Hello- I am new to this forum, and have come across a few scratchbuilt American cars I believe are wide gauge, and am looking for information- they are wood construction with tinplate style trucks and couplers- thanks, Larry.
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1/32?
A lot like O scale there are dozens of variations on the same track gauge.
A lot like O scale there are dozens of variations on the same track gauge.
Wide Gauge and Gauge 1, are not the same. Wide Gauge is what American Flyer and other manufacturers called Lionel's "Standard Gauge", not wanting to use Lionel's terminology.
Gauge 1 track has a between the rails gauge of 45mm. There are many SCALES that operate on Gauge 1 track, including but not limited to 1/17, 1/20.3, 1/22.5, 1/24, 1/29 and 1/32.
1/20.3 scale is used to model American 3' Narrow Gauge running on gauge 1 track.
I forget if 1/22.5 or 1/24 is used when modeling European METER(or METRE) Gauge running on Gauge one track.
Aristocraft used 1/29 to model American Standard Gauge(4'8.5") running on Gauge 1 track
MTH and USA Trains used 1/32 scale to model American Standard gauge running on Gauge 1 track.
"G Scale" is a commonly mis-used term encompassing ALL models running on Gauge 1 track. It has been mis-used for so long and so widely that is often accepted, but "G"is actually Properly one of the many scales that run on Gauge 1 track, 1/24 Scale IIRC.
"Large Scale" or "Garden Scale" are typically used by many involved in the Gauge 1 Hobby when making an all scale comment, rather than commenting on specific scale topic.
If you think that the Semi-Scale and Scale sizes lead to confusion in O-Gauge, the variety of Scales and Couplers in Large Scale makes the confusion in O Scale pale in comparison. A modeler in Large Scale needs to pay closer attention to scales and coupler when mixing products from different companies. couplers can often be changed, but will sometimes need a bit more effort to get coupler heights compatible.
Just yesterday, we visited some local Garden layouts, The Rose City Garden Railroad Society has their annual layout tour the Saturday before Father's Day. I only made to one, but the price is VERY reasonable, purchase of a $10 tour book will get entry for the ENTIRE Family to as many layouts as you can manage, there is typically about a Dozen layouts open each year in the Greater Portland, OR Metro area. I visited Gary Lee's layout in Corbett, OR an Absolutely Beautiful layout that would be a fitting Cover layout on a magazine.
If I had the Time, Budget and Real Estate, I can see myself getting very involved in Large Scale, but at the present time, I don't have enough of the above resources to do what I would like in O Gauge as it is, so maybe some day in the future.
Doug
Thanks, I am familiar with G scale trains, these are older and different- best guess is wide scale, most likely scratch built in the 1930's, with on commercial trucks and couplers- is there any interest in things like this out there?
