N Scale Model Trains
The world of model trains is exciting and vibrant. It has a language all its own. Enthusiasts will go on at length about “Scale” and “Gauge” and it can seem very daunting at first. Model trains and their scenery can be very elaborate. It may all seem too complicated a challenge. Take heart. As model trains stake their place in your heart the language will become familiar as will the rest of the model train world.
Size and scale are a big consideration when constructing the painstakingly detailed landscaping that serves as the backdrop for the elaborate train set ups. There are numerous enthusiasts who construct the trains and miniature tracks for a multitude of reasons. The variety of set ups make it easy to find a system that you love. Trains and tracks are manufactured in several standard sizes referred to as “scale” and “gauge”. Matching scales and gauges makes sure that the trains fit the tracks. The Scale of the model train refers to the size of the pieces. The model cars are a miniature facsimile of a life sized train–or a “scaled down” version. The letters and ratio refer to the proportional size of the model as related to the life sized train.
N scale model trains are comparatively diminutive when compared to other scale trains. Of the four most favored scales, N scale model trains are the smallest. N scale is 1:160. This means that a life sized train is sixty times the size of an N scale model. HO scale is a little less than twice the size of N scale. HO means 1/87 scale. These somewhat larger train set ups are a favorite of those collectors who are short on space or who desire elaborate landscapes. N scale model trains provide a popular compromise between a high level of detail prized by enthusiasts, and a space saving size. Smaller sized layouts are more manageable and easier to accessorize. You can have more elaborate sets and still limit the space that they take up. Scenery of this smaller size looks like a wonderland when laid out around the wandering railroad tracks and cars of N scale model trains.
N scale model trains were developed and became popular in the 1960s. O and HO scale railroads, along with standard scale models, have been in existence for 100 years. The word “gauge” refers to the distance between the rails of the tracks. N scale means “nine millimeter”. The size of the track which fits a particular model train determines its gauge. The larger the distance between the rails, the higher the gauge of the model. The height of the rail is what determines the code of a set.
N scale model trains and scenery are just one small part of the world of model trains. The design of the lay out is entirely up to the builder who need not be limited to any one scale. The excitement of model trains is the same regardless of the scale or size of the model.
