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S Scale Model Trains – A Bit of History

The S scale is an interchangeable description of a model train size with the American Flyer brand name of model trains and railroads.  S scale model trains are a sixty fourth of the size of a real train, putting them between the HO and O sizes of train models.  S scale model trains are available in both AC and DC power types.  The S scale uses a two rail track instead of the classic three rail track which uses the middle rail to provide electricity.  There has been an S scale train renaissance in the past twenty years or so, and even people who are not normally interested in model trains are impressed by these exotic models.

The S scale model trains were given the letter S in 1943 by the Model Railroading Association.  The one sixty fourth size scale was specified to be exactly one half of the already available one thirty second size.  The scale system is used to let people know about the relation in size between the model train and the train it is based on.  

S scale model trains are sometimes referred to as S gauge trains because of the space between the rails on the track.  Before the S scale came about, all the trains used three rail track, while the S scale model trains use only two.  While newcomers to the model train world will use “S scale” and “S gauge” interchangeably, the main difference between the two is that “scale” is used in the states, while “gauge” is used in the United Kingdom.  Ironically, the National Association of S Gaugers is located in America, while the S Scale Model Railway Society can be found in the UK.  The S scale model trains were created almost simultaneously in the United States and the United Kingdom in the 1930s, and no one is really sure who to point to as the creators of the S scale trains.

The renaissance of S scale model trains began in the 1980s when American model trains started to appear with an S scale on the market again.  Newcomers and long time model train enthusiasts began buying out the stores of the S train models, causing companies to start mass producing the particular scale of model train.  Ever since they started to make a comeback in the early 1980s, more and more S scale trains are produced by American based model train companies.

Everything for your collection at S Scale Model Trains

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History Of G-Scale Trains – How This Scale Got Started And Why People Choose It

Early “garden trains” were built to a 1:24 scale in Europe, but didn’t catch on in the US until the 1920’s. True G scale trains, also known as Garden railways, were first sold by the Ernst Paul Lehmann Petentwerk company (sold to Hermann Schontag in 2006) under the name of “Lehmann Gross Bahn” (Lehmann Big Train) in 1968. The company produced G scale trains in both Europe and the US including steam, electric, and diesel prototypes as well as rolling stock and accessories. Since LGB originally only made European trains in this scale, they did not catch on in the US until 1972 when Model Railroader Magazine ran an article on LGB.

A garden train built to the earlier 1:24 scale was erected at the Los Angeles Fair in 1924 at the Fairplex Gardens where it remains today although in 1972, it was swapped out to it’s more correct scale of 1:22.5.  G scale trains have a scale of 1:22.5 or measure approximately ½ inch to the foot of full scale trains.  The track used for G scale trains is Gauge 1 (for standard gauge railways)and is 45mm wide (about 1 3/4 inches).  The track is consistent among different manufacturer’s, however the train scale actually varies slightly from country to country.

Because these trains originated from Germany, you might imagine that the origin of the G comes from Germany as well.  The word groß in German means “big” hence the G designation.  These trains are larger than most model trains, although they are not the largest scale, they are the most popular large scale trains.  Because of their ruggedness, they are often used in outdoor layouts, so are also known as garden railways.

One problem with outdoor model railways is the weather which can cause corrosion.  To address this issue, LGB and several other manufacturers produce track made of brass which can remain outside in any weather. Track can also be obtained in less expensive aluminum and oxidation-resistant, though more expensive, stainless steel.

The longest G scale train trestle in the world was built and is displayed at the Living Desert in Palm Desert California.  This trestle is over 202 feet long and is built entirely of redwood with glued and stapled joints.  Trestles are built to span riverbeds or gulches and this one is no different.  It slopes approximately 1% (1 inch drop for every 100 inches in length) to allow the train to traverse from one side of the gulch to the other.

Another gauge called Gn15 has sprung up and uses 1:24 scale parts, but H0 scale track which is very narrow at 16.5mm (just over ½ an inch). This scale was designed to model 15 inch track railroads otherwise known as minimum gauge.

There are numerous manufacturers of G scale trains and a varied selection of locomotives, rolling stock, and accessories to choose from.  These modelers even have their own society here in the US. If you want to build a model railway that is impressive in its size and robust enough to be displayed outside, you should consider G- scale model trains.

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History Of Ho-Scale Trains – How H0-Scale Got Started And Became The Most Popular In The World

In 1921, the “double zero” or 00 scale train (1:76) was introduced in the United Kingdom.  This train was and remains the most popular scale in the UK and runs on the same gauge track as the H0 scale trains, although the actual trains and rolling stock are a larger scale.  In the 1930’s the H0 scale was introduced as an alternative to the 00, but never really grabbed a foothold in the UK.  At 1:87, the H0 scale (pronounced h-oh, not h-zero, and not ho) is approximately half the scale of the 0 (zero) scale.  Early scales were denoted by numbers like 0, 1,2, and 3. In the United States, Japan and Australia, H0 is more popularly denoted as HO.

The H0 scale became very popular in the United States in the late 1950’s which is when model railroads started to become less like toys and more realistic due to hobbyist demand.  Smaller sized trains by their very nature allow enthusiasts to fit more “scale miles” into the same space as larger trains, while giving up a little in ruggedness.  Smaller trains also allow more detailed scenery to be created in the space.

In the 1960’s, the 0 scale began to decline in response to the rise in the H0 scale’s popularity.  Even manufacturer’s who had previously eschewed the scale like Gilbert (who made the popular American Flyer) began making the more popular scale. Today the H0 scale is the most popular scale in the US as well as in most of Europe.  Although 00 still maintains its top spot in England, the H0 scale does exist.  The British 1:87 Scale Society was formed in the mid 1990’s to promote the scale and provide support to those modelers who enjoy it.

Early track for the H0 trains were sold in sections, usually 9 inches long and came in straight sections and curved sections of various radii.  Track “code” is a measurement of the height of the rail as measured in thousandths of an inch.  Most popular is probably Code 100 which is .100 inches high.  This track is fairly heavy for the HO scale and can accept 00 trains and older deep wheel flange trains as well.  For that reason, some purists opt to make their own finescale track to reduce the size.

Due to the widespread popularity of HO scale trains throughout most of the world, manufacturers make a wide array of locomotives, rolling stock (cars and carriages), track, and scenery.  You can buy fully ready to run models, easy to assemble kits, or Craftsman kits which require much more assembly and skill and may contain several hundred parts.  Price and quality also varies widely, so be sure you know what you are buying, as with anything else, you get what you pay for in most cases.

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History Of N-Scale Trains – How The Smaller Size Of N-Scale Trains Made Them So Popular

N-scale trains have existed in some form as far back as 1927, but they are one of the newest of the model train sizes. Due to the prevalence of other scale trains that had been around longer, N’s did not become popular and begin to be commercially produced until 1962.  They were, however, one of the earliest scales to start out with recognized standards.  In the early 1960’s standards were agreed upon among manufacturers with respect to the voltage to be used, the track gauge, the train height, and other aspects of the scale. Before manufacturers around the world agreed on standards, buyers could not be certain that an N-scale train from Marklin in Germany would fit on the same track as an N scale train built by Bachman in the US.  Even today with standards, there are variants.  These include 1:150 or 1:160 in Japan, and 1:152 in the UK among others.

N-scale trains grew to become the second most popular standard in the world.  Only HO-scale is more popular.  N-scale takes less space than HO-scale and so is used much more in locations where space is limited.  N-scale’s popularity is partly because it’s smaller size allows for more trains and more expansive scenery in a given space.  The scenery is also usually much more detailed.  The proliferation of N-scale has grown at different rates in different countries.  The growth of any type of model train often depends on people producing train models that reflect the real trains of the region.  Since N-scale is one of the newest scales, it has taken some time for models that reflect local trains to be produced in some countries. In Japan, where space is limited, N-scale became popular very quickly and indeed is the most popular scale today, while in Australia it has taken a longer time to catch on.

For various reasons such as modeling narrow gauge (N-scale train on HO gauge track), modeling minimum gauge (N-scale train on a T-scale track) or modeling perspective (N-scale train in HO-scale scenery) not all N-scale trains are run on N gauge track.  These scales have been given their own letter designations in order to distinguish them from an all N-scale layout.  True narrow gauge N-scale tracks do exist, but are rare due to a dearth of parts suppliers.

N-scale trains look very small (and at 1:148 of full scale, they are approximately half of HO-scale), but they are not the smallest scale that is made.  Both T (1:450) and Z scales (1:220) are much smaller.  If you would like your layout to fit in a smaller space, but still have a lot of detail or would like to have extensive scenery, N-scale trains might be for you.

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Question by Phalliad: History Questions For Those Who Can Answer?
1. “[The] electric light, incredible as it may appear, is produced from a tiny strip of paper that breath would blow away. Through this tiny strip of a paper is passed an electric current, and the result is a bright, beautiful light. . . and this light, the inventor claims, can be produced cheaper than that from the cheapest oil.”

Marshall Fox, New York Herald, 1879

The device described in the above passage from the New York Herald was invented by
A. Joseph Swan.
B. Thomas Edison.
C. Henry Bessemer.
D. Pierre Curie.

2. How did electric power impact industry?
A. It allowed factories to move away from water sources.
B. By increasing efficiency, it shortened the work day.
C. It increased safety hazards in manufacturing plants.
D. It reduced the cost of powering heavy machinery.

3. Which of the following best describes how the Model T automobile changed society?
A. It improved personal transportation for the “great multitude” and allowed people to travel greater distances.
B. It improved personal transportation for the elite members of society.
C. It improved the railroad industry, because it now had a competitor in the transportation market.
D. The Model T automobile led to the creation of European automobile industries such as Benz and Daimler which improved personal transportation throughout Europe.

4. How did the radio differ from the telegraph?
A. Radio operators used Morse code; telegraph operators did not.
B. The telegraph required wires; the radio did not.
C. The radio became wildly popular by 1900; the telegraph did not.
D. The radio was used primarily in the United States; the telegraph was used mostly in Europe.

5. Who disproved the long-held belief that an atom is a solid piece of matter?
A. Marie Curie
B. Dmitri Mendeleyev
C. Albert Einstein
D. Ernest Rutherford

6. Which of the following was a significant factor in the expansion of the railroad system in the 1800s?
A. The invention of the Bessemer process
B. The discovery of electricity
C. The production of the Model T
D. The National Railroad Exhibition of 1900

7. In addition to personal communication, the telegraph was used
A. to speak with loved ones who lived far away.
B. to conduct business and quickly transmit news from far away places.
C. to help hearing-impaired students learn how to speak.
D. to advance the study of aerodynamics.

8. The work of Joseph Lister with antiseptics would have been impossible without the discoveries of
A. Marie Curie.
B. Isaac Newton.
C. Albert Einstein.
D. Louis Pasteur.

9. Which of the following disciplines benefited most from Charles Darwin’s work?
A. Physical anthropology
B. Cultural archaeology
C. Psychology
D. Medicine

10. “Bedrooms in tenements were dark closets, utterly without ventilation. There couldn’t be any. The houses were built like huge square boxes, covering nearly the whole of the lot. Some light came in at the ends, but the middle was always black.”

—Jacob Riis, The Battle with the Slum, 1902

What is Jacob Riis describing in the above quote?
A. Why governments should build parks in cities
B. The poor ventilation and lack of light in tenements
C. The homes immigrants had before arriving in the United States
D. The poor ventilation and lack of light in factories

11. Which of the following was a solution to scarce living and working space in cities?
A. The mechanization of industry
B. The construction of skyscrapers
C. The construction of subways
D. The expansion of public education

12. How did leisure time activities change in the late 1800s?
A. Leisure time activities included more outdoor activities as people moved from cities to suburbs.
B. Leisure time activities grew as people had higher incomes and more free time.
C. Fine arts activities were more popular as private funding of concert halls and theaters was expanded.
D. Many children had less leisure time, because more of them began to work in factories.

13. One effect of the expansion of the railroads was that
A. horse-drawn carriages were no longer used.
B. consumers had a greater choice of low-cost products.
C. the population of the East Coast declined.
D. the price of steel rose.

14. What development was essential for the expansion of cities to the suburbs during the Industrial Age?
A. The growth of pre-fabricated homes
B. The invention of the telegraph
C. The emergence of public transportation systems
D. The invention of the refrigerator and freezer

15. Which of the following individuals developed vaccines for anthrax and rabies?
A. Louis Pasteur
B. Charles Darwin
C. Albert Einstein
D. Crawford Long

16. Which of the following realistic writers revealed the unfair treatment of women within families?
A. Mary Wollstonecraft
B. Henrik Ibs

Best answer:

Answer by peek
1, B
2, A
3, A
4, B
5, A or C?
6, A(process of deduction, more than knowing)
7, B
8, D
9, A
10, C(I actually live in one still. He’s talking about the Glasgow, Scotland slums. They’ve changed a bit now though)
11, B
12, C?
13, B?
14, C
15, D
16, A?

EDIT- Having just googled 10 it could easily be B or C. I never realised we took the word tenement over there. I thought you used ‘brownstone’

Add your own answer in the comments!

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Celebrating Queensland’s proud rail history
Train enthusiasts from around south-east Queensland gathered in Grandchester yesterday for the 145th anniversary of the first railway journey in Queensland’s history.

Read more on Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Train Day event a stop in Haddon Heights’ history
To this day, a history on the Haddon Heights’ website describes this town as “a typical turn of the 20th century railroad suburb.”

Read more on Courier-Post

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