Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith Time to show you the meaning of the term: CONFUSION.... and a little lesson in SCALE vs GUAGE... 1st. Switch to Large Scale... 2nd. Time to become C-O-N-F-U-S-E-D...!!!!! Almost all trains in Large Scale operate using LGB type 45mm GUAGE track. This is ment to represent European meter gauge railroads at a SCALE of 1:22.5. NowLGB comes to America and they start making US type trains that dont run on meter gauge but did on 3' guage, so they make the US style trains but keep the scale at 1:22.5, even though at this SCALE the GAUGE is now 3'-3". Some modelers complain that they 45mm track used for a 3' narrow gauge track would yield a scale of 1:20.3, but only a few makers cater to this group. Now other makers get into the act, and produce trains that represent standard gauge 4- 8 1/2" gauge track on the same 45 mm track, giving an actual scale of 1:32 but some makers think the trains are too diminuative and "dont quite look right" at 1:32 scale so they bump up the scale of their standard guage trains to 1:29 scale so now the 1:29 SCALE trains trainslate into a roughly 4' scale GAUGE but are expected to be accepted at standard guage 4'-81/2". Now other manufacturers are at the same time making products at 1:24 scale at a scale gauge of 3'-6". Then Bachmann who was making things at 1:22.5 decides that it will make all new products at a scale 1:20.3 but they dont retool and redo their older 1:22.5 offerings, they simply "call them" 1:20.3 which leads to real confusion when you actually put a scale to the older now "upscaled" items. Now add that LGB is also producing standard gauge items at somewhere between 1:22.5 and 1:29 scale, they wont specify a "scale". And all this runs on the same 45mm track... Are we C-ON-F-U-S-E-D yet ???????????? [/quote] I agree with you there. When I first dabbled in "Large Scale" trains (often called G-Scale), I was a little confused by how the LGB stock represented both narrow gauge (Their small German steamers, coaches, etc) and standard gauge (The F7, their US freight and passenger cars...). Aristo-Craft also make stock that appears standard gauge but runs on 45mm track. To add to this, there is a scale known as "Gauge 1" from the really early days of model trains - though some manufacturers still produce kits for it - that also uses 45mm gauge track... As I understand it, "gauge" refers to the distance between the rails, while "scale" refers to the scale at which the model is constructed (3.5mm/1ft for HO, for example). I've heard the two used interchangably for a while - can't say it really annoys me. I certainly wouldn't give the response recieved by untabubba if someone used the wrong term - that kind of attitude doesn't help the hobby at all IMO.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag

Update Reply

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Model Railroader Newsletter See all

Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!

Subscriber & Member Login

Edit post

Post Body

Tags (Optional)

Subscriber & Member Login

Users Online

Search the Community