O scale buildings?

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
Any recommendations on where to find O scale buildings? Or what pecentage to scale up/down 28mm and 15mm minature scale buildings?

I am looking at making gifts for a family member who like O scale. I have had great results with turning paper buildings into N scale, but cannot find near as much about O scale.
 

Gandolf50

Researcher of obscure between war vehicles...
Staff member
Moderator
and 1:48th is "O" scale... so by my calculations ...Double it! to get 1:24 and vice-versa. I assume you are trying to convert some existing or trying to find some buildings in O scale...

Conversion.jpg

I assume from your comments you already know how to convert any scale to another? But I included one of my scale charts just in case...
Scales are ratios of measures in like units: 1/72 is 1 inch on the model = 72 inches on the full-sized original (or 1 centimeter, furlong, or parsec on the model to 72 of same at full size).
  1. The desired scale is then the existing scale times some unknown percentage or fraction, i.e. the conversion factor (either enlargement or reduction):
    DesiredScale = ExistingScale * ConversionFactor

  2. Therefore, to find the conversion factor, we regroup and divide to get the universal scale conversion formula:
    ConversionFactor = DesiredScale / ExistingScale

    Example: to convert 1/72 to 1/48

    ConversionFactor = 1/48 / 1/72 = 72 / 48 = 1.5 = 150%

    A 6-ft (72-inch) pilot figure is thus 1-in tall in 1/72 scale and 1.5-in tall in 1/48 scale.
I would just find the HIGHEST Quality models at what-ever scale... with a high pixel ratio... the greater the DPI the better the print... if you scale up... or down!

Some Places to go...https://www.bigindoortrains.com/indoor_resources/resources.htm and http://www.scenerybuilder.com/modelbuildingkits.html and you can spend a day here https://www.pinterest.com/pin/423831014922503669/?lp=true and here http://www.modelrailwaybuildings.com/ and... GOOGLE iS YOUR FRIEND!!!

Good Luck!
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info!

While I could figure out the chart, or Google the heck out of it, I'm lazy (well, okay, also short on the time to do such things since I have an 18 month old running around...). Why figure out what folks here already know and are more than happy to share?! Hopefully I can do the same for someone in future as a way to pass it on!

I've got some neat David Graffam models I'll print off (they are nice and high dpi PDF's) and some others. I'll take this page and run with it (just not the scissors I use to cut the paper with...).
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
So, to go from 28mm (roughly 1/56ish for vehicles) to O Scale (1/48), I take 48/56 and get .857, so about 86% of the original.
 

micahrogers

Moderator "Where am I, and how did I get here?"
Staff member
Moderator
So, to go from 28mm (roughly 1/56ish for vehicles) to O Scale (1/48), I take 48/56 and get .857, so about 86% of the original.
To go from 28mm scale (1/56) to O scale (1/48) would be 56/48 and get 1.16666 or about 116% of the original
 

SCEtoAux

Member
Yes, Micah is correct. The O scale buildings are larger than the 28mm buildings.

O scale in some places is 1/48 which is around 33.5mm. In other places it is 1/43.5 which is around 37mm and is the traditional railroad O gauge so choose which one you want.

The 28mm buildings are around 1/58.

To get a larger size model from what you start out with you have to divide the larger number by the smaller number, but make sure you use the same units. So divide the mm by the mm number; divide the ratio number by the ratio number.

You want O gauge and started with 28mm:
O gauge is 33.5mm. 33.5 divided by 28 = 1.2 so that would be 120%. Print the 28mm at 120% to get that O gauge.

O gauge is 37mm (traditional railroad O gauge). 37 divided by 28 = 1.32 so that would be 132%. Print the 28mm at 132% to get that O gauge.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You want O gauge (1/48) and started with 28mm (1/58):
In this case you divide the 58 by the 48 to get the larger building. 58/48 = 1.21 which is 121% so print the 28mm(1/58) at 121% to get the O gauge (1/48).

You want O gauge (1/43.5 traditional railroad O gauge) and started with 28mm (1/58):
Divide the 58 by the 43.5 to get the larger building. 58/43.5 = 1.33 which is 133% so print the 28mm (1/58) at 133% to get the O gauge (1/43.5).

You will notice that there is a difference of 1% in the results between using the mm or the ratios to figure the size change. That should not pose a problem unless someone has super calibrated eyeballs.
 

Gandolf50

Researcher of obscure between war vehicles...
Staff member
Moderator
Thanks, guys for stepping in!! I always tend to get it Bassakwards! Even with all my charts and formulas!!
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
To go from 28mm scale (1/56) to O scale (1/48) would be 56/48 and get 1.16666 or about 116% of the original

You know, I saw that when I first calculated and for some reason said to myself, "this cannot be correct" and went the other way... Which is half why I posted here, because it pays to have someone check your numbers!

Thanks all! Beats sending an undersized building...
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
I was under the impression that O scale was 1/4 inch to the foot, and 1:50 was the correct ratio, and 1:48 was just close.
 

micahrogers

Moderator "Where am I, and how did I get here?"
Staff member
Moderator
I was under the impression that O scale was 1/4 inch to the foot, and 1:50 was the correct ratio, and 1:48 was just close.
O railroad scale is 1/48th or 1/4" = 1' As I understand it, some train car manufacturers played fast and loose with sizes, so some O scale are closer to 1/50th
 

zathros

*****SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR*****
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Very interesting thread. Paper-Replika.com has a lot of structures on it. ;)
 

micahrogers

Moderator "Where am I, and how did I get here?"
Staff member
Moderator
1/4" per foot mathematically is 1/48th scale 1 foot = 12" 12" = 48 1/4" thus 1/48 is 1/4" per foot
 
Top