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For would-be Gullivers, N scale model trains from Athearn, Atlas, Bachmann, Kato, and others are a terrific way to go. Just as HO scale model trains are half the size of O scale trains, N scale model trains are half the size of HO, measuring between 1/148 and 1/160 the size of their real-life counterparts (the exact proportion depends on the country you live in or the manufacturer who made the model train). One thing is standard, though, and that is the gauge of the track, which is always 9mm wide.
N scale trains are most popular in Japan, no doubt owing to the premium put on real estate in that island nation. Most Japanese N scale trains are 1/150 the size of the real trains running on the real 3-foot, 6-inch narrow-gauge train tracks there. Models of Shinkansen (bullet trains), however, are 1/160 scale.
In England, a ratio of 1:148 is typical, although some N scale trains are 1:152. These latter models are understandably confused with the vintage Lone Star OOO scale trains that ...
Space alone is not the reason to choose N scale over HO scale. Many collectors have plenty of room to house their passions, so collecting at N scale simply allows those lucky folks to amass twice as many examples in N scale as they could in HO.
Unlike O scale, standard scale, and HO scale, some of which have been around for a full century, N scale only came into prominence in the 1960s. While the relative youth of the collectible limits the vintage value of N scale trains, it does mean that N scale collectors can generally mix and match components—standards were agreed upon early by manufacturers, making the interchangeability of many parts viable. Just having standard gauge tracks is an enormous help.
The downside of this rush to standardization was that one manufacturer, Arnold, was given the right to produce the N scale’s standard coupling, the Rapido. Not surprisingly, competitors were loathe to steer their customers to Arnold’s coupler, so they developed couplers of their own, even though Arnold owned the patent.
As it turned out, the Rapido did not work very well for automatic uncoupling and it was a bit bulky relative to the N scale’s diminutive size. Today, most serious N scale collectors prefer the magnetic knuckle couplers produced by Micro Trains.
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Interviews & Articles
The Beauty of Brass Model Trains
We’ve been operating Dan’s Train Depot, which is the parent company of BrassTrains.com, for about 11 years now. We bought out a ve… [more]
Train Talk with the National Model Railroad Association's Brent Lambert
The NMRA library’s original purpose was to focus on model railroading, but over time we’ve also received donations that have helpe… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Airfix Model Railways
Dave McCarthy's Airfix Model Railway treasure trove is an in-depth archive of the company's plastic railway kits fr… [read review or visit site]
Gateway NMRA
This great reference site for model railroaders, from the Gateway (St. Louis) division of the NMRA (National Model … [read review or visit site]
HOseeker.net
This site is a treasure trove of HO scale model railroad manufacturer catalogs and other reference information, inv… [read review or visit site]
Postwar Lionel Trains Library
Bernie Schulz’s Lionel Trains Library focuses exclusively on postwar Lionel trains and accessories. The site cont… [read review or visit site]
Eric's Trains
Eric Siegel's site displays his collection of O-gauge/O-scale trains, tracks, turntables, and other accessories. A … [read review or visit site]
Tech Model Railroad Club of MIT
MIT's model railroad club, as one might expect, has one of the best websites for learning about how people play wit… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Model Trains
- Train Collectors Association
- National Model Railroad Association
- Lionel Collectors Club of America
- Toy Train Operating Society
- National Association of S Gaugers, Inc.
- Train Collectors Society (U.K.)
- Lionel Operating Train Society
Other Great Reference Sites: Model Trains
Top eBay Auctions
Large N Scale Custom Layout Two Train Operation
Overland Ultra Rare Up Sd 70 M 4747 And 4637 And Up Ca- 9 Caboose 25669
N Scale Train Lot
Overland Models N Scale B.n. Sd70mac Fact. Painted #9432
Overland Models N Scale B.n. Sd70mac Fact. Painted #9474
Dtd - N Scale Lot - 100+ Kato Unitrack Assorted Straight Curved Rerailer Track
Atlas N Sd50f Locomotive,canadian National, Custom Painted,detailed, #1
Kato N Sd70m-2 Locomotive,canadian National, Custom Painted,detailed, #2
N-brass Omi-2834.1 U.p. Sd90mac Diesel #8021 F/p
Lot Atlas Code 80 N Scale Track-turnouts, Flex Track
Kato Alco Pa-1 D&rgw Aba Diesel Locos/w Kato California Zephyr 11 Car Set
N Scale Kato F3-a & B Locomotives (both Powered)/western Pac. /decoder Ready/new
Kato California Zephyr 11 Car Train Set 106-055
Lifelike N Scale P2k Usra 2-8-8-2 Undecorated
Up 2-8-0 Consolidation Oriental Limited Samhongsa
1880s Baldwin Mogul & 5-car Platform Train-brass Key Import (n Gauge)
N Gauge - Kato Double Track Viaduct 20-840 -------- 2 Sets -----------
N Scale - (20) Peco Code 80 #6 Left & Right Hand Turnouts
Kato Shinkansen E1 Max Full Organization 12 Cars Boxed Used
Kato Series 183-100 Electric Emu Full Organization Of 12 Cars Boxed Used
Minitrix N Gauge Germany Train Set, Test Run Only, In The Original Box (trainp1)
Kato California Zepher, N-scale, 11 Car Set
Kato 106-013 Nscale Smooth Side Passenger 6 Car Set Nyc - Mib
N - Arnold 2312 E94 001 E - Loco Aeg - Nib
Deluxe Innovations 9 Piece Amtrak Roadrailer Set With Bogie
N Emd A-b-b-a 1939 Demonstrator Set Intermountain #a
N Emd A-b-b-a 1939 Demonstrator Set Intermountain #b
N Scale Talgo Electrotren 3251 K Amtrak Trainset Talgo Pendular 200
N-scale Kato F7a & B Units Sante Fe Freight Color Scheme Rd #226c
N-scale Kato F7a & B Units Sante Fe Freight Color Scheme Rd #235
Peco Gwr Collett 2291 (n) Loco
Lot Of N-gauge Cars, Locomotives, Etc
N Scale Life Like Heritage Series Norfolk And Western Y3 2-8-8-2 Mallet #2011
Kato 106-0703 Nscale Alco Pa-1 & Pb-1 Prr 5752 & 5750b - Mib
Precision Craft Models N Scale #4100 Nyc E7b Powered W/loc Sound 647
Atlas Southern Pacific Mp-15dc Rd 2696 Oop
Model Power B&o 4-6-2 Pacific Steam Locomotive & Tender (new)
Nse 11-74 Gruber Wagon Works 40' Box Car And 50' Flat Car With Wagon Load
Hornby Minitrix N.209 Evening Star 92220 Loco Locomotive Engine Boxed
Dtd N Scale Kato 106-0404 F7a&b Atsf Warbonnet Diesel Engine Set - Santa Fe
Kato California Zephyr N Gauge 11 Car Set #106-055 Mb My Last One
Peco Gwr Collett 2252 (n) Loco ( Second Of 2 )
Fleischman Piccolo #2363 Loco With Eight Wheel Tender
Kato N Gauge Lima Locomotive #126-0301 Gs-4 Sp4449 Mib
Atlas 48200 Custom Painted Nscale Gp-7 Phase Ii Locomotive It 1501 - Nib
Deluxe Innovations Gunderson Twinstack, Dttx, 1505om-a
N Scale Atlas Gp-7 Ph.1 Locomotive / Tennessee Alabama & Georgia Road #707 / New
N - Arnold 2450 Br E16 02 Historic E-loco - Original Box
Athearn, N-scale, Emd F59phi, Go Transit #605, Locomotive
19 Pieces Of Kato Straight Unitrack --n Scale
Fox Valley Models 70361 Ns #7504
N Scale Al's Kustom Kars * Custom Painted & Decorated Micro Trains Cars
N Scale Kato Unitrack 9 3/4" 47pcs
Thrall 5-unit Articulated Double Stack Car Ttx#72874 Walthers 932-8113 Nscaleusa
Pair Atlas N Scale Sd-35 With Factory Instaled Lenz Decoder.
Kato N General Motors Emd Sd40-2 Bnsf No.6742 176-8203 Super Runner Tested Boxed
Kato N Scale Bethgon Coal Porter Bnsf
N- Kato Union Pacific Sd40-2 Early Road Number #3242!! Slight Weathering!
N Scale - (10) Peco Code 80 #6 Left & Right Hand Turnouts
Spectrum N Scale Train 4-8-4 J Class Dcc Ready Norfolk & Western #611 82154
Recent News: N Scale Model Trains
Source: Google News
Casper Calendar for May 22, 2013
Casper Star-Tribune Online, May 21st11 a.m.-2 p.m., 1356 N. Center St. Fun with model trains with N Scale enthusiast Harry Buhler and HO Scale collector Homer Whitlock. Info: 235-4950 or 266-6439. NAMI. * 7:30 p.m., 133 W. Sixth St. Connections/All Diagnosis support group for persons...Read more
Fun time at Homewood Railroad Heritage Day
SouthtownStar, May 19ththe engineer has to honk the horn. This came of the line through Palos Park and Orland Park. I grew up over there. Now it's a no-horn area,” he said. He has HO gauge trains at his folks' house, and an N scale train in the apartment he shares with...Read more
Train Society to hold open house
Shelton Herald, May 13thThe Boothe Memorial Train Society will hold an open house on Sunday, May 19 from 1-4 p.m. Four operating train layouts from “N”, “HO”, “O” and “G” scale will be on display. The Boothe Memorial Railroad Society is located in Boothe Memorial Park at 5800...Read more
Model trains, batteries and a simple idea
ChristianToday, May 12thIt's an expensive hobby that I just don't have the money to keep going but I do have a little amount of HO and N scale trains that I like to set up and watch the trains go round and round. I had not set up my model trains for a very long time and last...Read more
Amtrak station in Flint celebrates National Train Day with 1920s speeder car ...
Mlive- flint, May 11thInside of the station, volunteers with Huckleberry Railroad, the National Association of Railway Business Women, Mid-Michigan Railway and Operation Lifesaver handed out gift bags. Attendees were also privy to see a detailed, operating "N" scale model...Read more
Model RR club makes tracks for Beardsley Park
YourWestValley.com, April 29thSun City West Model Railroad club member Art Werner, left, and club vice president Bob Nelson are surrounded by HO- and N-scale tracks and trains in their club room. By fall, the club plans to operate a G-scale layout in an area west of the horseshoe...Read more
Freightloads of fun for Railroad Day
Osawatomie Graphic, April 24thFour-year-old Riley Duncan, with his dad Jessie Duncan and grandmother Dorothy Spencer, spent a long while admiring an N-scale model train inside the museum, set up courtesy of Greg Gilroy, model railroad chairman at the Franklin County Historical...Read more
Model Trains Come Home To Winslow Gallery Every April
AzJournal.com, April 24thThe “N” scale trains are 1:160 the size of an actual locomotive, or 160 scale feet to one actual foot. This is almost half the size of the more popular HO scale, which is 1:87. Because of this small size, module builders can fit a lot into their...Read more