One Guage? And R2 and R3 curves?

[Fred Bear]

I just looked at the new MTH catalog, what is One Guage and what are R 2 and R 3 curves? thanks all, Jake

[spankybird]

Gauge 1 is 32:1 scale. It runs on G gauge track. It is very close to what Standard gauge trains are.

[ADCX Rob]

Actually, the "Large Scale" hobby has four major scales(& one minor one), all running on the same Gauge One track.  LGB is the largest at 1:22.5.  Next comes 1:24, or Half-Inch, scale.  After that is 1:29 scale (.41 inch to the foot).   And, finally, 1:32 scale (three-eighths inch to the foot).  LGB pioneered large scale model trains so originally they had the most products, but ironically they rarely offer a "scale" model.

1:20:
-Little Railways

1:22.5:
-Aster (C&S Mogul)
-Bachmann
-Chuck's Custom Cars
-D.A.N.
-Hartford Products (except SP boxcar and stock car)
-LGB
-USA Trains

1:24:
-American Model Builders
-Delton/Caledonia Express
-Hartford Products (SP boxcar and stock car)
-Kalamazoo
-Model Die Casting (caboose only)
-Precision Scale (narrow gauge only)

1:29:
-Aristocraft(some models closer to 1:32 scale)

1:32:
-Chicago Train Works
-Eastern Railways
-GHB
-Great Trains/American Standard
-Lionel
-Model Die Casting
-Precision Scale
-Roberts Lines 

Rob

[lionelsoni]

Gauge 1 is 1 3/4 inches (or 45 millimeters).  Lionel "Standard" gauge (called "wide" gauge by others) is 2 1/8 inches.

When used to represent a "standard" prototype gauge of 56.5 inches (1435 millimeters), the appropriate scale for G or 1 gauge is 1/32.  When used to represent a prototype gauge of 1 meter, the appropriate scale for G or 1 gauge is about 1/22.5.

[Anonymous]

Actually, the most popular modeling scales under the umbrella "Large Scale" are from largest to smallest): 1:20.3 (Accucraft, Bachmann); 1:22.5 (LGB); 1:24 (Hartland); 1:29 (Aristo-Craft, USA Trains); and 1:32 (MTH and Marklin).

The manufacturers I listed above are only what might be considered the mass-market firms--the ones that are generally considered the most popular brands in those respective scales.  There are a number of other manufacturers, and in some cases even those manufacturers listed also produce trains in one or more of the other Large Scale scales (Bachmann and Aristo, for example).

Large Scale takes a bit of getting used to if you're new to that segment of the hobby.  For example, 1:20.3 scale is generally used to represent U.S, narrow gauge prototypes operating on a three-foot track gauge.  They are fairly large models.  On the other hand, 1:32 is the correct scale for U.S. standard gauge prototypes operating on a four-foot, eight-and-one-half-inch travk gauge.  These models are considerably small than 1:20.3 models, although the prototypes each represents would be exactly the opposite (for example, a standard gauge prototype steam locomotive is usually far more massive is size than a narrow gauge steamer with the same wheel configuration).  To really grasp this notion, one needs to see a narrow gauge locomotive parked alongside a standard gauge locomotive--there are many photo examples in books and even online).

All of these Large Scale trains, regardless of manufacturer, operate on a 45mm track gauge (also known as #1 gauge--originally so designated by Marklin).  You can, for example, operate any of the trains named above on LGB track, regardless of the scale of the train itself, and assuming you have curves wide enough to handle the particular item you're operating.

R2 curves are the tightest-radius commercially made curves offered in Large Scale.  They form a circle approximately four-feet in diameter, and are what come packaged with most Large Scale starter sets.  Higher numbers indicate wider-radius curves.  As it is with any scale in model railroading, it's always best to go with the widest possible radius, although manufacturers take great steps to assure that many or most of their trains will operate on the tightest possible curves (R2 in this case).  They recognize that even those with garden railroads are often enough restricted by the space they have available.