Scales, Gauges & Ratios Explained

F&N Hobbies carries a variety of products in several different scales., so we include an explanation here:.

The Scale of a model is a measure of the size of the model in comparison to the real-world equivalent.
The size difference between the model and the real-world item is known as a "Scale Ratio" and indicates how many of the model would be needed to match the real-world item.
- For example, a 1/48 scale ratio would mean that a model is 48 times smaller.
A Gauge is the distance between two rails on model tracks.

Scale Explanations

Model train scales describe how big a model train is compared to a real one. The most common scales are G, O, HO, N, and Z.

G scale trains are the largest and often used outdoors
O scale trains are big and detailed
HO scale is the most popular and a good balance of size and detail
N scale is smaller and great for limited spaces;
Z scale is the tiniest, perfect for compact displays.

Each scale is defined by a ratio, like 1:87 for HO, meaning the model is 87 times smaller than the real train.