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What is the scale of HO trains?

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
What is the scale of HO trains?
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 2, 2003 4:08 PM
I am building an HO scale train layout and I want to reproduce my house, but I don't know the exact scale of HO. It's a one for what scale? And how tall is a real train (in feet)?
  • Member since
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  • From: US
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Posted by tomwatkins on Sunday, February 2, 2003 4:27 PM
HO is 1/87th actual size. The height of a locomotive or rolling stock will vary depending on type.
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    January 2001
  • From: US
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Posted by BNSFNUT on Sunday, February 2, 2003 10:06 PM
The best way I found to build any thing in HO scale is with an ruler marked in HO feet and inches. Just take the prototype dimention and musure your material with the scale rule.
Your hobby shop can get you the ruler that you need. I have one made of metal that I have used for about 20 yrs.

There is no such thing as a bad day of railfanning. So many trains, so little time.

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    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 2:28 PM
3.5 milimeters equals one prototype foot (12-in).
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  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
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Posted by dknelson on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 3:31 PM
the metal scale ruler is very good and I strongly advice having one
There is also a clear flexible plastic scale ruler that is helpful.
Sometimes you will hear people say that 1/8" to the foot is "good enough." It would not be anywhere good enough for cars or locomotives or track but it might be a decent rule of thumb for trees, hills, river, and maybe very large buildings, so long as the doors were built to accurate scale (otherwise it would be like Alice in Wonderland trying to fit in the shrinking door)
David Nelson

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