O scale Versus O gauge

There is some confusion over the terms O scale and O gauge in model railroading.


O scale is approximately 1/48 scale, meaning that 1 foot on the train layout is approximately 48 feet on a real railroad. To keep with the scale concept, the train tracks in O scale have two rails and many ties between the rails. Trains typically are operated with DC current in O scale with the electric current picked up by the engine's wheels. Scale manufacturers include Lionel, Third Rail (a division of Sunset), Atlas, MTH, Weaver, and Williams by Bachmann, among others. Scale trucks and couplers also maintain the scale theme with knuckle couplers that have simulated hoses and trucks that are designed to run on low two-rail tracks.


O gauge, also referred to as tinplate, is slightly smaller than O scale and is less realistic in appearance. Tracks typically are higher (hence the term hi-rail) than O scale tracks and, with some exceptions, have only a few ties between the rails. Usually, O gauge tracks have three-rails. O gauge typically run on AC electric current, with the current received from the middle rail by roller pickups on the engine and passenger cars. Scale manufacturers (Atlas, MTH, and so on) also manufacturer O gauge equipment. Some O gauge manufacturers, such as K-Line and Williams, are no longer in business as independent entities.


Happy Railroading from the staff of Railroad Super Galaxy! Please come back soon.

 

American O scale is exactly (not approx) 1:48...1/4" equals 1'0". O gauge is 1 1/4" between the rails, which is actually 60" between rails instead of 4' 8 1/2" for true scale gauge. To confuse many...British O scale is 7MM or 1:43 scale which when run on 1 1/4" gauge is close to exact gauge in that scale. Tinplate O (Lionel, MTH, etc.) is built to 1:48 scale but much of the tinplate equipment is undersized to accomodate tight curves and small layouts. I hope this answers questions instead of confuses.
SCALE-relative size of equipment, figures, structures, etc.
GAUGE-the distance between the rails.
Woodie

 

I like 027. :tb-biggrin:

 

There's nothing complicated about scale relationships, you just have to understand what it's all about. And O27...that is tinplate (Lionel) which denotes the 27" diameter (not radius) circle that the trains will operate upon. To confuse you even more, many "O27" cars and locos are actually closer to S scale-1:64. A 40 foot boxcar in O scale would look crazy rounding a 13.5" radius curve, but a "tinplate" 40 footer looks fine because it is smaller. I would discuss the scale I model in but it seems that it would confuse matters even more. The best advice is to buy a "scale ruler" if you want, that really helps to see what is exact or a little "off".
Woodie

 

2-6-4 Adriatic on U.S. Rails

Strike 1

Pennsy Tender with SP Lettering

Strike 2

Calling it "scale"

You're Out.:thumbs_up:


Ahh, good ol' Lionel. Kinda reminds me of those fantasy paint schemes over in Micro Trains and ConCor! I can honestly say that there was never a teal Smoky the Bear SP C-30-1 caboose or a transluscent, confetti-loaded birthday 40' boxcar on the rails, and if you even use "locomotive" and "pink" in the same sentence so help me I will lose it.:tb-biggrin:

 

Yes-to the "way back machine"...long, long ago, I had the great old Lionel F3 Santa Fe locos & aluminum passenger cars (1953 era), and my dad got an American Flyer "General" 4-4-0 and passenger cars for me also. I used to set both sets up in my Grandma's garden and let them run. I would stage "meets" between the big SF train and the little W&A train and loved the way the big train looked next to the older and smaller train. This led me to narrow gauge and by the time I was 12 years old, I was a dedicated narrow gauger. I do wish I had both sets now, but that's the way it is. In my young mind, the O gauge (scale was not mentioned then) made the S gauge look like narrow gauge. Little did I know that O scale modelers would use S scale stuff to represent NG. Many still do this, but won't admit it!
Woodie