Lionel Scale

 For items made since 2000 or so,"Standard O Scale" is Lionels  1:48 indication.

Items not 1:48, are described as "Traditional O Guage".

From the catalog: "The "scale" of Lionel track translates to about 1/4" to the foot or 1:48 scale. Most Lionel products also measure about 1:48 scale. This relationship is approximate for Lionel Traditional and as exact as possible for Lionel Standard O."

Bob posted; "I never buy a Lionel item because I cannot determine size".

To your exact question RickO has pretty much given you the answer but...

I would say since you are this far alone without Lionel products why start now? The other compaines you mention fit your needs...or do they? 

Is there a particular piece of equipment you want some feedback on regarding scale?

The guys here will be glad to help.

Charlie

Their descriptions are fine if you have a catalog, like RickO describes.  I wish they would identify the actual products themselves like MTH does, so you could tell what you are looking at while browsing the stock at the local train store.

I don't mean to open up a can of worms but as long as there is a third rail running down the middle of the track, NOTHING in this wing of the hobby is scale therefore excluding one manufacturer or another because something is not 1:48 is ridiculous.

Case in point: MTH's premier 50' box car is 14 1/2" in length. A 50' box car, according to the CSX web site, is 55'8" in length. That equates to 1:45.8. Close but no cigar.

Bob, I hope the information that RickO posted helps. If this is the only reason for not buying Lionel, you sure have missed out on a lot of great equipment.

Lionel's catalog identifies products as "O-Scale" or "Traditional," and explains that: "O-Scale locomotives and cars are kept as close to scale dimensions as practical."   With one exception, I am quite pleased with the size and "scale" of all locomotives cars I have bought from Lionel.  That exception is the smaller Legacy Berkshire - that using an old K-Line casting. My ATSF was a scale length, width, and boiler height but had a cab about a scale foot too low on headroom : I installed a new scale cab and its fine.  Other than that all the other O-Scale locos I have (about forty) are very satisfactory as to size and scale.  

In my experience I have never had a problem identifying a scale O gauge item vs. traditional size when looking through train boxes.  If there is no scale description on the box I can tell by the larger size of O scale.

Steve, Lady and Tex

You are a better man than I. Some I can tell, pretty obvious, but some are more difficult for me, unless there is another to compare. The older postwar stuff seems really small and I can get those right most of the time.  Price is usually another indicator (scale size costing more). I don't have much Lionel, mostly MTH (just worked out that way so far, as I do like them both along with the others). 

Bob

Rick O has it right.

For items made since 2000 or so,"Standard O Scale" is Lionels  1:48 indication.

 

Items not 1:48, are described as "Traditional O Guage".

 

I'll go even further and say that some of the very best 1:48 scale freight car models are made by Lionel.  The Lionel web site has product info going back to about 2000 and they have a very good search function.  All you have to do is search for the type of model you are looking for and click on Standard O to limit the search to that category.  And if you search by product number the item description will include Traditional or Standard O.

If you want to take a look at 1:48 sacle models you might find the O Scale Freight Car Guide series helpful.

https://ogrforum.com/t...le-freight-car-guide

I don't mean to open up a can of worms but as long as there is a third rail running down the middle of the track, NOTHING in this wing of the hobby is scale therefore excluding one manufacturer or another because something is not 1:48 is ridiculous.

xray

I gotta' call  B.S. on that notion.  Some of the very best O scale models ever made are being produced today and offered in factory 3 rail configurations.  Atlas offers all of their models with your choice of high rail wheel sets and post war style couplers or RP-25 trucks and body mounted kadee compatible couplers.  MTH has designed all of their premier freight cars tooled since mid 2000s for easy conversion to trucks with RP-25 wheel sets and Kadee couplers.  Lionel Standard O freight cars, especially the PS series have been favorites of O scale modelers in 2 rail and 3 rail alike.  Lionel's latest freight car announcements have included Kadee coupler mounting as a designed in feature.  Today's top of the line freight cars are scale and the models really don't know if they are running on 2, 3 or 5 rail track.

Case in point: MTH's premier 50' box car is 14 1/2" in length. A 50' box car, according to the CSX web site, is 55'8" in length. That equates to 1:45.8. Close but no cigar.

MTH's 50 foot box car, which one?  They make six different 50 foot box car models!

You need to compare apples to apples.  Most model lengths listed in product descriptions use the extreme length over the couplers.

But what measurement are you comparing that too?  A nominal "50 foot" box car in the real world usually has a 50' 6" interior length.  The exterior dimension of the car body will be longer.  Then there is the length between pulling faces of the couplers, a dimension often used by railroads but infrequently in model product descriptions.  A prototype box car may have a cushioned underframe that will extend the couplers well beyond the end of the car body.

Compare apples to apples and you just might find yourself enjoying a Romeo & Julietta while you appreciate all the 1:48 scale models made today.  

Well, I don't know if I can tell if its scale or traditional when I-m holding it in my hand while at a swap meet, store, etc., but to me that is somewhat irrelevant.  What is important is that I can tell if it is a good size for me.  Scale, slightly off scale, traditional, or whatever, what is important is if it will look right.  That is not that hard to do with a little study, experience, and thinking and usually just holding and inspecting it is enough to tell.  When exact size is critical (as when buying a used PFE reefer to match all the other scale Atlas, MTH, and Lionel ones I have) I carry a 36" tape measure.  I can do "1/48 math" in my head if need be.

Scale or not scale!  Being new in the hobby and not understanding different sizes, all that is required is for the train(s) to look good. When showing the layout to visitors all they see are a lot of track on plywood. Then the Vision Line Hudson cranks up, smokes and a swinging bell, talking, nuf said all are impressed. The other 3 trains are running but not noticed very much.  Cannot wait for them to see the VK Bigboy

Brent