Train Scales

What the 'L' is L scale/gauge in actual figures? (perhaps model railways in the Infernal Region?) Regards, Bill.

I'll guess that the gauge is a multiple of the standard Lego peg spacing less the width (2x0.5) of the plastic rail/running surface. Scale? Don't be silly! ;-)

Regards, Greg.P.

Salvé Jeff Law skrev i diskussionsgruppsmeddelandet:co9b98$mvu$ snipped-for-privacy@lust.ihug.co.nz...

HO was invented by the pioneer A.R.Walkley c1922 before Bing produced their table top railway (HO ..sort of!)in 1925, he made everything including the magnets for the scale Southern Railway loco! (Englands Southern not the USA's!), he made what is arguably the very first true scale HO sceniced model a few photo's still exist as do some of his wagons I believe, I'd love to own one :) It was known as the "Railway in a suitcase" being extremely portable (6ft long)it was a wide plank with a hinge in the midddle that enabled it to be folded for transport on the buses of the day, hence the name, it had three points (turn outs) and even by todays standards is a superb model AND it was two rail dc..... Beowulf

Unlike some folks, I'm not a snob w.r.t. the toy vs. scale model distinction. All model trains are ultimately toys, and strictly speaking, all toy trains -- even Lego or Brio -- are models (ie. a representation of a prototype). They merely vary in their level of fidelity -- even the best scale models often contain some compromise for the sake of operability, manufacturing or robustness. And I've seen some impressive Lego work (trains and otherwise). But it's not for me (except when my son drags me into his robotics projects as the software expert).

-- Kizhe

There is a comprehensive history of 00 Gauge on the Double O Gauge website

Did Bing start in 1925? I understood they started in 1923 after actually beginning but not reaching production pre-war. I have an example of a pre-grouping set, which would seem to support 1923.

If only he'd known, he could have gone OO right at the start and saved a lot of hassle! ;-)

Regards, Greg.P. (HO British modeller)

salvé Gregory Procter skrev i diskussionsgruppsmeddelandet: snipped-for-privacy@ihug.co.nz...

(zero-zero).

A.R.Walkley would sem to have started building his model about 1920, it was certainly being shewn by 1925 at exhibitions or their equivalent, Bing on the other hand first marketed their tabletop railway in 1925, the photos I have (in a magazine!) are from the description of the layout inJune 1926's Model railway News. C.J. Freezer ( well known in British modelling circles and also one of the pioneers) thought that he started to build his layout in

1924, I have read other sources which make me incline to an earlier date, his M7 0-6-2 wqs a superb handbuilt model as are the various coaches and wagons , I doubt very much that such high class models could be built in less than a year along with the points and scnenery etc, It could be said that Bing produced the first commercial HO gear, but A:R: invented the scale :)

It wasnt till after ww2 that OO became as popular as it is today and this is mainly due to the difficulties of getting a reliable (?) motor into a 3.5mm (HO) scale model hence OO's 4mm , oh yes the Bing system was clockwork, oh yes I have also read somewhere that the great man also invented and built a 1mm scale model, eat your hearts out z scalers :D

beowulf

It is 38mm.

Here is a web site with a history of Lego trains:

in article snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com, Lt. Kizhe Catson at snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote on 11/29/04 12:10:

WHICH dies out then...the hobby, or the NMRA? (In some quarters, the NMRA has become irrelevant.)

"Kizhe" is an interesting name. What's its origin?

Dieter Zakas

As a kid (early 1930's) I had what must have been a Bing 16.5mm gauge train set. One piece of curved track and the loco survived until about twenty years ago. The curved track was pressed out of tinplate, with rails, sleepers and ballast all in one, lithographed. The loco was a clockwork

2-4-0, representing a London & North Western Railway engine, with square based funnel and paddlebox splashers, livery, black with red lining. Somewhere along the way I lost the loco., which I've regretted ever since, it would have been an interesting historical relic. Regards, Bill.

Salvé William Pearce skrev i diskussionsgruppsmeddelandet:41b544d0$0$17542$ snipped-for-privacy@news.optusnet.com.au. ..

Ah the LNWR :) a great Railway :) lovely engines too :) it would look pretty on a bookshelf : I have a red US three rail set on mine and it looks the buisness even if it is a little battered :) NYC Commodore vanderbilt fun to look at too :) I had at one time a transsformer for it as well but not realising it was an american unit (I live in Sweden) I plugged it in after checking it over for frayed wires etc (but Not having checked the voltage.....) the resultant firework display amused the kids terrified the cat and made all the fish swim to the aquarium side to watch the display, needless to say the melted lump of fused metal was gotten rid of in no time at all and I had to weather the irate tone of she who must be obeyed on the dangers of using ancient bits of electrical equipment, which was unfair as she had been as interested in seeing the trains go rounditty round as I the kids, cat, the goldfish and freshwater shrimp had been, she had been only slightly less shocked than I was at the events ( I was after all holding on to the damn thing....) which resulted, now I check to see if electrical gear isUS or local :) I dont want another Guy fawkes display in my living room with me as the Guy :) perhaps clockwork next time....... Hornby here I come.... Beowulf

Not according to this account at

Henry Greenly seems to be a major player, however Walkley seems to have been the first to use finescale standards, and prove they work using 1mm flangeways.