| If you are new to the world of model train | | | | railroads are G, O, S, HO, N, and Z. A 'g' sized |
| building, you are probably a little confused about | | | | model is 1/22, the largest size of model that is |
| where to begin with your layout. After all, there is | | | | commonly used. Contrast that with a 'z' model, |
| a wealth of information on all the different | | | | which is only 1/220. In other words 1/10 the size |
| possible ways to arrange things, to set up the | | | | of the 'g' model! The degree of hand-eye |
| switching layout and the station layout and on and | | | | coordination that is necessary to successfully |
| on. You must make decisions regarding the | | | | work with the railroad is obviously higher with a |
| scenery and the types of trains too. Before you | | | | smaller scale. This means that larger train sets are |
| rush out to buy a large amount of model train | | | | usually a better choice for younger children. Also |
| pieces and scenery, or plan an entire town- even | | | | consider how well you will be able to see the |
| before you build the table for your model railroad | | | | model up close. Z scale trains are so small that if |
| set, you should decide what scale you want to | | | | you don't have excellent 'up-close' vision, it will be |
| work in. Scale will really determine what you need, | | | | very difficult to do any detail work. |
| the amount of space you will do it in, and what | | | | Another factor that you may want to think about |
| kind of scenery you will have. | | | | is how easy or difficult it will be to find supplies in |
| In choosing a scale you will need to take into | | | | a given scale. The smaller the scale, the less |
| consideration several factors including budget, how | | | | trains, accessories and scenery there are available. |
| well you will be able to work at a given scale, and | | | | Of course, many people who enjoy working with |
| how much room you have to house your model | | | | smaller scale sets consider this a challenge and |
| railroad. Scale refers to the size of the model in | | | | end up making do or creating many things that |
| relation to the size of the actual object. For | | | | one would otherwise purchase. A good |
| example, a model that is 1/22 is 1/22 the size of | | | | 'compromise' set, that is perfect for a beginner, is |
| an actual train. Everything in a model railroad | | | | an o scale railroad. The Lionel train sets that were |
| layout must be the same scale for everything to | | | | so popular for children for many years are an 'o' |
| appear proportionally the same. You don't want a | | | | scale. This size train is 1/48, meaning that it is 1 |
| tree that dwarfs a 10-story building. When you | | | | 48th the size of a real train! It is easy to find a |
| purchase pieces for your railroad, and they are all | | | | wide variety of 'o' scale trains, and accessories, as |
| the same scale, you won't have this problem. | | | | this is a very popular size of model train. |
| The most commonly sold scales for model | | | | |