Scale comparison

[sour rails]

     Hey all, I was just wondering the other day.  If I have a large scale layout that depicted real size, what would N or Z scale be on the large scale layout?I don't know all the scale dimentions, otherwise, I would try to calculate it myself.
Thanks for any info.

[fieromike]

     Hey all, I was just wondering the other day.  If I have a large scale layout that depicted real size, what would N or Z scale be on the large scale layout?I don't know all the scale dimentions, otherwise, I would try to calculate it myself.
Thanks for any info.

Z scale=1/220:1
N scale=1/160:1 (American)
N scale=1/150:1 (Japanese)
HO scale=1/87:1
S scale=1/64:1
O scale=1/48:1
Large scale varies from 1/29:1 to 1/32:1 or thereabouts...

Have fun!
Mike

[ebtnut]

By my rough calculations, Z scale trains would be 1" scale compared to Large (1:20.3) scale, while N would equate to 1 1/2" scale.  Both of those scales are used by live steam modelers.

[sour rails]

     So basicly, on a large scale layout, one could also run an N scale (representing a large scale train on the layout).  But the Z scale would represent a smaller scale.

Did I understand it correctly?

[ebtnut]

Well, you could operate a Large scale layout and run the smaller scale equipment, though as I indicated they would represent scales that are used by live steam types outdoors.  A model representing a Large scale train as compared to the prototype size for the 1:20.3 model would, again based on my rough calcualtions, would have to be in 1:384 scale for the proper relationship.  That's about half-again smaller than Z.  Hope that's clear.

[sour rails]

  Thanks,  That does sound a little better than the first way I understood it.

[SteamGene]

I've seen an HO module that has a Z scale train running in a train museum as a live steam "amusement park" train.  It works visually. 
Gene

[Jake]

^Well, I must say, that IS creative!

[Santa Fe buff]

I read in Model Railroading magizine a measurement scale, you might find one- but fieromike had the exact answer. Fieromike, is there two types of HO? I heard there's HO2. Cause' Hot wheels cars are likely to be HO2 if HO2 exsits. Because hot wheels cars are somehow bigger then the 1:87 scale. Just Post it under this reply.

[SteamGene]

There IS only one HO scale.  There ARE at least two HO gauges: standard and narrow.  As a rule, the narrow is HOn3, meaning HO scale, three foot gauge. 
Gene

[Santa Fe buff]

Thanks SteamGene, just woundering if there was a different HO.
Thanks.

[ebtnut]

Yeah, one of my pet peeves is the casual use of "scale" vs. "gauge"  Gauge is the distance between the railheads.  In the prototype it can be anywhere from 15" to 7 feet.  Standard gauge is, of course, 4' 8 1/2".  Narrow gauges are anything less than that.  After the 1880's, there was virtually no "broad" gauge in the U.S.  There were(and still are) broader gauges in other parts of the world. 

Scale is the reduction from the prototype, i.e., 1:160 is N scale; 1:87 is HO scale; 1:48 is O scale, etc.  As with the prototype, you can have multiple gauges within the scale--On2, On30, On3, etc. 

[r.cprmier]

EBNUT has it zeroed in nicely; just remember, there IS a difference between scale and gauge.  Correctly applied, gauge doesn't neccessarily apply to scale; however, scale is the correct proportion between what you have and the real thing:
as in "O": scale:  It would take forty eight J-1 new Haven mikes in O scale, lined up elephant style, to match the length of one New Haven J-1 Mike. 

Gauge, as has been inferred, is the width of the track-as in HOn3 would be three HO-scale feet between the rails, as would also be in O scale; three O-scale feet between the rails.  Dig?

RIch

[Tom Lapointe]

They say a picture is worth 1000 words...



For further consideration -

the LITTLE engine in the photo is N scale (standard gauge)...

the BIG engine is 1:20.3 (F) scale narrow (3 ft.) gauge...

So if built to the same scale, the N scale 4-4-0 would be LARGER  (since it's a model of a standard gauge locomotive0 than the F scale (narrow gauge) loco!



(& before somone comments, excuse the dust - this was a little-used area of my small indoor Large Scale layout!).                                       Tom

[Yampa Bob]

Tom
My compliments to you on the excellent photography, and courteous posting of small images.  They loaded instantly.  I just checked the properties of the images, and they are right on.  (right click, "properties")

Did you read my thread on "Image Management" in this section by any chance?

If not then you already had it figured out. 

Thank you for sharing and caring.

Bob