what size.
- Thread starter jimbogibbo
- Start date
O scale is 1:48.
G scale equipment is anything from about 1:20 to about 1:32, all running on the same gauge track.
Gauge refers to the distance between the tracks. Standard gauge is 4' 8 1/2" - in the real world. This works out to ~ 1.2 real inches between the tracks in O scale, or 0.65 inches between the rails in HO scale, for example.
For some reason that escapes me right now, O scale has been referred to as "O gauge" for some time...?
Andrew
G scale equipment is anything from about 1:20 to about 1:32, all running on the same gauge track.
Gauge refers to the distance between the tracks. Standard gauge is 4' 8 1/2" - in the real world. This works out to ~ 1.2 real inches between the tracks in O scale, or 0.65 inches between the rails in HO scale, for example.
For some reason that escapes me right now, O scale has been referred to as "O gauge" for some time...?
Andrew
Well, jetrock's guess was that it is O scale/gauge. Without any other information, I would agree this is the most likely. If the locomotive is over 12" long or higher than about 3 inches, it is a good bet.
Do you have a picture of it? Lionel does make some HO stuff, so it is hard to be sure without any other info.
Andrew
Do you have a picture of it? Lionel does make some HO stuff, so it is hard to be sure without any other info.
Andrew
Early model railroads (before WW I) were much bigger than now. The two scales of the oldest Märklin model RRs (one of the first manufacturers) were more or less:
Scale 1:22.5 ---> Track gauge was 64 millimeters (2.5") --> called gauge number II (two) .... and the smaller
Scale 1:32 ---> Track gauge was 45 mm (1.77") --> Gauge number I
Later, the scale was reduced further, and logically they chose the 'gauge number' 0 (zero, not the letter O!) So here goes:
Scale 1:43.5 ---> Track gauge is 32 mm (1.25") --> Gauge number 0
In German, this is still called 'Spur Null' = 'Gauge Zero', while in English it is more often called 'O gauge' (this time spoken as the letter O).
But hold on: Around WW II still smaller models became possible, and so in continental Europe H0 was born. 'H0' is the letter H followed by the number 0, meaning 'Half 0':
Scale 1:87 --> Track gauge is 16.5 mm (0.65") --> Gauge number H0
In England, the designation 00 ('double o') was chosen instead - with a different scale of 1:76.
Well, that's only (part of) the story of the Gauges H0 - 0 - I - II, but worldwide there are in fact more than 100 different track gauges and modeling scales for model RRs around! C-R-A-Z-Y!!!
Only two more:
S scale = 1:64 - S derived from 'Standard' --> the developers obviously dreamed of a new standard model RR size.
N scale = 1:160 - N is derived from 'Nine' or German 'Neun', since track gauge is 9 mm (0.354")
One thing I never understood is why the heck the developers of those model railroads chose such absurd and idiotic scales: 1:22.5, 1:43.5, 1:76, 1:87, 1:120 (TT scale)...
Why not 1:20 (or perhaps 1:24), 1:50, 1:75 or 1:100??? Probably we'll never know... 
Ron
Scale 1:22.5 ---> Track gauge was 64 millimeters (2.5") --> called gauge number II (two) .... and the smaller
Scale 1:32 ---> Track gauge was 45 mm (1.77") --> Gauge number I
Later, the scale was reduced further, and logically they chose the 'gauge number' 0 (zero, not the letter O!) So here goes:
Scale 1:43.5 ---> Track gauge is 32 mm (1.25") --> Gauge number 0
In German, this is still called 'Spur Null' = 'Gauge Zero', while in English it is more often called 'O gauge' (this time spoken as the letter O).
But hold on: Around WW II still smaller models became possible, and so in continental Europe H0 was born. 'H0' is the letter H followed by the number 0, meaning 'Half 0':
Scale 1:87 --> Track gauge is 16.5 mm (0.65") --> Gauge number H0
In England, the designation 00 ('double o') was chosen instead - with a different scale of 1:76.
Well, that's only (part of) the story of the Gauges H0 - 0 - I - II, but worldwide there are in fact more than 100 different track gauges and modeling scales for model RRs around! C-R-A-Z-Y!!!
Only two more:
S scale = 1:64 - S derived from 'Standard' --> the developers obviously dreamed of a new standard model RR size.
N scale = 1:160 - N is derived from 'Nine' or German 'Neun', since track gauge is 9 mm (0.354")
One thing I never understood is why the heck the developers of those model railroads chose such absurd and idiotic scales: 1:22.5, 1:43.5, 1:76, 1:87, 1:120 (TT scale)...
Why not 1:20 (or perhaps 1:24), 1:50, 1:75 or 1:100???
Probably we'll never know... Ron
um, actually that wasn't a guess...the Lionel 8625 is an O gauge locomotive. It's not really "O scale" because Lionel toy-train equipment isn't really to scale--while O scale is 1/48, O gauge track is 1.25" wide--5 feet wide in 1/48, actually 3.5" wider than standard gauge railroad track!
I was just going to type "O" and submit the reply, but the Gauge message board frowns on one-word message responses, so I added the reckoning...
It was the reckoning that made me think it was a guess... but I knew it to be an educated guess! 
Apologies...
Andrew
Apologies...
Andrew