"N SCALE" and "N GAUGE"

maxairedale Feb 2, 2010

  1. Westfalen

    Westfalen TrainBoard Member

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    I come home from work on the 1067mm gauge and find this 59 post thread, there mustn't be much modelling to do today.

    I had a browse through my latest copy of the British Model Rail magazine to see how they tackle things. In the data box in articles on layouts they refer to "1:148 scale, 9mm 'N' gauge", or "1:76 scale, 'OO' gauge", otherwise throughout the magazine they consistently use gauge, "N gauge or OO gauge", even when referring to structures or scenery items. The only time I could find the word scale used is in a Woodland Scenics ad.

    BTW the reason the British use 1:148 is not to represent narrow gauge like the Japanese, Britain's railways are standard gauge but because of their small size (as small as some narrow gauge) in the early years of N scale they had to use a larger scale to fit in the smaller motors of the time. This is the same reason they don't have HO as we know it, but 1:76 OO scale running on HO gauge track.
     
  2. Teditor

    Teditor TrainBoard Member

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    I model N Scage so as not to get confused.

    Ted (Teditor) Freeman
     
  3. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Are you sure it isn't N gauale?
     
  4. MioneRR

    MioneRR TrainBoard Member

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    And throughout the entire discussion there is no mention of treble O (OOO) scale, guage, whatever.
    (ducking for cover)
     
  5. u18b

    u18b TrainBoard Supporter

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    You must have skipped my discussion somewhere around page 5. ;-)

    You can quit ducking.
     
  6. SteamDonkey74

    SteamDonkey74 TrainBoard Supporter

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    That name comes from shows. Viewers would exclaim, "O-O-Oh that's so CUTE!"
     
  7. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

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    Let us not forget S, T, and TT in our alphabet soup...

    :tb-wink: :tb-wink: :tb-wink: :tb-wink:​
     
  8. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Argh. He used the "C" word.... :eek: :(

    Boxcab E50
     
  9. maxairedale

    maxairedale TrainBoard Member

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    I am back up on my soapbox again

    Ladies and Gentlemen:

    I am back up on my soapbox again to say the following


    1. In my first post of this thread I made some incorrect statements because I was either
      1. Misinformed
      2. Just to @#$%^&* stupid to realize that I did not know what I was talking about.
      3. Multiple bad days at work help to push me over the edge and I went off. This is not an excuse.
    2. You can teach an OLD dog something and I learned
      1. N Gauge has nothing to do with the size of objects like building, people, rolling stock, locomotives, etc., even thought these items are sometimes advertises as “N Gauge.”
      2. N Gauge is referring to the spacing between the railheads of the track being used, a spacing of 9 millimeters between the inside surfaces of the railheads
      3. N Gauge is the standard gauge for multiple modeling ratios; 1:160, 1:150, and 1:148 to list just a few.
      4. N Gauge does not automatically mean someone is modeling one of the ratios listed above, but that their track has a gauge of 9 millimeters
      5. When a person states that they are building an N Gauge layout I should not assume that they are building an N Scale layout (in all probability they are), and that they are only talking about the track gauge be it standard gauge or not.
      6. The term gauge be it N gauge, OO gauge or any other -- gauge, is going to be used throughout the hobby even when referring to structures or scenery items. This can be debated as being either a correct or incorrect use of this terminology and I DO NOT want go get into it at this time.
      7. Last but not least, and this is where I made my biggest error “N Gauge” does not mean “Narrow Gauge”
    3. Although I was total wrong about the relationship between “N Gauge” and “Narrow Gauge”, I was correct in stating that Scale and Gauge are not the same.
    4. We were told “Technically there is no N scale.” and that many of us who thought that we were modeling in N Scale are not modeling a scale but a ratio i.e. 1:160, 1:150, or 1:148. Okay I agree it is a ratio but I also believe that it is still a scale. Lets NOT start again. If you wish to believe it is a scale or not it is you choice and I will not criticize you for believing that.
    5. That some of you get annoyed when someone feels the need to draw attention to minor mistakes like; Spelling errors, Punctuation, Words not capitalized, Grammar, Intermixing terminology, etc., While others believe that using the correct terminology and the other items listed is important. I try to do my best with these things but I always seem to mess it up.
    6. That the terminology a person uses is determined by their past. All Photo Copiers are not Xerox machines and all face tissues are not Kleenex
    I’m not perfect. I make mistakes all the time, and starting this thread is an excellent example of that fact, and I am willing to admit that I made a mistake when I am presented with the facts (it is some times hard to swallow ones pride). If I had not started this thread I would still be thinking that N Gauge means Narrow Gauge and is not refereeing to the Gauge of the track. Thank you for the facts.

    During the first day of this thread some of you wrote things that I took as an attack on myself and I responded in an aggressive nature. After having some time to sleep and reading some of the posts again, I realize that most of what I thought was an attack was not. With that said, I want to apologize to all of you who have read this thread and especially to those who I responded to in an aggressive nature.

    I hope that we all are friends again and any hurt feelings have healed. Furthermore I would like that we end this discussion about N Scale and N Gauge and that we all agree to sometimes disagree. Those of you who have been ducking for cover; it is now safe to come out.

    I now yield the soapbox,

    Gary
     
  10. SteamDonkey74

    SteamDonkey74 TrainBoard Supporter

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    :thumbs_up::thumbs_up::thumbs_up::thumbs_up:
     
  11. Grey One

    Grey One TrainBoard Supporter

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    I selected some of my equipment because it was "cute" to women. How else could I seduce them into participating in the hobby?
     
  12. Stickboy

    Stickboy TrainBoard Member

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    Gary, well said.

    It takes a big man to realise they might have made a mistake, and to acknowledge it.

    Cheers

    Phil
     
  13. Stickboy

    Stickboy TrainBoard Member

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    Better believe it... I was relieved when my new set of Z scale Shell tank cars were described as "cute" rather than "expensive"...

    Phil
     
  14. N-Jineer

    N-Jineer TrainBoard Member

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    Is now a good time to suggest the soapbox gets smashed up and used as firewood? :tb-biggrin:
     
  15. GNFA310

    GNFA310 TrainBoard Supporter

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    Personally Gary, I loved every bit of this thread.... reminded me of the time(s) I tried explaining this very same subject ... and got the exact same results!! :tb-cool:

    Sooo... As our Fairy God-GandyDancer would tell us:

    Strike your Silver Handled spike hammer on the Golden Spike and say three times:

    "Model Railroading is fun! Model Railroading IS Fun!! Model Railroading IS FUN!!!" (With apologies to the "Wizard of Oz" and Model Railroader!! :tb-err: )


    Now where the heck is that track gauge???? :tb-confused:
     
  16. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

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    Don't you mean Tracle Scale...

    :tb-wink: :tb-wink: :tb-wink: :tb-wink:​
     
  17. maxairedale

    maxairedale TrainBoard Member

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    How about we take it apart and use it for bench work if possible?[​IMG]

    Gary
     
  18. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

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    Spoken like a true modeler, reuse of everything...

    :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up:​
     
  19. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    It wasn't all that long ago, when we used to consider the "C" word to be a no-no. Part of that was when the horribly oversized people were also using it as a seemingly benign put-down... :tb-ooh:

    Boxcab E50
     
  20. Allen

    Allen TrainBoard Member

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    This thread is more fun than a soap opera! I'd better get another soda....
     

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