List of narrow-gauge model railway scales

Last updated

00-9 'pizza' layout, Starbottom Lane by Richard Glover Pizza Layout 07.jpg
00-9 'pizza' layout, Starbottom Lane by Richard Glover

Railway modelling has long used a variety of scales and gauges to represent its models of real subjects. In most cases, gauge and scale are chosen together, so as to represent Stephenson standard gauge. By choosing a smaller gauge than this for a particular scale, the model represents a narrow-gauge example. [1] [2]

Contents

Such gauge and scale combinations are of course used for the deliberate modelling of particular narrow-gauge subjects, where the choice of subject is behind the choice of combination. Narrow-gauge modelling has also become especially popular from the purely modelling aspects: it combines a conveniently visible large scale that is easier to work on, with a narrow model gauge that allows tighter radius curves and so fits layouts into smaller spaces. This has been a particular reason in Europe where, houses being generally smaller than in the US, there is rarely space for 0 gauge and even 00 gauge is restricted in the size of curves.

At times, particularly in the early days before the inertia of popular scales developed, modellers would choose seemingly random scales in order to model a particular prototype and its original gauge whilst using a readily available gauge. [3] As the range of commercial products increases, both for gauges and scales, it is easier to find a combination that is already supported and so there is less need to scratch-build everything. [1]

Naming

Naming of these gauge and scale combinations follows a few broad rules, but not always consistently. Some, such as G gauge and SM32 were defined from the outset as narrow-gauge scales and so have a single component to their name.

British

Many names, particularly those of British origin, such as O14 and 00-9 combine the name of the scale used with the physical measurement of the gauge, i.e. the 7 mm-to-the-foot scale from standard O gauge with a rail gauge of 14 mm, giving a precise representation of 2 ft (610 mm) prototypes. As it is the scale that controls interoperability between models and also the manufacture of non-railway scenery etc., it is the scale rather than the gauge that takes the primary position in names.

European

MOROP, the European model railway standards organisation, issues standards documents called NEMs . NEM010 defines the main model railway gauges, including narrow gauges. [2] Unusually, unlike the British model railway trade, this recognised narrow-gauge modelling from the outset. This may be because of Europe's greater prototypical use of the larger narrow gauges for smaller branch lines.

NEM010 defines and names narrow gauges for all the supported scales although it takes a broad approach and groups the prototypes into 'nominal size' ranges or Nenngröße. It defines these prototype gauge ranges as: [2]

GaugeDescriptionNEM code letter
1,250–1,700 millimetres49–67 instandard gauge
850–1,250 millimetres33–49 inmetre gaugem
650–850 millimetres26–33 innarrow gaugee
400–650 millimetres16–26 inindustriali
Feldbahn f
300–400 millimetres12–16 inparkp

Names are of the form 'H0e gauge', comparable to 00-9, as 'narrow gauge in H0 scale'. Thus the scale and approximate prototype gauge are represented, with the model gauge used (9 mm for H0e gauge; 6.5 mm for H0f gauge) being implied. [2]

The scales used include the general European modelling range of Z, N, TT, H0, 0 and also the large model engineering gauges of I to X, including 3+1⁄2, 5, 7+1⁄4 and 10+1⁄4-inch gauge. As 00 is a particularly British scale, it is not included within this pan-European standard. However the predominantly US imperial-based S scale (1:64) does feature.

United States

US gauges are named as On30 or Sn3, composed of the scale, 'n' for narrow gauge and the dimensions of the prototype gauge being modelled. These are universally in imperial units rather than metric, but there is no consistency between using inches or feet. Both On42 and On2 are used, but when referring to the prototype gauge, e.g. On30 / On21⁄2, the gauge is usually given in inches.

Gauge and scale combinations

Gauge
1 gauge O gauge Proto:48 P4 Gauge EM gauge H0
/ 00 gauge 		JM gauge aka #13 TT gauge H0n3 N gauge Z gauge ZZ gauge T gauge
Scale45 mm33mm32 mm1.177" (circa 29.9mm)24.5mm0.875 inches (22.2 mm)21 mm0.75 inches (19 mm)18.83 mm18.2 mm16.5 mm14.3 mm14 mm13mm12.7 mm12 mm10.5 mm9 mm6.5 mm4.5 mm [4] [2] 3 mm
SE scale 7/8"1:13.7 SE [ng 1]
2 ft
(610 mm) [5] [6] 		SE [ng 1]
18 in
(457 mm)
16 mm scale 1:19 SM45 [ng 2]
2 ft 9 in
(838 mm)		 SM32 [ng 2]
2 ft
(610 mm) [7]
F scale 1:20.3 Fn3
3 ft
(914 mm) [8] 		Fn2
2 ft
(610 mm)
G scale 1:22.5IIm G [ng 3]
1,000 mm
(3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)		 Gn15 [ng 4]
15 in
(381 mm)		 Gnine
8 in
(203 mm) [10] [11] 		Miniature ride-on
H scale1/2"1:24 H
3 ft 6 in
(1,067 mm)
3/8"1:323/8n20
20 in
(508 mm) [12]
P34 9mm1:34 P34 [ng 5]
3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
O scale
[lower-roman 1] 		7mm1:43.5 On42 [ng 6]
3 ft 6 in
(1,067 mm)		 O21 [ng 7]
3 ft
(914 mm)		 O16.5 [ng 8]
2 ft 4 in
(711 mm)		 O14 [ng 9]
2 ft
(610 mm) [19] 		O9
/ On15 [ng 10]
15 in
(381 mm)
1:45 0e [ng 11]
750 mm
(2 ft 5+1⁄2 in)		 0p [ng 10]
400 mm
(15+3⁄4 in)
1⁄4"1:48 On42 [ng 6]
3 ft 6 in
(1,067 mm)		 On3 [ng 12]
3 ft
(914 mm)		 On30 / On21⁄2 [ng 13]
2 ft 6 in
(762 mm)		 On2 [ng 14]
2 ft
(610 mm)		On20 [ng 15]
20 in
(508 mm) [21] 		On18
18 in
(457 mm)
Of
450 mm
(17+23⁄32 in)
1:50Pempoul [ng 16]
1,000 mm
6mmTowy Valley Tramway [ng 17]
2 ft
(610 mm)
5.5 mm 5.5mm1:55 5.5 mm [ng 18]
3 ft
(914 mm) [26] 		5.5 mm [ng 18]
2 ft
(610 mm) [25]
S scale 3/16"1:64 Sm [ng 19]
European metre gauge

Sn31⁄2 [ng 20]
3 ft 6 in
(1,067 mm) [27] [28]

Sn3 [ng 21]
3 ft
(914 mm)		 Sn2
2 ft
(610 mm) [30] 		Sn2 [ng 22]
2 ft
(610 mm) [27]
00 scale 4mm1:76.2Irish broad gauge [31] 00n3 [ng 23]
3 ft
(914 mm)		 00-9 [ng 24]
2 ft 3 in
(686 mm)		500 mm
(19+3⁄4 in)
495 mm
(19+1⁄2 in)
H0 scale Japanese HO aka #16 aka J1:80JM 3 ft 6 in
(1,067 mm) [32] 		H0e [ng 25]

HOn30 / HOn21⁄2 [ng 26]
750 mm
(2 ft 5+1⁄2 in)

3.5mm1:87 H0m [ng 27]
1,000 mm
HOn31⁄2 [ng 28]
3 ft 6 in
(1,067 mm)		 HOn3 [ng 29]
3 ft
(914 mm)		 H0f/H0i [ng 30]
600 mm
(1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)

HOn2 [ng 31]
2 ft
(610 mm)

H0p [2]
TT scale 3 mm1:100 TTn3 [ng 32]
3 ft
(914 mm)
1:120NZ120 [28]
3 ft 6 in
(1,067 mm)		TTf/TTi gauge [2]
N scale UK N scale 1:148
Japanese N scale1:150Nj gauge[ citation needed ]
2mm1:152
1:160Nm Nn3 [ng 33] Ne gauge [2]
Z scale1:220Zm gauge [2]
T scale 1:450
[lower-roman 2] 		T gauge
3 ft 6 in
(1,067 mm)
Standard gauge is shaded

Gauges

  1. 1 2 SE or 7/8" – used to model 2 ft. Less commonly used with 32 mm track to represent 18 in (457 mm) minimum gauge.
  2. 1 2 SM32 – 2 ft (610 mm).
  3. ↑ G scale – Originally developed as 'groß' in Germany by LGB to represent 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in). Now widely thought of as 'Garden' gauge.
  4. ↑ Gn15  – using G scale and commonly available 00 running gear to model the 15 in (381 mm) minimum gauge railways of Sir Arthur Heywood and his successors. [9]
  5. ↑ P34 – 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) [13]
  6. 1 2 On42 – 7mm S7 scale used for Richard Chown's [14] Fangfoss, [15] [16] Norwegian 3 ft 6 in
    (1,067 mm).
    1:48 1⁄4" scale used for Queensland sugar cane railways [17] and US subjects [18] of 3 ft 6 in
    (1,067 mm)
  7. ↑ O21 – [1] 3 ft (914 mm)
  8. ↑ O16.5 – UK 7 mm scale with 00 16.5 mm gauge, used to model gauges between 2 ft (610 mm) and 2 ft 6 in (762 mm).
  9. ↑ O14 – Finescale modelling of British 2ft gauge using 7 mm O scale and a unique 14 mm gauge.
  10. 1 2 O9 / On15 – UK 7mm scale on a 9 mm gauge to model 15 in (381 mm) minimum gauge and 18 in (457 mm) industrial railways. [20]
  11. ↑ 0e
  12. ↑ On3 – Using US O scale (1:48 ratio) with 0.75 in gauge track to represent 3 ft (914 mm). Probably the second most popular US scale for 3 ft (914 mm).
  13. ↑ On30 – 1:48 scale with 16.5 mm track to represent 2 ft 6 in (762 mm), in practice anything between 2 ft (610 mm) and 3 ft (914 mm). On21⁄2 is another name for the same standard. Commercial support, particularly from Bachmann, is available.
  14. ↑ On2 – Precise modelling of USA 2ft gauge using 1:48 O scale and a unique 12.7 mm gauge. This may be considered a Finescale version of On30. There is little to no commercial support for the mechanical aspects of this unique gauge but it is sometimes possible to re-use or re-gauge commercial models for On30.
  15. ↑ On20 – Extremely rare gauge primarily for modeling 20" mining railroads in the USA
  16. ↑ Pempoul – Finescale modelling of French metre gauge at 1:50 scale on 18.2 mm Finescale EM gauge. So far only used by Gordon & Maggie Gravett. [22] [23]
  17. ↑ Towy Valley Tramway – Finescale modelling of 2ftt gauge on 12mm. [24]
  18. 1 2 5.5 mm – Used to represent both 3 ft (914 mm) (on 16.5mm) & 2 ft (610 mm) (on 12mm) gauges. British outline two foot gauge [25] is one of the oldest narrow gauge modelling scales, when the GEM company in 1963 launched white metal kits to represent Welsh slate railways, using readily available TT gauge parts. Three foot gauge in this scale is mostly US [26] and has little in common with the two foot.
  19. ↑ Sm – 1:64 metre gauge; Continental European.
  20. ↑ Sn31⁄2 – Using S scale (1:64 ratio) with 16.5 mm H0/00 gauge track to represent 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm). Popular in Australasia.
  21. ↑ Sn3 – Using S scale (1:64 ratio) with 14.3 mm (0.563 in) gauge track to represent 3 ft (914 mm). Limited commercial support. [29]
  22. ↑ Sn2 – Used rarely in Australia for modelling 2 ft (610 mm) [27]
  23. ↑ 00n3 – 1:76 12 mm British, Irish and Manx 3 ft (914 mm).
  24. ↑ 00-9 – 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) 1:76 9 mm 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) British and British Empire subjects from 2 ft to 2 ft 6 in.
  25. ↑ H0e – 1:87 9 mm 650 to <850 mm; Continental European.
  26. ↑ HOn30 HOn21⁄2 – 1:87 9 mm 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) American.
  27. ↑ H0m – 1:87 12 mm 850 to <1250 mm; Continental European.
  28. ↑ HOn31⁄2 – 1:87 12 mm 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm).
  29. ↑ HOn3 – Using HO scale (1:87 ratio) with 10.5 mm gauge track. Historically the most popular of the scale/gauge combinations for modelling 3 ft gauge in the USA.
  30. ↑ H0f (H0i) – 1:87 6.5 mm (Z gauge) 400 to 650 mm; Continental European.
  31. ↑ HOn2 – 1:87 7 millimetres (0.276 in) 2 ft (610 mm) American
  32. ↑ TTn3 – 3 mm scale on 9 mm gauge to model 3ft prototypes. Some use in Australasia at TTn31⁄2 for their 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) lines, and known as NZ120 in New Zealand [27]
  33. ↑ Nn3 or N-6.5 – Using N scale (1:160 ratio ) with Z gauge 6.5 mm track to represent 3ft gauge. [33] [34] [35]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ UK O gauge uses a scale of 7mm/foot, Europe uses 1:45 and the US 1:48
  2. ↑ T gauge is a constant 3 mm gauge, although it defines two scale standards: 1:480 for modelling Stephenson gauge and 1:450 for Japanese 3 ft 6 in
    (1,067 mm).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G scale</span> Model railroad gauge

G scale or G gauge, also called large scale, is a track gauge for model railways which is often used for outdoor garden railways because of its size and durability. G scale trains use a fixed track gauge of 45 millimetres (1.75 in) to accommodate a range of rail transport modelling scales between narrow gauge (~1:13‒1:19‒1:20), metre gauge (1:22.5), Playmobil trains (~1:24), and standard gauge (~1:29–1:32).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OO gauge</span> Model railroad gauge

OO gauge or OO scale is the most popular standard gauge model railway standard in the United Kingdom, outside of which it is virtually unknown. OO gauge is one of several 4 mm-scale standards, and the only one to be marketed by major manufacturers. The OO track gauge of 16.5 mm corresponds to prototypical gauge of 4 ft 1+1⁄2 in, rather than 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard gauge. However, since the 1960s, other gauges in the same scale have arisen—18.2 mm (EM) and 18.83 mm (Scalefour)—to reflect the desire of some modellers for greater scale accuracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O scale</span> Model railroad gauge

O scale is a scale commonly used for toy trains and rail transport modelling. Introduced by German toy manufacturer Märklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current O gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the United States and remained so until the early 1960s. In Europe, its popularity declined before World War II due to the introduction of smaller scales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N scale</span> Modelling scale of 1:160, 1:150 (Japan), 1:148 (UK)

N scale is a popular model railway scale. Depending upon the manufacturer, the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. Effectively the scale is 1:159, 9 mm to 1,435 mm, which is the width of standard gauge railway. However the scale may vary to simulate wide or narrow gauge rail. In all cases, the gauge is 9 mm or 0.354 in. The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions, but in the United Kingdom in particular British N gauge refers to a 1:148 scale with 1:160 track gauge modelling. The terms N scale and N gauge are often inaccurately used interchangeably, as scale is defined as ratio or proportion of the model, and gauge only as a distance between rails. The scale 1:148 defines the rail-to-rail gauge equal to 9 mm exactly, so when calculating the rail or track use 1:160 and for engines and car wheel base use 1:148.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2 mm scale</span> Railway modeling finecast scale

2 mm scale, often 2 mm finescale is a specification used for railway modelling, largely for modelling British railway prototypes. It uses a scale of 2 mm on the model to 1 foot on the prototype, which scales out to 1:152. The track gauge used to represent prototype standard gauge is 9.42 mm. Track and wheels are closer to dead scale replicas than commercial British N.

Protofour or P4 is a set of standards for model railways allowing construction of models to a scale of 4 mm to 300 mm (1 ft) (1:76.2), the predominant scale of model railways of the British prototype. For historical reasons almost all manufacturers of British prototype models use 00 gauge. There are several finescale standards which have been developed to enable more accurate models than 00, and P4 is the most accurate in common use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OO9</span> Model railway scale

OO9, often also denoted as 009 or 00-9 and commonly pronounced as Double-Oh Nine, is a model railway scale and gauge combination of 4 mm scale and 9 mm gauge tracks, which models a prototype track gauge of 2 ft 3 in. It is a common choice in the United Kingdom for the modelling of narrow-gauge railways whose prototype gauges lie approximately between 2 ft and 2 ft 6 in. The 9 mm track gauge is used by N gauge model railways, a common commercial scale, which means that a selection of wheels, track, and mechanisms is readily available.

HOn30 gauge is the modelling of narrow-gauge railways in HO on N gauge track in 1:87 scale ratio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">On30 gauge</span>

On30gauge is the modelling of narrow gauge railways in O scale on HO gauge track in 1:48 scale ratio by American and Australian model railroaders, in 1:43.5 scale ratio by British and French model railroaders and 1:45 by Continental European model railroaders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O14</span>

O14 is a set of model railway standards for accurately modelling 2 ft narrow-gauge railways in 1:43.5 using 14 mm (0.551 in) gauge track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">H0m gauge</span>

The H0m gauge is designed for the reproduction of narrow gauge railways with a prototype gauge of 850 to 1250 mm in H0 scale. The letter m stands for metre prototype gauge with a track width of 1000 mm. It runs on 12 mm TT scale tracks. Modern H0m trains run on realistic-looking two-rail track, which is powered by direct current, or by Digital Command Control. It is a popular scale in Europe, particularly for trains of Swiss outline.

The 7mm Narrow Gauge Association is a United Kingdom based society for railway modellers interested in modelling narrow-gauge railways in British O scale.

3' Gauge rail modelling is a specialisation in rail transport modelling. Specifically it relates to the modelling of narrow gauge prototypes of 3 ft gauge. This gauge was the most common narrow gauge in the United States and in Ireland. Apart from some other lines in North, Central and South America, 3 ft gauge was uncommon elsewhere. Therefore, most 3 ft gauge modellers model either United States or Irish prototypes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">On2 gauge</span>

On2 gauge is part of the hobby of rail transport modeling. The name is based on the common USA model railroad O scale of 1:48 and refers to the gauge between the rails and the fact that it is narrow gauge, thus 'On2'.

3 mm scale, also known as 3 mm finescale, is a model railway scale of 3 mm : 1 ft (305 mm) used for British prototypes. Introduced as British TT gauge, it sits approximately halfway between British N gauge and OO gauge but is not as popular as either and there is no longer any mass manufacturer ready-to-run support. When TT gauge model railways were developed for British prototypes, in order to fit the small British prototypes, the scale was enlarged but without altering the 12mm gauge. The result, British TT gauge, is too narrow. This led to the development of 14.2 mm gauge 3mm finescale. Thus two finescale standards were developed. By far the more common of these is 14.2 mm gauge track, which is accurate. Some modellers choose to use slightly narrower 13.5 mm track due to the necessary oversize motion of outside-cylindered steam locomotives.

Finescale standards or Fine Standards are model railway standards that aim to be close to the prototype dimensions. Reduction in toylike, overscale flanges, pointwork, etc. In Britain it is particularly used because small British prototypes meant that track gauge is underscale. Modelling to finescale standards requires skill, so modellers usually start with the coarse standards applied to ready-to-run models suitable as toys. Standards are set by modellers' societies.

HOn31⁄2 gauge represents the modelling of 3 ft 6 in gauge railways in HO scale, resulting in a model track gauge of 12 mm. Trains are operated using direct current or Digital Command Control over realistic-looking two-rail track.

Modelling British railway prototypes is a hobby where railway modelling is applied to British prototypes. For historical reasons, British model scales have developed somewhat separately from those in other countries, and the commercial standards; 00 gauge and British N gauge are unique to British prototypes. The railways in Britain were for the most part standard gauge, and consequently most support focuses on these scales. Narrow gauge, and broad gauge standards also exist. British modellers tend to focus on British subjects, and most of the commercial support is British-based, but modellers of British prototypes exist across national boundaries.

In rail transport modelling, Sn3½ is a scale/gauge combination derived from S scale to represent narrow gauge 3 ft 6 in track by using 16.5 mm gauge track. The scale is 1:64.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Modelling the Narrow Gauge". The 7mm Narrow Gauge Association.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Normen Europäischer Modellbahnen Maßstäbe, Nenngrößen, Spurweiten" (PDF) (in German). NEM. 2011. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
  3. ↑ Cyril R. Burch (March 1963). "Building Glyn Valley Tramway coaches". Narrow Gauge Journal. Ynys Gwyntog. 1 (6).
  4. ↑ Gauge is defined by NEM 010, but not as a standard gauge for any scale.
  5. ↑ Ferdinand Mels. "7/8ths SE Scale". 78ths.com.
  6. ↑ "The SE Lounge 7/8"=1'-0"". 7-8ths.info.
  7. ↑ "The Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers". Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers.
  8. ↑ "Welcome to Accucraft". Accucraft UK.
  9. ↑ "A little Gn15 history lesson". gnine.info.
  10. ↑ "What is Gnine? An introduction". gnine.info.
  11. ↑ "Gnine". pepper7.com.
  12. ↑ Marsh, Kim (July 2002). "No Hope Coast". Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette. July 2002: 71.
  13. ↑ "Track and Wheel Standards for 1:34 NZR" (PDF). New Zealand Model Railway Guild.
  14. ↑ "Richard Chown; 1941 – 2017". Highland Miscellany. 11 July 2017.
  15. ↑ "Fangfoss". Continental Modeller : 175–180. June 2016.
  16. ↑ Richard Chown. "The beginnings of Fangfoss so far".
  17. ↑ "Modelling Queensland Rail in On42". Queensland's Rail Heritage. 23 May 2020.
  18. ↑ "Red Rocket". Continental Modeller : 433–435. June 2006.
  19. ↑ "About O14". O14 Group.
  20. ↑ "Railway modelling in 7mm scale on 9mm gauge track". O9 Modeller.
  21. ↑ Green, Woodie (July 2000). "My On20 Mogollon Railway: Narrow minded". Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette. July 2000: 62.
  22. ↑ "Pempoul - Réseau Breton". 24th Exhibition. Uckfield Model Railway Club. 2008.
  23. ↑ "Pempoul by Gordon & Maggie Gravett at Railex". RMweb. 2009.
  24. ↑ Dennis Harrison (July 2014). "Towy Valley Tramway". Narrow Gauge & Industrial Railway Modelling Review. Vol. 13, no. 99. pp. 94–103.
  25. 1 2 "5.5 mm Association".
  26. 1 2 "Modelling 3 foot narrow gauge on H0 track".
  27. 1 2 3 4 "Modelling the Railways of Tasmania". Rail Tasmania.
  28. 1 2 "Modelling the railways of New Zealand". New Zealand Model Railway Guild.
  29. ↑ "Sn3 and HOn3". Slim Gauge Guild.
  30. ↑ "Standards". Sn2 Trains. November 2012.
  31. ↑ "Protofour", Wikipedia, 2023-04-27, retrieved 2023-08-02
  32. ↑ "Scale/Gauge Table | 鉄道模型店 Models IMON". www.imon.co.jp. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
  33. ↑ Mark Fielder. "Why model in British Nn3?".
  34. ↑ "Bridge over the Blyth". Norfolk and Suffolk Narrow Gauge Modellers.
  35. ↑ "Killashandra - Irish Nn3". RMweb. 29 August 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.