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  • Discussion related to everything about model railroading, from layout design and planning, to reviews of related model tools and equipment. Discussion includes O, S, HO, N and Z, as well as narrow gauge topics. Also includes discussion of traditional "toy train" and "collector" topics such as Lionel, American Flyer, Marx, and others. Also includes discussion of outdoor garden railways and live steamers.
Discussion related to everything about model railroading, from layout design and planning, to reviews of related model tools and equipment. Discussion includes O, S, HO, N and Z, as well as narrow gauge topics. Also includes discussion of traditional "toy train" and "collector" topics such as Lionel, American Flyer, Marx, and others. Also includes discussion of outdoor garden railways and live steamers.

Moderators: 3rdrail, stilson4283, Otto Vondrak

  by Allen Hazen
 
There is no "standard" narrow gauge: a variety of track gauges have been used for smaller-than-standard-gauge railways around the world. But threeof the most common are reasonably close to each other:
---42 inch gauge (South Africa, other African systems, New Zealand, Newfoundland...)
---Metre gauge (LOTS of "third world" countries; narrow gauge in continental Europe (including the prototypes for LGB))
---36 inch gauge (many North American narrow gauge systems (incl. Colorado and WP&Y), Irish narrow gauge...)

These are close enough that they could be treated as compatible in modelling. Using HO track (16.5mm gauge), we would model
---42 inch gauge rolling stock in 1/65 scale (almost S-scale!)
---metre gauge in 1/61 scale
---36 inch gauge in 1/55th scale.
(Scales rounded out to have two-digit denominators.)

If the demand for assorted narrow gauge model railroad stuff was great enough to attract commercial manufacturers, I would suggest that "generic" items (structures, figures, diesel locomotives like the Alco Dl-531 and Dl-535 that were built for systems of several track gauges) be modelled in the middle, 1/61 scale. They will be a little small on a lay-out representing South African Railways and a bit big on layouts representing Colorado narrow gauge, but maybe within a believable range. For example, a figure representing a six foot tall man in metre gauge would represent a 6'5" man -- tall, but well within the range of pro-basketball players! -- on a 42 inch gauge layout, and a 5'5" man on a 36 inch gauge layout.