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On the scales
OK, here we go.
For those of us who are already involved in the hobby of model railroading, nothing here is going to be news.I'm writing this for those of you who might be thinking about it, but might be unsure what is what or where to start.
There are numerous scales involved in model railroading. One of the biggest concerns when choosing the scale you want to work with is, quite simply, space.
Sure you can cram an O-scale Lionel layout in to a 4-foot by 8-foot space, but you won't see anything but train and track. It's kinda like putting an elephant in the living room. The furniture, aside from being a little flat, would be largely unnoticed if not unusable.
Likewise, with such large rolling stock and locomotives, the scenery would become secondary at best with an O-scale layout in such a small space.
If you have the space, money and time, O-scale can be tons of fun, but be prepared, the equipment isn't cheap.
G-scale railroads often are constructed in outdoor gardens. The equipment is sturdy and the track somewhat weather resistant.
At the other end of the spectrum, Z-scale is so small that I have seen attractive layouts constructed in a briefcase.
Arguably, the most popular scales are N and HO. They are smaller and operate on a 2-rail track system as opposed to the O-scale's 3 rails.
Without getting into too much detail, among the popular scales are, smallest to largest: Z, N, HO, S, O and G.
For more on model railroad scales, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Model_railroad_scales.
To put it simply, the smaller the trains and accessories - buildings, vehicles, trees, etc. - the more you can pack into a given space. I know, I know - DUH!
So look around. Have a little extra space? Looking for something to do in your spare time - assuming you have some spare time? It's time to start thinking about model railroading.
You might have to beg your wife, husband or significant other to use the available space for such a purpose, but a little begging can have its rewards.
Next week, I'll discuss some of the preliminary steps to planning your own little world. So choose your space, do a little cleaning and get your brain on track.
For those of us who are already involved in the hobby of model railroading, nothing here is going to be news.I'm writing this for those of you who might be thinking about it, but might be unsure what is what or where to start.
There are numerous scales involved in model railroading. One of the biggest concerns when choosing the scale you want to work with is, quite simply, space.
Sure you can cram an O-scale Lionel layout in to a 4-foot by 8-foot space, but you won't see anything but train and track. It's kinda like putting an elephant in the living room. The furniture, aside from being a little flat, would be largely unnoticed if not unusable.
Likewise, with such large rolling stock and locomotives, the scenery would become secondary at best with an O-scale layout in such a small space.
If you have the space, money and time, O-scale can be tons of fun, but be prepared, the equipment isn't cheap.
G-scale railroads often are constructed in outdoor gardens. The equipment is sturdy and the track somewhat weather resistant.
At the other end of the spectrum, Z-scale is so small that I have seen attractive layouts constructed in a briefcase.
Arguably, the most popular scales are N and HO. They are smaller and operate on a 2-rail track system as opposed to the O-scale's 3 rails.
Without getting into too much detail, among the popular scales are, smallest to largest: Z, N, HO, S, O and G.
For more on model railroad scales, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Model_railroad_scales.
To put it simply, the smaller the trains and accessories - buildings, vehicles, trees, etc. - the more you can pack into a given space. I know, I know - DUH!
So look around. Have a little extra space? Looking for something to do in your spare time - assuming you have some spare time? It's time to start thinking about model railroading.
You might have to beg your wife, husband or significant other to use the available space for such a purpose, but a little begging can have its rewards.
Next week, I'll discuss some of the preliminary steps to planning your own little world. So choose your space, do a little cleaning and get your brain on track.
posted by News-Herald Blogs at
10:32 PM
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