Model Trains - Joy For All Ages.

Age is not a facet that conventionally separates people who are into model trains with the rest of the people in general, it can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age.

In this small article what we try to give the reader is a smallintroduction to model trains so that you grasp plenty about the hobby and railroading in general to know what to look for, and what to look at next.

You see model trains come in a lot of sizes and these are called "scales" or "gauges".

The correct term for the size of a train is the scale of the train, some people however refer to trains with regard the gauge which is in fact the width of the track not the size of the trains themselves.


For instance N Scale trains are frequently called N Gauge, whereas something such as O Scale trains are most commonly referred to as O Scale not O Gauge.


The scale of model trains means just that - it refers to the scale or ratio that the train has compared with the real thing.

See the following list for the different scales and their respective ratios:

G scale - 1:22.5

O Scale - 1:48

S scale - 1:64

OO Scale - 1:74

HO Scale - 1:87

N Scale - 1:160





There are other sizes or ratios of model trains, but these are the main scales and the ones I would recommend buying as you will be sure to find the model trains to suit your preference within these scales.


If you pick an obscure train scale to start off with then you may find that it is difficult to find things that you want for your hobby.


Most people buy HO Scale model trains, this is usually due to their size as its the perfect size for most people, for those of model railroaders who need something a little smaller to get a decent train layout and train set in their house they will often go for N Scale model train sets.

many people also like O Scale model trains as they are not only classics but they are quite big train sets. Being bigger model trains means that they are not only more durable but also have more detail.

People are often put off by the size of a scale as you would need quite a big track to fit a good O Scale set on it.


One thing you must also understand is that depending on what scale your model trains are you must also buy the corresponding track size or gauge.


This can get confusing because some trains can be the same scale but a different gauge. This however is something that you worry about once you have decided which of the scales you would like to start your model train hobby with.

Once you have acquired your model trains you will then know what gauge they are and can simply buy the corresponding track.


For many railroaders the most pleasurable and time-consuming part of the hobby is building a layout around your train set, this can provide hours of fun and be really satisfying.

Model railroading and model trains are probably one of the only hobbies that grandad can do with his grandson and be equally rewarding for both parties, so go out and get railroading!


Enjoy your Model Train adventure!