1:24 scale garden train the same as G scale?

[scootsmo]

My uncle has bought a 1:24 scale garden train. I have bought a g scale crossing gate with track for a present, but now I have heard that they are not the same. Is this True? Will this work for him? Thanks so much if you can help me!

[Hamish K]

G scale is an ambigous term. Some use it to refer to 1:22.5 scale running on 45mm gauge track, however more generally it is used for any narrow gauge (and sometimes standrd gauge) running on 45mm gauge track, including 1:24 scale. The common factor is the track gauge of 45mm which is used for both 1:22.5 and 1:24 (and others). The scale difference between a 1:22.5 crossing and a 1:24 train is unlikely to be particularly noticeable.

Hamish

[scottychaos]

My uncle has bought a 1:24 scale garden train. I have bought a g scale crossing gate with track for a present, but now I have heard that they are not the same. Is this True? Will this work for him? Thanks so much if you can help me!

they are not the same..
but as far as the crossing gates working with the train, they are exactly the same!

the gates will work fine..

"G-scale" means 1/22.5 scale.
But it is often used, incorrectly, in a generic sense, to mean "Large Scale"..
"Large Scale" is the correct generic term that means "any of several scales of model trains that all run on 45mm track"

"G scale" is properly only 1/22.5 scale, which is Meter gauge on 45mm track.

I just made this chart today! seriously:
http://gold.mylargescale.com/scottychaos/Large-scale-scales2.gif

for a discussion here:
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/23/postid/65298/view/topic/Default.aspx

It is correct to say:

1:13.7 scale garden train is the same as Large Scale.
1:20.3 Fn3 scale garden train is the same as Large Scale.
1:22.5 G scale garden train is the same as Large Scale.
1:24 scale garden train is the same as Large Scale.
1:29 scale garden train is the same as Large Scale.
1:32 scale garden train is the same as Large Scale.

Those are all "Large Scale"..but only one is "G scale"
as for "G scale" it is only correct to say:

1:22.5 scale garden train is the same as G Scale.

Scot

[Hamish K]

"G" scale was a term invented for advertising purposes by LGB. Their early trains were 1:22.5 scale running on 45mm gauge track representing metre gauge prototypes. The correct (european) term was IIm (II scale is 1:22.5, m means running on metre gauge track) and IIm appeared on early LGB boxes. However LGB used "G"cale for promotional purposes and applied it to items that were not 1:22.5 scale such as USA standard gauge prototypes and others. As LGB invented the term and applied it to any item they made that ran on 45mm gauge track whatever the scale I think the broader use ofTG should be accepted. Personally I prefer to use large scale and the particular scale.


The point for scootsmo and others to note is that all Large Scale uses the same track but that scales differ. Generally items in a relatively close scale e.g. 1;20.3, 1:22.5 and 1:24 will probably look OK together, but whether they do is up to each individual to decide.

Hamish