm when it actually should be 33mm and some people model S7 and use 33mm track.
    It's not only the US that gets it wrong as in the UK it's far worse.
    00 gauge is 1/76 but uses the same track as HO so the gauge is to narrow for the train.
    The correct gauge is actually 18.83mm.
    At the end of the day though let's not be to pedantic, let's have fun.

  28. Paula Rowe says:
    June 20, 2022 at 11:52 am

    Hate the music.

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