An N Scale Train Layout is a Giant Space Saver
The N scale train was developed back in 1962 by the Arnold Company of Nuremberg, Germany. They set the standards for the scale by defining gauge and voltage. Now there are many N scale manufacturers.
What is N Scale?
The “N”, in N Scale Train, stands for nine which is the number of millimeters between the rails of the track. If the distance between the rails is only 9 millimeters then how small must the train be?
The answer is really small, but just how small depends on where you are in the world.
In the United Kingdom the N scale train is 1/148 the size of the real-life train. In Japan it can range from 1/150 to 1/160. In the U.S. and most of Europe the N scale is 1/160 of its real-life counterpart. This is almost half the size of an HO model train.
N Scale compared to a pencil
Although they are small, N scale is by no means the smallest commercially available scale. That distinction belongs to the T scale model train which was released in 2008. T scale trains are 1/450 the size of an actual train and T gauge is only 3 millimeters wide. These trains can fit on the tip of your finger. I know you want to see one, so here it is.
Where this downsizing will end is anybody’s guess, but it can’t be that much fun to need a magnifying glass to see your train set.
Why So Small?
N scale trains are the second most popular scale in the world superseded only by the HO models. In Japan, N scale is the most popular scale and HO scale is considered large. The reason for this is because they are ideal for hobbyists who have limited space and in Japan the homes and apartments are generally smaller than in the U.S.
This scale is also great for those who want to lay down more track and scenery in order to build complex layouts in the space they have available thereby creating a fabulous miniature landscape. On large layouts some model railroaders even combine scales like HO and N. They’ll place the HO scale in the foreground and the N scale train in the background so it gives the illusion of greater distance between the two different model trains.
One thing to keep in mind about N scale is that just because it is small that doesn’t mean it is cheaper than other scales like HO. These trains are precisely made to exacting standards and use highly detailed parts. Somebody has to pay the price for that workmanship and it’s going to be the consumer.
So if you are thinking that detail suffers as trains get smaller, have no fear. Today’s manufacturers are producing the N scale train with great levels of detail.