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Trains, Accessories, Books, Catalogs & Videos
or those just starting out, knowing where to start a model railway isn't
always easy. There are many choices of models and more than 60 different scales.
Selecting a scale to use will probably be your first decision. How do you know
which is the best choice? Cost, available space and personal preference all play
a part in determining which scale will be right for you.
Much confusion surrounds model railway scales, the names given to those scales,
and the various track gauges that can be modeled in each scale, so let's clarify
the terms SCALE and GAUGE. SCALE refers to the size or ratio of the model compared to the full size item
(i.e. A real-world construction vehicle 30 feet (9.14 meters) long scaled to 1:55,
would be 1/55th actual size or 6.55 inches (16.64 centimeters) long.) GAUGE is the word or abbreviation used as a shorthand label to identify a model
track gauge. For example, a track gauge of 1-3/4 inches (45mm) is traditionally
called Gauge 1, but could be called Fn3 if it was used to represent 3 foot narrow
gauge in F Scale.
Even more confusion comes from mixing the words SCALE and GAUGE. For example HO
is the name of both a scale (HO Scale) and a gauge (HO Gauge) of model train track.
Some writers use the word GAUGE when they mean SCALE, and vice-versa.
Standard gauge track has a distance of 2.26" between running rails. There
probably never was an official Standard scale because the peak popularity of this
gauge predated widespread interest in scale model railroading. It was the premier
toy train gauge from World War I through the early 1930s.
Lionel coined the term Standard gauge and claimed the exclusive rights to its use.
Both American Flyer and Ives also manufactured trains with this track configuration,
but referred to them as Wide gauge. By the turn of the 1940s, Standard gauge toy
trains had all but vanished from the scene.
The most common commercially available scales for model trains in North America
are named:
Z (1:220 ratio), N (1:160),
HO (1:87), S (1:64),
O (1:48), and G (1:22.6) scales.
G Scale is only one of seven so-called "Large Scales" that have
scale ratios running between 1:13.5 and 1:32.
Information on collecting model trains:
Trains.com
This is the online home to five railroading-related magazines. Whether you go there to read the
latest railroad news or to explore the hobby of model trains, they have something for...
How to Collect Antique Model Trains
Collecting model trains gives adults and children alike a great sense of history and a lot of fun.
Lionel and a handful of smaller companies manufactured the first model trains distributed in America.
Check here for a rundown...
Model Train Collectors Don't Always Operate Their Train
They might sound pretty similar, but the fact is there is a difference between model train enthusiasts and
model train collectors. It may be minor, but it does exist! Find out what a collector is usually more interested in...
Model Train Collecting
Great Model Railroad Site for anyone interested in model trains, model railroad layout,
model railroad scenery, and buying and selling model trains. Model Trains are now collected
very seriously, and here you will find articles written about buying and selling model trains and other
collectibles. You will also find information on...
How to Display a Model Train Collection
The model train has brought hours of enjoyment to millions of people around the world. But when you are done
playing with the model trains, you don't want to just stuff it under your bed. Find out how to design and build
a model train display in even the smallest room of your house by reading this article...
Model Trains FAQ's
Here is a listing of frequently asked questions and general information concerning the collection,
operation and repair of collectible model railroad equipment...
Vintage Model Trains - Collector Information | The Collectors Weekly
Model trains first became popular when department store owners incorporated them into Christmas
displays in the 1920s, and they have been a fixture of childhood, and beyond, ever since. Visit this site to see
what vintage model train collectors and hobbyists tend to do...
Wishing there was a particular collectible model train for sale at Phil's Fills?
I just might have it!
* Free shipping does not apply to 1/18 scale items.
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or those just starting out, knowing where to start a model railway isn't
always easy. There are many choices of models and more than 60 different scales.
Selecting a scale to use will probably be your first decision. How do you know
which is the best choice? Cost, available space and personal preference all play
a part in determining which scale will be right for you.
are named: