What scale is my locomotive?

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Mark in Modesto
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Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:24 pm

What scale is my locomotive?

Post by Mark in Modesto »

The title might be a bit misleading, but now that I have your attention, I'm hoping someone can tell me the LETTER designation of 1/8 scale railroad equipment.

We all know about HO, N, O, Ow5, G, Z etc., but somewhere, somewhen, I saw a comprehensive listing of letter designations for just about every size model or miniature train imaginable...but I can't find it anywhere.

There's no practical reason for knowing this, other than to let me clear that bit of organic RAM which doesn't want to let it go!


Thanks,

Mark in the dark in Modesto
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cbrew
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by cbrew »

how about H, for "hernia" gauge :lol:
If it is not live steam. its not worth it.
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Mark in Modesto
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by Mark in Modesto »

Or maybe HH...for Hernia and Hot. The first time my Modern Mogul rode the redwood I darn near croaked getting back on the rail by myself, hot. It was another good reason to carry gloves!

Nice looking American, Chris...ya don't see a lot of 4-4-0's with Vanderbilt tenders. I like it. I have a Vandy behind my Mogie, as well as a Whaleback to hide the forklift fuel bottle. Here's a link to pictures of our pike (not mine...the rich guy's), including a couple of my 2-6-0...a work in progress:

http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k275/ ... 0RAILROAD/

I still hope someone knows more than we do...



: J)

Mark
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gwrdriver
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by gwrdriver »

Letter designations belong to the electric train world (and IMHO should stay there.) Live steamers use gauge, or scale.
GWRdriver
Nashville TN
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LVRR2095
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by LVRR2095 »

Letter designations are an odd topic.
For one thing, "O" gauge is a misnomer, when tinplate toy train gauges were first set, they were numerical designations such as Gauge 0 (Zero, not the letter O) which was 1 - 1/4" gauge, Gauge 1 which was 1 - 3/4" gauge (now 45mm is more commonly used) Gauge 2 which was 2" gauge and Gauge 3 which was 2 - 1/2" gauge.
HO was merely a way of describing something that was "Half of Gauge 0" and the other "letter" designations such as "N" and "Z" are quite recent inventions of toy makers.
As many different scales can be accomodated on tracks of a specific gauge...it makes sense to use the system that Harry mentions...telling folks the scale and track gauge of your model.

Keith
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Mark in Modesto
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by Mark in Modesto »

I agree that letters should be left for 'spark trains', and I certainly wouldn't tell anybody I was in 'X' scale (that'd be snob-like) but, having seen that list on a site somewhere, I was hoping someone might have seen and saved it.

When asked, I always say 'Inch-and-a-half', which tells both the gauge and the scale to the informed. When speaking to a civilian, I'll usually add "Or one-eighth the size of the real thing.", which often evokes a "Wow!" from the innocent.


Mark
FredR
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by FredR »

BAS - Big A.. Stuff
Yeah, H is dead on. It's kinda stuck over the years....
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cbrew
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by cbrew »

haha, when someone asked me, i told them H for "hernia" gauge, its for a good laugh,
if you cant laugh, then whats the point anymore??
If it is not live steam. its not worth it.
Kimball McGinley
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by Kimball McGinley »

Wikipedia has more to say about this than you will care to read - and it does include ride-on stuff, IIRC. It reads a bit "britishy", IIRC. No, no letter used universally in Ride-ons. I Don't recall the search term.
Miserlou57
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by Miserlou57 »

I wanna say a RMI Railworks (Roll Models) ad on the back of an early 2000's Live Steam Magazine had a couple of 2 1/2" or 3 3/4" scale locomotives and cars pictured, with IIRC, F scale written somewhere in the text. I also want to say they had a second letter designation I'd never seen before, but I cannot remember what it was.
alanstepney
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by alanstepney »

The letter/number designations were originated by Henry Greenly and Bassett-Lowke (for whom he worked).

It simplified things when many models were made in Germany and sold in the UK as we didnt have the problem of dealing with those strange foreign millimetre thingies!
He only listed gauges 3 to 0, and 00 came slightly later. (As did 000 etc).

Subsequently, various people, organisations & companies came up with other letters / numbers for their particular gauge.
Some of which differ in different countries, just to confuse everyone!
http://www.alanstepney.info
Model Engineering, Steam and workshop pages.
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: What scale is my locomotive?

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Miserlou57 wrote:I wanna say a RMI Railworks (Roll Models) ad on the back of an early 2000's Live Steam Magazine had a couple of 2 1/2" or 3 3/4" scale locomotives and cars pictured, with IIRC, F scale written somewhere in the text. I also want to say they had a second letter designation I'd never seen before, but I cannot remember what it was.
Paul Garin, the founder of Roll Models, told me that his early stuff, the diesel transfer switchers, were not built to any particular scale. He just made them so stock materials would fit and the result would look right. The steamers and later engines are a different issue. He bought the Sweet Creek and related designs from Keith Watson in Australia and they are 3 3/4" scale. Some of the other engines are also 3 3/4 inch. Unless a scale is specified, I wouldn't presume that something is to a specific scale.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
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