There are many different scale ratios of G scale between manufactuerers and will make a quick reference chart for all. I know this sounds confusing about scale ratios. Let me explain it this way, If you are into HO and N scale, no matter what manufacturer you buy from, they are all pretty much the same size scale ratio wise, HO is all the same size, N scale is all the same size. In a G scale world this is way different. There is nothing, I mean nothing standard in the G scale world. When a product advertises its a G scale that could range from a 1:20.3 scale ratio all the way to a 1:32 scale ratio, everything in between those scale ratios are considered G scale. Now here is the manufacturers chart I promised. USA Trains Ultimate Series 1:29 scale ratio USA Trains American Series 1:24 scale Aristocraft 1:29 scale ratio Aristocraft Delton series 1:24 scale ration Hartland Locomotive works 1:24 scale ratio Accucraft AMS products 1:32 scale ratio Accucraft AML products 1:29 scale ratio Accucraft Narrow gauge products 1.20.3 scale ratio also known as F scale Bachman Narrow gauge products 1.20.3 scale ratio Bachman Spectrum series not scale specific Marklin Trains 1:32 scale ratio MTH Trains 1:32 scale ratio LGB 1:22.5 scale ratio
Thanks for the exhaustive listing and explanation. If I'm getting this; anything that runs on G-gauge track (except F-scale), is G-scale ? Not to blame you for the makers' weirdness, but isn't that like calling N-standard, HOn30, and On15 all the same scale, as they run on the same gauge track ? I know the size difference is less in the "G" range, but wish this could be rectified somehow...it makes my head hurt ! Bob C.
Scale referes to the size of the equipment. Gauge is the distance between the rails. F-Scale runs on 45mm which is exactly G-Gauge or #1 Gauge. Unlike smaller scales where Narrow Gauge equipment is the same height has standard gauge equipment, our equipment varies depending on the manufacturer. In this month's Issue of Garden Railways, they tackle this debate and explain it much better then I can. I recommend picking up the August Issue and taking a read.
Choch 42,Yeah, there has been a big debate between F scale and G scale. Both G scale trains and Fn3 scale run on Gauge #1 track which is 45mm wide. 1:20.3 scale ratio has been adopted by F scale people for proper way of running a true narrow gauge railroad and also the NMRA. This was in the past, I have not read this article yet that DragonFyreGT has mentioned and can't wait to read it myself. There has been many arguements that hurts everyones brains in the G scale world about scale ratio and now there is F scale controversy to throw in on top of that. Anyway to put this in a politically correct word description, 45mm track is not G gauge but is properly called Gauge #1 track. All G scale narrow gauge and standard gauge trains run on 45 mm Gauge #1 track. The F scae people came out and said this is not the correct way to run trains realisticly. So they came out with a Fn3 1:20.3 narrow gauge which runs on 45mm Gauge #1 track. There are alot of commercial made products in 1:20.3 scale ratio which manfuacturers such as Accucraft advertise as Fn3 scale and are NMRA approved models. Standard gauge F scale model trains don't run on 45 mm gauge #1 track ad there are no commercial made standard gauge models as of yet so F scalers have to build there own and which they run on a 70.62 mm track which they have to lay by hand as there is no standard F scale track made commercially either. The F scale people say this is the only true way to run narrow gauge and standard gauge trains. Hope I didn't give you a bigger headache This arguement in scale ratio and gauge has been going on for years in the G scale world with no end in sight
The article also tackles why Narrow Gauge equipment may appear bigger but standard gauge is the bigger equipment. For example, they show a 40' narrow gauge boxcar dwarfing a 50' Standard gauge boxcar. Which is bigger? The smaller 50' one. 1:32 is considered the correct size for standard gauge, although the industry standard for standard gauge is 1:29.
DragonFyreGT, that is a great fact you brought up for G scale. Although 1:32 scale ratio is considered a fine scalae or museum scale and is NMRA approved for standard scale for G scale, 1:29 scale ratio is a standard size scale ratio for G scale which is why many manufacturers are jumping o the 1:29 scale ratio band wagon. USA Trains for example came out with the Ultimate series which is a 1:29 scale ratio about 9 years ago. Aristocraft has been 1:29 scale ratio for many years. Accucraft has come out with a new line called the AML which is a 1:29 scale ratio. One custom brass manufacturer now offers both 1:32 and 1:29 scale ratio
