Congratulations! You have decided to get involved in the hobby of model railways. You really want to build your first train layout, but you don’t know what scale to select for modeling. The scale you choose to model will be determined by the amount of space you have allocated for your design.
The term model railroaders use to describe real-life railroads is “prototype.” “Scale” is the comparative ratio of the measurements of the model and the full-size prototype it represents. Prototype railways are considered to be 1:1 and models are scaled down from this ratio. The other aspect of the size of a model is the “gauge”. This refers to the size of the space between the rails of the track. There has to be consistency in the hobby so that manufacturers can produce products that meet the needs of their customers.
The two smallest scales are Z and N. A full size fifty foot locomotive is 2 ¾ inches. People have built model railroads inside coffee tables and briefcases using Z scale trains. The N scale has become very popular for modeling over the last decade or so. The ratio for the N scale is 1:160. Many manufacturers have increased their product lines to meet the growing needs of N-scale railroaders.
The most popular scale for modeling is the HO scale. A 50 foot locomotive is only 7 inches long if done in Ho scale. Most manufacturers have HO scale product lines, so buying whatever piece of equipment you want to model shouldn’t be a problem. Many basic starter train sets come in HO scale, so this is likely what you decide to model anyway.
The next two sizes are S scale and O scale. The S scale was popularized by the American Flyer line of model trains. S Scale is still being produced by various manufacturers. The O scale is very popular and is classified in the “toy train” category. The O scale track has a third rail that runs down the middle of the track. The O scale is 1:48 of the prototype. The 50 foot locomotive will be 12 ½ inches long in O scale. Lionel is a well known brand that makes products for O Scale.
The larger scales used in the model railway hobby are classified as “large scale trains”. There are a few different scales that come under this category. All models in the large-scale train classification run on Gauge 1 track. For a ratio of 1:29, the 50-foot locomotive measures 20 ¾ inches. Large-scale trains are perfect for running outdoors in what modelers call backyard railways. They are also popular at Christmas to run under a decorated Christmas tree.
Since you are interested in building your first model railroad, you will probably select to build an N scale or HO scale layout. Both scales have more than enough products to back them up. Beginner HO scale layouts can be built on a 4 x 8 foot plywood table, while an N scale layout can be built on a hollow core door. N scale would be a great choice if you want to run trains with more rolling stock (freight cars or passenger cars) and/or want to model a realistic mountainous landscape. Due to its small size, the N scale will allow you to have a landscape proportional to the trains that run through it.
Whichever scale you decide to model at, you will be able to build a nice model railway layout. Remember, model railways are a fun hobby. You’ll learn a lot along the way and have fun doing it!