# Builder's scales



## sang_route (Sep 24, 2008)

I dove threw the old posts but couldn't find a list and I forgot just what is what. anybody know them all?


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## ralphbrades (Jan 3, 2008)

The short answer is No!

If you are looking at Gauge 1 track then the common ones are: 1:32, 1:29, 1:24, 1:22.5, 1:20.3, 1:19.1 and 1:13.7

I don't use Gauge 1 track... 


regards

ralph


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

That's about 99% of them! The rest are a miss-mash of "pseudo-scales" that LGB, USA, REA/Aristo, etc... have put out over the years. Mind you, they never actually _state_ that this is the scale (especially LGB!) but measurements by others have come to these "nominal" scales. They _all_ run on 45mm track! Some have been called 1:29 when they look perfect next to a 1:20 locomotive and grossly oversized when set next to a 1:29 locomotive that should have dwarfed it! (See the thread on the Roger's bash..) Some companies have put out locomotives and rolling stock and called them 1:20.3 when they seem to scale up better at 1:22.5 so it's a crap shoot.

A lot depends upon what era and style you are modeling. Are you looking at narrow gauge? If so, California, Colorado or Pennsylvania were mostly 3ft. gauge which would be 1:20.3 _or _you could use 1:22.5 and/or 1:24! If you want to represent Maine narrow gauge lines which for the most part were 2ft. gauge, then you might want to go 1:13.7 (remember, this is on 45mm track and there's not a lot commercially available.) Different eras had different sizes of cars. A box car from 1870 would be considerably smaller than a same gauge car of the 1930's! Kevin Strong had a great illustration of that either here or in Garden Railways a couple of years ago if I remember correctly.

With standard gauge the going is a little bit easier. 1:32 is the correct scale but 1:29 has become the defacto standard gauge scale for 45mm track. There are plenty of threads on _this_ difference so I won't belabor it here. The other scale mentioned, 1:19.1, is popular "over the pond" though it hasn't seen much use in the States. All the others are essentially slightly larger or slightly smaller but are considered compatible with the "major" scales. The nice thing about our hobby is that you can pretty much run what looks good to you!


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## sang_route (Sep 24, 2008)

Yes but what I mean is Hartland = ?
Kalamazoo = ?
Delton = ?
USA = ?
Risto = ?
Lionel = >
LGB = 1/22.5 ish
Bach = 1/22.5 and 1/20.3


Didn 
t know there was a 1/13th scale


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Hartland = 1/24 
Kalamazoo = 1/24 
Delton = 1/24 
USA = some early cars 1/24 otherwise all 1/29 
Risto = 1/29 except for their Delton Classics and C-16 1/24 
Lionel = 1/32 
LGB = 1/22.5 ish 
Bach = 1/22.5 and 1/20.3


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

You forgot MTH = 1/32


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Yep, and then there's also shrimp scampi, boiled shrimp, battered shrimp, fried shrimp,broiled shrimp, baked shrimp, buttered shrimp, breaded shrimp, barbequed shrimp, grilled shrimp, shrimp cabob, shrimp creole, shrimp casserole, shrimp gumbo, shrimp sandwich, shrimp and rice, shrimp scampi, shrimp dressing, popcorn shrimp, fantail shrimp, stuffed shrimp, coconut shrimp, sweet and sour shrimp, peking shrimp, chilled shrimp, shrimp pate, shrimp dip, shrimp spread, shrimp tacos, shrimp loaf, shrimp delight, shrimp bolognese, shrimp over rice, shrimp in lobster sauce, shrimp fettucini alfredo......







(Sorry! I'm in one of those weird moods again. Everytime I hear this litany of all the scales and all the different manufacturers I just can't help but be reminded of Bubba's litany to Forrest Gump!!)

The list of manufacturers and their respective scales is pretty thorough though you might want to remember that the early years had a _lot_ more of the "toy train" and hardly any "scale models!" As our hobby has progressed, we have become quite a bit more demanding of scale fidelity and the manufacturers have responded. Compared to 20 years ago, we are overflowing with incredible options! The hobby now has so much more to offer the beginning large scaler! It's a great time to be in large scale!


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Also left out, and probably around 10,000 fans would be devastated, is the mainly-British scale of 16mm [to the foot] or 1/19th. This runs on 32mm gauge track as it mostly replicated the most common two-foot rail gauge found in western UK. 

Seems to me that there are a scad of US and Canuckian fans of this scale, even if you run the trains on 45mm track for commonality with most visitors...

tac
www.ovgrs.0rg


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

And then there is Accucraft. Most of their models are in 1:20.3 Accurate for US 3' narrow gauge), but they also have some offerings in 1:29 and 1:32.

Chuck N


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Don't forget MDC/Roundhouse. 

Most of the frt cars were 1/32 except the cabooses which were larger. 

The Hustler was 1/32 if I'm correct. 

Then there was Great Trains. 1/32 

Randy


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## sang_route (Sep 24, 2008)

Wow, didn't know there were so many manufactures. Thanks for the info


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

These might be helpful too: 

http://gold.mylargescale.com/scotty...guide.html
(it needs some updating..I will try to get to it this week.) 

http://gold.mylargescale.com/scotty...cales2.gif

Scot


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## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Steve Stockham on 18 Sep 2009 11:24 PM 
Yep, and then there's also shrimp scampi, boiled shrimp, battered shrimp, fried shrimp,broiled shrimp, baked shrimp, buttered shrimp, breaded shrimp, barbequed shrimp, grilled shrimp, shrimp cabob, shrimp creole, shrimp casserole, shrimp gumbo, shrimp sandwich, shrimp and rice, shrimp scampi, shrimp dressing, popcorn shrimp, fantail shrimp, stuffed shrimp, coconut shrimp, sweet and sour shrimp, peking shrimp, chilled shrimp, shrimp pate, shrimp dip, shrimp spread, shrimp tacos, shrimp loaf, shrimp delight, shrimp bolognese, shrimp over rice, shrimp in lobster sauce, shrimp fettucini alfredo......







(Sorry! I'm in one of those weird moods again. Everytime I hear this litany of all the scales and all the different manufacturers I just can't help but be reminded of Bubba's litany to Forrest Gump!!)

The list of manufacturers and their respective scales is pretty thorough though you might want to remember that the early years had a _lot_ more of the "toy train" and hardly any "scale models!" As our hobby has progressed, we have become quite a bit more demanding of scale fidelity and the manufacturers have responded. Compared to 20 years ago, we are overflowing with incredible options! The hobby now has so much more to offer the beginning large scaler! It's a great time to be in large scale!










Or Monty Python's Spam! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE


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