Many people enjoy doing little hobbies during their free time. While some people like reading books or writing poetry, others enjoy building things like model trains and model railroads. Building model trains brings out that artistic side that you don’t get to express very often. Building model trains does not only allow you to build to collect, but also allows you to learn a little about building real trains and fills you in on what scales, measurements, as well as gauges, are needed.

In locomotive lingo, scale approximates the size of the model train compared to the size of the actual train itself – the prototype. There are four models that are most used by train hobbyists. There’s O, N, G, and HO. These models fall under two categories: small trains and large trains. G and O, which have ratios of 1:22 and 1:48, respectively fall under large trains and their track is No. 1. HO and N have smaller scales with ratios of 1:87 and 1:160 respectively. The HO model is half of the O model while the N model is half of the HO model. Like all things, the different scales have their different strong points and advantages. Apart from these however, there are also those at the lower end of the spectrum. There are the S, the TT and the Z scale with ratios of 1:64, 1:120, and 1:220, respectively.

Gauge, on the other hand, speaks about the track. It’s the distance between two rails on the railroad track. Because trains cannot run without tracks, companies that make the trains and those that make the tracks must be able to agree with one another in terms of sizes. Four feet and 8 ½ inches is the standard size that many companies base their measurements on. It is possible however that gauges are narrower than the standard, sometimes measuring 3 – 3 ½ feet.

Another thing that makes train rides enjoyable are the beautiful sceneries. Whether it be the green fields of the countryside or the towering skyscrapers of the city, sceneries make train rides more memorable. Because of this, included in model railroads are their landscapes. Hobbyists like setting their model trains in beautiful sceneries. They can create their very own landscaping as they wish. They can recreate a beautiful countryside with valleys, mountains, rivers, and forestry. They can even add drama to the scene by adding the view of the sea or the streams and rivers and ponds. Or they could also recreate the city’s skyscrapers towering high above everything else. Within the landscape, the hobbyist decides where to situate his/her tracks. It is all part of his/her creativity. Your railroad track can lead to anywhere. It can go around in a circle or can loop around like an 8-figure. It can journey up and down the mountains or it can cross over rivers and lakes. Curving your train tracks a bit might be a good way to avoid your train from derailing.

The whole process of building model trains can be a lot of fun. It’s one of those hobbies that many people enjoy. It is one hobby that you get to share with your family and the rest of the world.