Railway modelling or
model railroading (US and Canada) is a
hobbyA hobby is a regular activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure, typically done during one's leisure time.- Etymology :A hobby horse is a wooden or wickerwork toy made to be ridden just like a real horse...
in which
rail transportRail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
systems are modelled at a reduced
scaleA scale model is a physical model, a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object, which seeks to maintain the relative proportions of the physical size of the original object. Very often the scale model is used as a guide to making the object in...
. The
scale modelA scale model is a physical model, a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object, which seeks to maintain the relative proportions of the physical size of the original object. Very often the scale model is used as a guide to making the object in...
s include
locomotiveA locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s,
rolling stockRolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
, streetcars,
tracksThe track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
,
signallingA signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
, and roads, buildings, vehicles,
model figureA model figure is a scale model representing a human, monster or other creature. Human figures may be either a generic figure of a type , a historical personage , or a fictional character .Model figures are sold both as kits for enthusiast to construct and paint and as pre-built, pre-painted...
s, lights, and features such as streams, hills and canyons.
The earliest model railways were the '
carpet railwayA Birmingham Dribbler or carpet railway describes the very first model railways. It is a bit of a misnomer, as the railway featured a model live steam railway locomotive, but no track – the locomotive was simply run across the floor...
s' in the 1840s. Electric trains appeared around the turn of the 20th century. But these were crude likenesses. Model trains today are more realistic. Today modellers create
model railway / railroad layoutsIn model railroading, a layout is a diorama containing scale track for operating trains. The size of a layout varies, from small shelf-top designs to ones that fill entire rooms, basements, or whole buildings....
, often recreating real locations and periods in history.
General description
Involvement ranges from possession of a train set to spending hours and large sums on a large and exacting model of a railroad and the scenery through which it passes, called a "layout". Hobbyists, called "railway modellers" or "model railroaders", may maintain models large enough to ride (
see Live steamLive steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam is used to operate stationary or moving equipment.A live steam machine or device is one powered by steam, but the term is usually reserved for those that are replicas, scale models, toys, or otherwise used for...
, Ridable miniature railwayA ridable miniature railway is a ground-level, large scale model railway that hauls passengers using locomotives that are models of full-sized railway locomotives .-Overview:Typically they have a rail track gauge between and , though both larger and...
and Backyard railroadA backyard railroad is a privately owned, outdoor railroad, most often in miniature, but large enough for one or several persons to ride on. The rail gauge can be anything from to or more. Smaller backyard or outdoor railroads that cannot be ridden are called garden railroads.Hundreds, even...
). Modellers may collect model trains, building a landscape for the trains to pass through, or operate their own railroad in miniature.
Layouts vary from a circle or oval of track to realistic reproductions of real places modeled to scale. One of the largest is in the
Pendon MuseumPendon Museum, located in Long Wittenham near Didcot, Oxfordshire, England, displays scale models of typical scenes on the Great Western Railway of the 1920s centred on working scale model railways....
in
OxfordshireOxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
,
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where an EM gauge (same 1:76.2 scale as 00 but with more accurate track gauge) model of the
Vale of White HorseThe Vale of White Horse is a local government district of Oxfordshire in England. The main town is Abingdon, other places include Faringdon and Wantage. There are 68 parishes within the district...
in the 1930s is under construction. The museum also houses one of the earliest scenic models - the Madder Valley layout built by John Ahern. This was built in the late 1930s to late 1950s and brought in realistic modelling, receiving coverage on both sides of the Atlantic in the magazines
Model Railway News and
Model RailroaderModel Railroader is an American magazine specializing in the hobby of model railroading. It was founded in 1934 by Al C. Kalmbach and is based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. It is published monthly by Kalmbach Publishing...
.
BekonscotBekonscot in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, is the oldest original model village in the world.It portrays aspects of England mostly dating from the 1930s. Bekonscot has been run by the Church Army since 1978 and donates large amounts of money to charity...
in
BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
is the oldest model village and includes a model railway, dating from the 1930s. The world's largest model railroad in H0 scale is the
Miniatur WunderlandMiniatur Wunderland is a model railway attraction in Hamburg, Germany and the largest of its kind in the world. , the railway consists of of track in HO scale, divided into seven sections: Harz, the fictitious city of Knuffingen, the Alps and Austria, Hamburg, America, Scandinavia, and Switzerland...
in
Hamburg-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The largest live steam layout, with 25 miles (40 km) of track is
Train Mountain in
Chiloquin, OregonChiloquin is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Chiloquin was the pioneer version of a Klamath family name Chaloquin, which was the name of a Klamath chief who was alive at the time of the treaty of 1864...
, U.S..
Model railroad clubs exist where enthusiasts meet. Clubs often display models for the public. One specialist branch concentrates on larger scales and
gaugesTrack gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
, commonly using track gauges from 3.5 to 7.5 in (88.9 to 190.5 mm). Models in these scales are usually hand-built and powered by live steam, or diesel-hydraulic, and the engines are often powerful enough to haul dozens of human passengers. Often railways of this size are called
miniature railwaysA ridable miniature railway is a ground-level, large scale model railway that hauls passengers using locomotives that are models of full-sized railway locomotives .-Overview:Typically they have a rail track gauge between and , though both larger and...
.
The
Tech Model Railroad ClubThe Tech Model Railroad Club is a student organization at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , and one of the most celebrated model railroad clubs in the world, because of its historic role as a wellspring of hacker culture...
(TMRC) at MIT in the 1950s pioneered automatic control of track-switching by using telephone relays.
The oldest society is
The Model Railway Club (established 1910), near
Kings Cross, LondonKing's Cross is an area of London partly in the London Borough of Camden and partly in the London Borough of Islington. It is an inner-city district located 2.5 miles north of Charing Cross. The area formerly had a reputation for being a red light district and run-down. However, rapid regeneration...
, UK. As well as building model railways, it has 5,000 books and periodicals. Similarly,
The Historical Model Railway Society at
ButterleyButterley is a village in the English county of Derbyshire near to Ripley. It is the site of the Midland Railway - Butterley, as well as the old Butterley Brickworks.- Notable residents :...
, near
Ripley, DerbyshireRipley is a town in the Amber Valley area of Derbyshire in England.- Earliest history :Not much information is available as to when Ripley was founded, but it existed at the time of the Domesday Book, when it was held by a man called Levenot....
specialises in historical matters and has archives available to members and non-members.
Scales and gauges
The size of engines depends on the scale and can vary from 700 mm (27.6 in) tall for the largest ridable
live steamLive steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam is used to operate stationary or moving equipment.A live steam machine or device is one powered by steam, but the term is usually reserved for those that are replicas, scale models, toys, or otherwise used for...
scales such as 1:8, down to matchbox size for the smallest in Z-scale (1:220). However, there is another scale that was introduced in 2007 that is also commercially available, called T Gauge, it is gauge track and is a scale of 1:450, basically half the size of Z scale. A typical HO (1:87) engine is 50 mm (1.97 in) tall, and 100 to 300 mm (3.9 to 11.8 in) long. The most popular scales are:
G gaugeG scale is a scale for model railways, and because of its size and durability, G scale is often used outdoors. Such installations are known as garden railways.-LGB:...
, Gauge 1,
O gaugeO scale is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading. Originally introduced by German toy manufacturer Märklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current O gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the United States and remained so until the early 1960s...
,
S scaleS Scale is a model railroad scale modeled at 1:64 scale, S scale track gauge is . S gauge trains are manufactured in both DC and AC powered varieties...
,
HO gaugeHO or H0 is the most popular scale of model railway in the world.According to the NMRA standard S-1.2 predominantly used in North America, in HO scale, represents 1 real foot ; this ratio works out to about 1:87.1. According to the MOROP standard NEM 010 predominantly used in Europe, the scale is...
(in Britain, the similar
OOOO gauge or OO scale model railways are the most popular standard-gauge model railway tracks in the U.K. This track gauge is one of several 4mm-scale standards used, but it is the only one to be served by the major manufacturers...
),
TT scalethumb|right|250px|TT scale model railroadTT scale is a niche model railroading scale, whose name stands for Table Top.Its 1:120 scale and gauge sizes it almost halfway between HO scale and N scale...
, and
N scaleN scale is a popular model railway scale/track gauge. Depending upon the manufacturer , the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. In all cases, the gauge is . The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions, but in the UK in particular N gauge refers to a 1:148 scale with track gauge modelling...
(1:160 in the United States, but 1:144 in the UK). There is growing interest in
Z scaleZ scale is one of the smallest commercially available model railway scales with a track gauge of . Z scale trains operate on 0-10 volts direct current and offer the same operating characteristics as all other two-rail, direct-current, analog model railways...
and T Gauge. HO and OO are the most popular. Popular narrow-gauge scales include Sn3, HOn3 Scale and Nn3, which are the same in scale as S, HO and N except with a narrower spacing between the tracks (in these examples, a scale instead of the standard gauge).
The largest common scale is 1:8, with 1:4 sometimes used for park rides.
G scaleG scale is a scale for model railways, and because of its size and durability, G scale is often used outdoors. Such installations are known as garden railways.-LGB:...
(Garden,
1:24 scale1:24 is a very popular size for Die-cast toy vehicles, which are collected by children and adults. Primarily automobiles are made in this scale, with a few examples of tractor trailers and other larger equipment. Plastic automobile kits are frequently made in this scale.1:24 is the largest of the...
) is most popular for backyard modelling. It is easier to fit a G scale model into a garden and keep scenery proportional to the trains. Gauge 1 and Gauge 3 are also popular for gardens. O, S, HO, and N gauge are more often used indoors.
LionelLionel, LLC is a designer and importer of toy trains and model railroads, based in Chesterfield Township, Michigan. Its roots lie in the 1969 purchase of the Lionel product line by cereal conglomerate General Mills....
trains in O scale (
1:48 scale1:48 scale is popular among modelers both as diecast models, plastic models made from kits, and construction toys. It is especially popular with manufacturers of model airplanes and model trains...
) are popular toys. S refers to 1:64 scale.
The words
scale and
gauge seem at first interchangeable but their meanings are different.
Scale is the model's measurement as a proportion to the original, while
gauge is the measurement between the rails.
At first, model railways were not to scale. Manufacturers and hobbyists soon arrived at
de factoDe facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
standards for interchangeability, such as gauge, but trains were only a rough approximation to the real thing. See
Normen Europäischer ModelleisenbahnenNEM standards are the standards for model railroads issued by the MOROP. NEM stands for Normen Europäischer Modellbahnen , Normas Europeas de Modelismo or Normes Européennes de Modélisme , the German translating to European Standards for Model Railways)...
(NEM) and NMRA. Official scales for the gauges were drawn up but not at first rigidly followed and not necessarily correctly proportioned for the gauge chosen. O (zero) gauge trains, for instance, operate on track too widely spaced in the United States as the scale is accepted as 1:48 whereas in Britain O gauge uses a ratio of 43.5:1 or 7 mm/1 foot and the gauge is near to correct. British OO standards operate on track significantly too narrow. The 4 mm/1 foot scale on a gauge corresponds to a track gauge of , 7 inches (178 mm) undersized). gauge corresponds to standard gauge in HO (half-O) 3.5 mm/1 foot or 1:87. This arose due to British locomotives and rolling stock being smaller than those found elsewhere, leading to an increase in scale to enable HO scale mechanisms to be used. Most commercial scales have standards that include wheel
flangeA flange is an external or internal ridge, or rim , for strength, as the flange of an iron beam such as an I-beam or a T-beam; or for attachment to another object, as the flange on the end of a pipe, steam cylinder, etc., or on the lens mount of a camera; or for a flange of a rail car or tram wheel...
s that are too deep, wheel treads that are too wide, and
rail tracksThe track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
that are too large.
Later, modellers became dissatisfied with inaccuracies and developed standards in which everything is correctly scaled. These are used by modellers but have not spread to mass-production because the inaccuracies and overscale properties of the commercial scales ensure reliable operation and allow for shortcuts necessary for cost control. The finescale standards include the UK's P4, and the even finer S4, which uses track
dimensionsDimensions is a French project that makes educational movies about mathematics, focusing on spatial geometry. It uses POV-Ray to render some of the animations, and the films are release under a Creative Commons licence....
scaled from the prototype. This 4 mm:1 ft modelling uses wheels 2 mm (0.078740157480315 in) or less wide running on track with a gauge of . Check-rail and wing-rail clearances are similarly accurate.
A compromise of P4 and OO is 'EM' which uses a gauge of with more generous tolerances than P4 for check clearances. It gives a better appearance than OO though pointwork is not as close to reality as P4. It suits many where time and improved appearance are important. There is a small following of finescale OO which uses the same 16.5mm gauge as OO, but with the finer scale wheels and smaller clearances as used with EM- it is essentially 'EM-minus-1.7mm.'
Couplers and connectors
In addition to different scales, there are also different types of couplers for connecting cars, which are not compatible with each other.
In H0, the Americans standardized on horn-hook, or X2F couplers, though these have largely given way to working knuckle couplers (Kadee) which are a close approximation to the "automatic" couplers used on the prototype there and elsewhere. Also in H0, the European manufacturers have standardized, but on a coupler mount, not a coupler: many varieties of coupler can be plugged in (and out) of the NEM coupler box. None of the popular couplers has any resemblance to the prototype three-link chains generally used on the continent.
For British modellers, whose most popular scale is 00, the normal coupler is a tension-lock coupler, which, again has no pretense of replicating the usual prototype three-link chain couplers. Bachmann and more recently Hornby have begun to offer models fitted with NEM coupler pockets. This theoretically enables modellers of British railways to substitute any other NEM362 coupler, though many Bachmann models place the coupler pocket at the wrong height. A fairly common alternative is to use represantations of chain couplings as found on the prototype, though these require large radius curves to be used to avoid derailments.
Other scales have similar ranges of non-compatible couplers available.
It must be emphasized that, in all scales, couplers can be exchanged, with varying degrees of difficulty.
Landscaping
Some modellers pay attention to
landscapingLandscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
their layout, creating a fantasy world or modelling an actual location, often historic. Landscaping is termed "scenery building" or "scenicking".
Constructing scenery involves preparing a sub-terrain using a wide variety of building materials, including (but not limited to) screen wire, a lattice of
cardboardPaperboard is a thick paper based material. While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, paperboard is generally thicker than paper. According to ISO standards, paperboard is a paper with a basis weight above 224 g/m2, but there are exceptions. Paperboard can be single...
strips, or carved stacks of expanded
polystyrenePolystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry...
(styrofoam) sheets. A scenery base is applied over the sub-terrain; typical base include casting plaster, plaster of Paris, hybrid paper-pulp (
papier-mâchéPapier-mâché , alternatively, paper-mache, is a composite material consisting of paper pieces or pulp, sometimes reinforced with textiles, bound with an adhesive, such as glue, starch, or wallpaper paste....
) or a lightweight foam/fiberglass/bubblewrap composite as in Geodesic Foam Scenery. The scenery base is covered with ground cover, which may be ground foam, colored
sawdustSawdust is a by-product of cutting lumber with a saw, composed of fine particles of wood. It can present a hazard in manufacturing industries, especially in terms of its flammability....
, natural
lichenLichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
, or commercial scatter materials for grass and shrubbery. Buildings and structures can be purchased as kits, or built from cardboard, balsa wood, basswood,
paperPaper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
, or polystyrene or other plastic. Trees can be fabricated from materials such as Western
sagebrushSagebrush is a common name of a number of shrubby plant species in the genus Artemisia native to western North America;Or, the sagebrush steppe ecoregion, having one or more kinds of sagebrush, bunchgrasses and others;...
, candytuft, and caspia, to which
adhesiveAn adhesive, or glue, is a mixture in a liquid or semi-liquid state that adheres or bonds items together. Adhesives may come from either natural or synthetic sources. The types of materials that can be bonded are vast but they are especially useful for bonding thin materials...
and model foliage are applied; or they can be bought ready-made from specialist maunfacturers. Water can be simulated using polyester casting
resinResin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
,
polyurethaneA polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
, or rippled glass. Rocks can be cast in plaster or in plastic with a foam backing. Castings can be painted with stains to give coloring and shadows.
Weathering
Weathering refers to making a model look used and exposed to weather by simulating dirt and wear on real vehicles, structures and equipment. Most models come out of the box looking new, because unweathered finishes are easier to produce and many collectors want models to look pristine. Also, the wear a freight car or building undergoes depends not only on age but where it is used. Rail cars in cities accumulate grime from building and automobile exhaust, while cars in deserts may be subjected to sandstorms which etch or strip paint. A model that is weathered would not fit as many layouts as a pristine model which can be weathered by its purchaser.
Weathering purchased models is common. At the least, weathering aims to reduce the plastic-like finish of scale models. The simulation of grime, rust, dirt, and wear add realism. Some modelers simulate fuel stains on tanks, or corrosion on battery boxes. In some cases, evidence of accidents or repairs may be added, such as dents or freshly painted replacement parts, and weathered models can be nearly indistinguishable from their prototypes when photographed appropriately.
Methods of power
Model railway engines are generally operated by low voltage
direct currentDirect current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
(DC) electricity supplied via the tracks, but there are exceptions, such as
MärklinGebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH or Märklin is a German toy company. The company was founded in 1859 and is based at Göppingen in Baden-Wurttemberg. Although it originally specialised in doll house accessories, today it is best known for model railways and technical toys...
and Lionel Corporation, which use
alternating currentIn alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
(AC). Modern
Digital Command ControlDigital Command Control is a standard for a system to operate model railways digitally. When equipped with Digital Command Control, locomotives on the same electrical section of track can be independently controlled....
(DCC) systems use alternating current. Other locomotives, particularly large models, used steam. Steam or clockwork driven engines are still sought by collectors.
Clockwork
Most early models for the toy market were powered by clockwork and controlled by levers on the locomotive. Although this made control crude the models were large and robust enough that grabbing the controls was practical. Various manufacturers introduced slowing and stopping tracks that could trigger levers on the locomotive and allow station stops.
Electricity
Three-rail
Early electrical models used a
three-railThe use of a third rail in model railroading is a technique that is sometimes applied in order to facilitate easier wiring.-Two-rail versus three-rail system:Early toy trains used two metal rail tracks like most real trains...
system with the wheels resting on a metal track with metal sleepers that conducted power and a middle rail which provided power to a skid under the locomotive. This made sense at the time as models were metal and conductive. Modern plastics were not available and insulation was a problem. In addition the notion of accurate models had yet to evolve and toy trains and track were crude tinplate. A variation on the three-rail system,
Trix TwinTrix is a German company that originally made Trix metal construction sets. In 1935 it began producing the electrically powered model trains that it became famous for, under the Trix Express label...
, allowed two trains to be independently controlled on one track, before the advent of
Digital Command ControlDigital Command Control is a standard for a system to operate model railways digitally. When equipped with Digital Command Control, locomotives on the same electrical section of track can be independently controlled....
.
Two-rail
As accuracy became important some systems adopted two-rail power in which the wheels were isolated and the rails carried the positive and negative supply or two sides of the AC supply.
Stud contact
Other systems such as Märklin instead used fine metal studs to replace the central rail, allowing existing three-rail models to use more realistic track.
Overhead line
Where the model is of an
electric locomotiveAn electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
, it may be supplied by
overhead linesOverhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
, like the full-size locomotive. Before
Digital Command ControlDigital Command Control is a standard for a system to operate model railways digitally. When equipped with Digital Command Control, locomotives on the same electrical section of track can be independently controlled....
became available, this was one way of controlling two trains separately on the same track. The electric-outline model would be supplied by the overhead wire and the other model (usually steam-outline) would be supplied by one of the running rails. The other running rail would act as a common return.
Battery
Early electric trains ran on
batteriesAn electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
because few homes in the late
19th centuryThe 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
and early
20th centuryMany people define the 20th century as running from January 1, 1901 to December 31, 2000, others would rather define it as beginning on January 1, 1900....
had electricity. Today, inexpensive train sets running on batteries are again common but regarded as
toysA toy train is a toy that represents a train. It is distinguished from a model train by an emphasis on low cost and durability, rather than scale modeling. A toy train can be as simple as a pull toy that does not even run on track, or it might be operated by clockwork or a battery...
and seldom used by hobbyists. Battery power is used by many garden railway and larger scale systems because of the difficulty in obtaining reliable power supply through the rails outdoors and because the high power consumption and thus current draw of large scale garden models is more easily and safely met with rechargeable batteries. Most large scale battery powered models use radio control.
Live steam
Engines powered by
Live steamLive steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam is used to operate stationary or moving equipment.A live steam machine or device is one powered by steam, but the term is usually reserved for those that are replicas, scale models, toys, or otherwise used for...
are often built in large, outdoor gauges, and are available in Gauge 1,
G scaleG scale is a scale for model railways, and because of its size and durability, G scale is often used outdoors. Such installations are known as garden railways.-LGB:...
, 16 mm scale and can be found in 0 and H0.
Hornby RailwaysHornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. Its roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, Hornby launched its first 00 gauge train...
produce live steam locomotives in 00, based on designs first arrived at by an amateur modeller. Other modellers have built live steam models in H0/00, 009 and N, and there is one in Z in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Internal combustion
Occasionally
gasolineGasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
-electric models, patterned after real diesel-electric locomotives, come up among hobbyists and companies like Pilgrim Locomotive Works have sold such locomotives. Large-scale petrol-mechanical and petrol-hydraulic models are available but unusual and pricier than the electrically powered versions.
Scratch building
Modern
manufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
techniques mean mass produced models achieve a high degree of precision and realism. In the past this was not the case and
scratch buildingScratch building is the process of building a scale model "from scratch", ie. from raw materials, rather than building it from a commercial kit, kitbashing or buying it pre-assembled....
was very common. Simple models are made using
cardboard engineeringCardboard modeling is a form of modelling with paper, card stock, paperboard, and corrugated fiberboard. The term "cardboard engineering" is sometimes used to differentiate from craft of making decorative cards...
techniques. More sophisticated models can be made using a combination of etched sheets of
brassBrass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
and low temperature castings. Parts that need
machiningConventional machining is a form of subtractive manufacturing, in which a collection of material-working processes utilizing power-driven machine tools, such as saws, lathes, milling machines, and drill presses, are used with a sharp cutting tool to physical remove material to achieve a desired...
, such as wheels and couplings are purchased.
Etched kits are still popular, still accompanied by low temperature castings. These kits produce models that are not covered by the major manufacturers or in scales that are not in mass production. Laser machining techniques have extended this ability to thicker materials for scale steam and other locomotive types.
Control
The first clockwork (spring-drive) and live steam locomotives ran until out of power, with no way for the operator to stop and restart the locomotive or vary its speed. The advent of electric trains, which appeared commercially in the 1890s, allowed control of the speed by varying the current or voltage. As trains began to be powered by
transformerA transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
s and rectifiers more sophisticated throttles appeared, and soon trains powered by AC contained mechanisms to change direction or go into neutral gear when the operator cycled the power. Trains powered by DC can change direction by reversing polarity.
Electricity permits control by dividing the layout into isolated blocks, where trains can be slowed or stopped by lowering or cutting power to a block. Dividing a layout into blocks permits operators to run more than one train with less risk of a fast train catching and hitting a slow train. Blocks can also trigger signals or other accessories, adding realism or whimsy. Three-rail systems often insulate one of the common rails on a section of track, and use a passing train to complete the circuit and activate an accessory.
Many layout builders are choosing digital operation of their layouts rather than the more traditional DC design. The industry standard command system is
Digital Command ControlDigital Command Control is a standard for a system to operate model railways digitally. When equipped with Digital Command Control, locomotives on the same electrical section of track can be independently controlled....
(DCC). The advantages to DCC are that track voltage is constant (usually in the range of 20 volts AC) and the command throttle sends a signal to small circuit cards, or decoders, hidden inside the piece of equipment which control several functions of an individual locomotive, including speed, direction of travel, lights, smoke and various sound effects. This allows more realistic operation in that the modeller can operate independently several locomotives on the same stretch of track. Less common closed proprietary systems also exist. Several manufacturers offer software that can provide
computerA computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
-control of DCC layouts.
In large scales, particularly for
garden railwayA garden railroad or garden railway is a model railway system set up outdoors in a garden. While G is the most popular scale for garden railroads, 16 mm scale has a dedicated and growing following especially in the UK. Model locomotives in this scale are often live steam scale models of British...
s, radio control and DCC in the garden have become popular.
Model railway manufacturers
- Airfix
Airfix is a UK manufacturer of plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other subjects. In Britain, the name Airfix is synonymous with the hobby, a plastic model of this type is often simply referred to as "an airfix kit" even if made by another manufacturer....
- American Flyer
American Flyer was a popular brand of toy train and model railroad in the United States in the middle part of the 20th century.- The Chicago era, 1907–1938 :...
- American Z Lines
- Aristo-Craft Trains
- AR Kits
AR Kits is an Australian model railway business which produces quality Australian-outline kits. The business commenced operation in November 1979 under the control of Arthur Robinson. A friend designed the logo which still exists to-day and the business was named AR Kits referring to Australian...
- Arnold
Founded in 1906 by Karl Arnold in Nürnberg, K. Arnold & Co. began its life producing tin toys and related items. They produced an extensive line of model ships, doll house items and other toys. In 1935, K. Arnold & Co. hired Max Ernst as their managing director...
- Athearn
Athearn is a United States manufacturer of model railroad equipment, produced and distributed by American hobby manufacturer Horizon Hobby, Inc. of Champaign, Illinois, USA.-History:...
- Atlas Model Railroad
Atlas Model Railroad Company, Inc. makes scale models in N scale, HO scale, and O scale. The company is based in Hillside, New Jersey USA. They produce a wide variety of locomotives, rolling stock, and vehicles. Atlas is well known for their flex track and codes 55, 80, 83 and 100 track. Atlas also...
- Auhagen
Auhagen is a municipality in the district of Schaumburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
- Bachmann Industries
Bachmann Industries is a Bermuda registered Chinese owned company, globally head quartered in Hong Kong; specializing in model railroading....
- Bassett-Lowke
Bassett-Lowke was a toy company in Northampton, England, founded by Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke in 1898 or 1899, that specialized in model railways, boats and ships, and construction sets...
- Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
- Bemo
- Bing
Bing or Gebrüder Bing was a German toy company founded in 1863 in Nuremberg, Germany by two brothers, Ignaz and Adolf Bing, originally producing metal kitchen utensils.-History:...
- Bowser Manufacturing
Bowser Manufacturing is a United States manufacturer of model railroad equipment, located in Montoursville, Pennsylvania, USA.The company was founded in 1948 by Bill Bowser in California. Since 1961 it has been owned by the Lewis English family and located in Pennsylvania...
- Bachmann
Bachmann Branchline is a brand name of Bachmann Industries used for British outline 00 gauge model railways.Bachmann, a US company founded in 1835, was purchased by Kader Industries in 1987. Kader had previously produced models for Palitoy under the 'Mainline' brand...
- Broadway Limited Imports
Broadway Limited Imports, LLC designs and manufactures limited-run HO scale and N scale model railroad locomotives and rolling stock.BLI products produced in extremely limited quantities, are equipped with Digital Command Control decoders and the ability to reproduce the recorded sounds of actual...
(BLI)
- Dapol
Dapol Ltd is a Welsh model railway manufacturer based in Chirk, Wales. The factory where design and manufacturing take place is just over the border in England.The Dapol trading name is known for its model railway products in N and OO gauges.-History:...
- Doepke
Doepke Model Toys have delighted kids for decades and are now the envy of toy collectors everywhere. Based near Cincinnati, Ohio, Doepke made several different types of toys ranging from model automobiles such as the MG, 1955 Jaguar, a fire engine, trains and construction vehicles including...
(defunct)
- Exley
- Faller
Faller is a German toy company founded in Stuttgart in 1946 by brothers Edwin and Hermann Faller. The company later relocated to the brothers' home town of Gütenbach in the Black Forest....
- Ferris (defunct)
- Fleischmann
Fleischmann is a German manufacturer of model railway products.Fleischmann was founded in Nuremberg in 1887 by Jean Fleischmann, as a toy company. Their first model train, in O scale, was produced in 1938...
- Fulgurex
- History:Fulgurex was created in 1947 as a specialized model train shop located at "2 rue du Midi", Lausanne, Switzerland by the bishop Antonio Giansanti Coluzzi, a tin plate train collector and the official distributor of the VB brand in Switzerland....
- G .& R. Wrenn Ltd
G & R Wrenn was a toy company specialising in the manufacture of model railways. It was founded in 1950 by George & Richard Wrenn.- Origins :...
- Graham Farish
Graham Farish is a company that produces large quantities of British outline model railway equipment in N gauge.-History:The Poole, Dorset based manufacturer of radio parts and kits entered the model railway business in the late 1940s, after the need for radio sets reduced post World War II...
("Grafar")(Owned by Bachmann Branchline)
- Great West Models
Great West Models is a manufacturer of model railroad products for the HO scale market. Their items include industrial and detailing kits. The company is located in Franktown, Colorado....
- HAG
HAG is a Swiss maker of model trains. The company was founded by Hugo and Alwin Gahler on 1 April 1944 in St. Gallen, Switzerland.The Gahler brothers originally manufactured model trains in O scale but due to competition, particularly by Marklin H0 scale, began the transition to H0 in 1954 with...
- Heljan
Heljan A/S is a Danish model railway company based in Søndersø. Originally specialising in decorations and accessories for model railways, it has now also developed a substantial range of rolling stock. It has diversified into modelling the British scene, and since 2002 have released several OO...
- Herpa
Herpa, or Herpa Miniaturmodelle GmbH, is a German manufacturer of die-cast model aircraft under the Herpa Wings trademark and plastic car models under the Herpa Cars & Trucks trademark. The mainstay of Herpa Wings is in the 1/500 scale, although models are also produced in the 1/400, 1/200, and...
- Hornby
Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. Its roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, Hornby launched its first 00 gauge train...
- Ibertren
Ibertren is a Spanish brand of model railway, based in Barcelona. It specialises in models of the Spanish RENFE train engines and cars.Ibertren N scale models were quite popular in Spain in the 90s; as of 2008, it sells a very limited selection of N models and a few H0 models.-N series:Ibertren...
- Intermountain
Path 27 is the designation of a bipolar HVDC transmission line between a Intermountain Power Agency power plant in Utah situated at and the Adelanto static inverter plant near Adelanto, California at ....
- JMRI
JMRI is an open source program for model railroad hobbyists.JMRI is a suite of tools distributed via a single download...
- Jouef
Jouef was a French manufacturer that specialized in model trains and other vehicles. Jouef is one of the world's most famous hobby brands, perhaps only slightly less well-known than Schuco, Marklin, Lines Brothers or Lionel..-History:...
- Kadee
Kadee Quality Products Co. is a model railroad manufacturer. They are best known for their couplers, but also produce rolling stock and accessories....
- Kato
Kato Precision Railroad Models is a Japanese manufacturer of model railroad equipment in N and HO scales...
- Kemtron Corporation (defunct 1964)
- Klein Modellbahn
Klein Modellbahn is an Austrian model railway manufacturer, founded in 1984 in Vienna, where they are currently based.Their product line consists of mostly Austrian rolling stock and locomotives in H0 scale, covering both the pre–World War I Südbahn and the postwar ÖBB....
- Kleinbahn
The term Kleinbahn was a light railway concept used especially in Prussia for a railway line that "on account of its low importance for general railway transport" had less strict requirements placed on its construction and operation that main lines or secondary lines...
- Lego
Lego Trains is a product range and theme of the construction toy Lego, which incorporates buildable train sets. Products in the range have included locomotives, tracks, rolling stock, train stations, signal houses, and other track-side buildings. The theme is popular among adult fans, as well as...
- Lemaco
Lemaco is a brass model railway rolling stock manufacturer based in Switzerland.Lemaco produces models at basically all scale, like HO scale, O scale, N scale, 1 gauge and 2 gauge.- History :...
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Lesney Lesney Products & Co. Ltd. was a British manufacturing company responsible for the conception, manufacture, and distribution of die-cast toys under the "Matchbox" name.-History:...
(Matchbox)
Lehmann Gross BahnLGB is the standard acronym for Lehmann Gross Bahn - the "Lehmann Big Railway" in German. Made by Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk in Nuremberg, Germany, since 1968 and by Märklin since 2007, it is the most popular garden railway model in Europe, although there are also many models of U.S. and...
Life-Like
LiliputBachmann Branchline is a brand name of Bachmann Industries used for British outline 00 gauge model railways.Bachmann, a US company founded in 1835, was purchased by Kader Industries in 1987. Kader had previously produced models for Palitoy under the 'Mainline' brand...
LimaLima S.p.A was a brand of railway models made in Vicenza, Italy, for almost 50 years, from the early 1950s until the company ceased trading in 2004...
LionelLionel, LLC is a designer and importer of toy trains and model railroads, based in Chesterfield Township, Michigan. Its roots lie in the 1969 purchase of the Lionel product line by cereal conglomerate General Mills....
MarxLouis Marx and Company was an American toy manufacturer from 1919 to 1978. Its boxes were often imprinted with the slogan, "One of the many Marx toys, have you all of them?"-Logo and Offerings:...
MainlineBachmann Branchline is a brand name of Bachmann Industries used for British outline 00 gauge model railways.Bachmann, a US company founded in 1835, was purchased by Kader Industries in 1987. Kader had previously produced models for Palitoy under the 'Mainline' brand...
MantuaMantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
, later Tyco ToysTyco Toys is an American toy manufacturer. Since 1997 it has been a division of the Mattel toy company.-History:Mantua Metal Products was a Woodbury Heights, New Jersey, metalworks business founded in 1926 by John Tyler and family...
MärklinGebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH or Märklin is a German toy company. The company was founded in 1859 and is based at Göppingen in Baden-Wurttemberg. Although it originally specialised in doll house accessories, today it is best known for model railways and technical toys...
MehanoMehano is a Slovenian toy company, founded in 1952 as Mehanotehnika, produces a large range of both traditional and electronic toys, as well as model railroad equipment. The company had borne its current name of Mehano since 1990 . Mehano applied for bankruptcy/closure in November of 2008,...
Merkur (toy)Merkur refers to a metal construction set built in Czechoslovakia . It was also referred to as Constructo or Build-o in English-speaking countries and Tecc in the Netherlands....
Merten Merten is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France....
Micro-Trains Line
Modemo (HasegawaThe is a company that manufactures plastic model kits of a variety of vehicles, including model aircraft, model cars, model ships, model armor, model space craft and science fiction kits...
)
MTH Electric TrainsMTH Electric Trains, formerly Mike's Train House, is an American toy train and model railroad designer, importer, and manufacturer, based in Columbia, Maryland...
NochNoch GmbH & Co. KG, from Wangen im Allgäu is a manufacturer and importer of accessories for model trains, especially for building landscapes. It makes products for all common sizes of model trains.-History:...
Peco
PikoPIKO is one of the largest and best-known model train brands in Europe and also enjoys a wide following in the United States and other parts of the world...
PlaymobilPlaymobil is a line of toys produced by the Brandstätter Group , headquartered in Zirndorf, Germany.New products and product lines developed by a 50-strong development team are frequently introduced by Brandstätter. Some of these, such as promotional products, are only produced in limited quantities...
PowerlinePowerline or power line may refer to:* Overhead power line, used for electric power transmission* Power line communication, a computer networking technology* Power Line, a political blog* Powerline, a fictional singer in the A Goofy Movie musical...
President's ChoicePresident's Choice also known as “PC,” is a private label or store brand owned by Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada’s largest food retailer. As the company’s premium line, President’s Choice includes a wide variety of grocery and household products, in addition to financial services and mobile...
RapidoFounded in 1906 by Karl Arnold in Nürnberg, K. Arnold & Co. began its life producing tin toys and related items. They produced an extensive line of model ships, doll house items and other toys. In 1935, K. Arnold & Co. hired Max Ernst as their managing director...
RivarossiRivarossi was an Italian manufacturer of model railways. In 2004 it was acquired by Hornby Railways.-History:Rivarossi was founded in 1945 by Alessandro Rossi with a Mr. Riva.In the 1990s Rivarossi acquired Lima , Jouef and Arnold...
RocoRoco, based in Salzburg, Austria, is a manufacturer of model railway equipment.-History:The company was founded in 1960 by Ing. Heinz Rössler and started with a plastic Minitanks series. After export to the USA became successful, the model line was expanded with model trains in H0 scale and the...
Rocrail
RokalROKAL is an acronym for RObert KAhrmann Lobberich, a manufacturer of metal castings that produced a line of model railway equipment in TT scale from 1947 - 1969, based in Lobberich 80 km north of Cologne, Germany at the Dutch border....
Rokuhan
Tenshodo
TomixTomix is model railway brand of the Japanese company Tomytec, a subsidiary of toy manufacturer Takara Tomy .-Product outline:...
Touch Rail
TilligTillig is a German model railroad manufacturing company based in Sebnitz, Saxony. Tillig is the largest manufacturer of TT scale model railroad products in the world...
Tri-ang RailwaysTri-ang Railways was a British manufacturer of toy trains, one of the elements of the Lines Bros Ltd company who traded using the Tri-ang brand name...
TrixTrix is a German company that originally made Trix metal construction sets. In 1935 it began producing the electrically powered model trains that it became famous for, under the Trix Express label...
/Minitrix
USA TrainsUSA Trains is a manufacturer of G scale model railroad products that started out as Charles Ro Manufacturing Company. They offer two different scale sizes of trains that use the same track; the "Ultimate Series," which is 1:29 scale, and the "American" and "Work Trains" series which is 1:24 scale...
Varney-History:The company was founded by Gordon Varney in 1936. Varney's main significance to the model railroad community was his early advocacy of the HO gauge and the development of a reliable motor small enough to power the locomotives of this gauge...
ViessmannThe Viessmann Group is an international heating systems manufacturer headquartered in Allendorf , Germany. The group controlls 23 production and project management divisions in 11 countries, its products are available in 74 countries, owns 32 subsidiaries and 120 sales offices around the world...
Vollmer
Von Stetina Artworks
WikingFor the Waffen-SS division, see 5th SS Panzer Division WikingWiking is a German manufacturer of scale models in H0 scale and N scale for model trains. They specialize in models of cars and trucks dating from the 50s to the present day....
WalthersWm. K. Walthers, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of model railroad supplies and tools.Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., was founded in Milwaukee in 1932 -- but really, it started years earlier, when seven-year-old Bill Walthers got his first taste of the hobby with a small, wind-up toy train for...
WilliamsWilliams Electric Trains is an American toy train and model railroad manufacturer, based in Columbia, Maryland. That was recently sold to Bachmann Industries in October 2007....
Woodland ScenicsWoodland Scenics is a manufacturer of scenic materials for detailing model railroad layouts. The company is based in Linn Creek, Missouri and was founded in 1975 by architectural and engineering model builder Dave Osment. Mr. Osment served as President of the Model Railroad Industry Association ...
Worsley WorksWorsley Works, is a manufacturer of kits for model railway carriages and locomotives, owned and run from Worsley, UK, by Allen Doherty.Worsley Works is well-known in the finescale modelling world, especially in less-popular scales, including British HO scale and 3mm-scale models along with...
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Famous model railroaders
Layout standards organizations
Several organizations exist to set standardizations for connectability between individual layout sections (commonly called "modules"). This is so several (or hundreds, given enough space and power) people or groups can bring together their own modules, connect them together with as little trouble as possible, and operate their trains. Despite different design and operation philosophies, different organizations have similar goals; standardized ends to facilitate connection with other modules built to the same specifications, standardized electricals, equipment, curve radii.
- NTRAK
NTrak is one of several model railroad module standards. It is currently the most popular standard for use in United States N scale. NTrak allows modellers to participate in a large layout but only invest a small amount of space at their own home...
, standardized 3-track (heavy operation) mainline with several optional branchlines. Focuses on Standard GaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
, but also has specifications for Narrow Gauge. Due to its popularity, it can be found in regional variations, most notably the Imperial-to-Metric measurement conversions. Tends to be used more for 'unattended display' than 'operation'.
- FREMO, a European-based organisation focusing on a single-track line, HO Scale. Also sets standards for N Scale modules. Standards are considerably more flexible in module shape than NTRAK, and has expanded over the years to accommodate several scenery variations.
- oNeTRAK, operationally similar to FREMO, standardises around a single-track mainline, with modules of varying sizes and shapes. Designed with the existing NTRAK spec in mind, is fully compatible with such modules.
- Z-Bend Track, uses a double track mainline running down both sides of a module. Modules can be of any length, or width in the middle and any overall shape. The "standard" called Z-Bend Track only applies to the last five inches (12.7 cm) of the module’s interface to other modules, the electrical interface and the module height.
- ausTRAK, N Scale, two-track main with hidden third track (can be used as NTRAK's third main, as a return/continuous loop, or hidden yard/siding/on-line storage). Australian scenery and rolling stock modelled in Standard Gauge.
- NMRA, National Model Railroad Association, the largest organization devoted to the development, promotion, and enjoyment of the hobby of model railroading.
- MOROP
MOROP is a European association that federates national associations of railroad and model railroad enthusiasts. MOROP was founded in Genoa in 1954 and now has its headquarters in Bern . In 2006, MOROP federated 22 national associations from 17 European countries, with a total of more than 30,000...
, European Union of Model Railroad and Railroad Fans, the European standardization organisation.
- sTTandard, Polish TT-scale (1:120) modules organization.
- N-orma, Polish N-scale (1:160) modules organization.
See also
- Brass model
Brass models are scale models, typically of railroad equipment, bridges and occasionally buildings, which are made of brass or similar alloys. Brass traditionally offered finer detail than traditional die-cast and plastic models, although both made considerable advances in the 1990s...
- Lego train
Lego Trains is a product range and theme of the construction toy Lego, which incorporates buildable train sets. Products in the range have included locomotives, tracks, rolling stock, train stations, signal houses, and other track-side buildings. The theme is popular among adult fans, as well as...
- List of model railroad clubs
- Rail transport modelling scales
Rail transport modelling utilises a variety of scales to ensure scale models look correct when placed next to each other. Model railway scales are standardized worldwide by many organizations and hobbyist groups...
- Rail transport modelling standards
- Scale model
A scale model is a physical model, a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object, which seeks to maintain the relative proportions of the physical size of the original object. Very often the scale model is used as a guide to making the object in...
- Standard gauge in Model railways
- Toy train
A toy train is a toy that represents a train. It is distinguished from a model train by an emphasis on low cost and durability, rather than scale modeling. A toy train can be as simple as a pull toy that does not even run on track, or it might be operated by clockwork or a battery...
- Track layout possibilities
In model railroading, a layout is a diorama containing scale track for operating trains. The size of a layout varies, from small shelf-top designs to ones that fill entire rooms, basements, or whole buildings....
- Train game
A train game or railway game is a board game that represents the construction and operation of railways. Train games tend to be highly involved hobby games that take several hours to play...
- Wide gauge in Model railways
Standard Gauge, also known as Wide Gauge, was an early model railway and toy train rail gauge, introduced in the United States in 1906 by Lionel Corporation. As it was a toy standard, rather than a scale modeling standard, the actual scale of Standard Gauge locomotives and rolling stock varied...
Displays and famous layouts
- Bekonscot
Bekonscot in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, is the oldest original model village in the world.It portrays aspects of England mostly dating from the 1930s. Bekonscot has been run by the Church Army since 1978 and donates large amounts of money to charity...
- The oldest model village in the world, featuring a large model railway network
- Carnegie Science Center
The Carnegie Science Center, located in the Chateau neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opened in 1991.With a history that dates to October 24, 1939, the Carnegie Science Center is the most visited museum in Pittsburgh...
's Miniature Railroad & VillageThe Miniature Railroad & Village is one of the largest and most detailed model train layouts in the United States. It painstakingly shows how Western Pennsylvania was from 1880 to 1930...
in Pittsburgh
- Clemenceau Heritage Museum, elaborate model railroad display depicts the seven railroads that operated in the Upper Verde Valley of Arizona, 1895–1953
- Gorre & Daphetid
The Gorre & Daphetid model railroad was a notable HO scale layout built by John Whitby Allen in Monterey, California....
- Miniatur Wunderland
Miniatur Wunderland is a model railway attraction in Hamburg, Germany and the largest of its kind in the world. , the railway consists of of track in HO scale, divided into seven sections: Harz, the fictitious city of Knuffingen, the Alps and Austria, Hamburg, America, Scandinavia, and Switzerland...
- Northlandz
- San Diego Model Railroad Museum
The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is one of the world's largest indoor model railroad exhibits and is located in San Diego, California.-Location:The museum is located on the of the Casa De Balboa on the Prado in Balboa Park-Mission statement:...
- The Great Train Story
The Great Train Story is a HO scale model railroad display located in the Transportation Zone of Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. It explains the story of modern day rail transportation in a journey from Seattle, Washington through several plains states en route to Chicago, Illinois...
exhibit at Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)The Museum of Science and Industry is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA in Jackson Park, in the Hyde Park neighborhood adjacent to Lake Michigan. It is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition...
- The Toy Train Depot
The Toy Train Depot, Inc., commonly known as The Toy Train Depot is a store and railroad museums that features scale models of train locomotives and passenger and freight cars in Alamogordo, New Mexico....
- A museum dedicated to the history of scale model railroading in Alamogordo, New MexicoAlamogordo is the county seat of Otero County and a city in south-central New Mexico, United States. A desert community lying in the Tularosa Basin, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains. It is the nearest city to Holloman Air Force Base. The population was 35,582 as of the 2000...
- Virginian and Ohio
The Virginian and Ohio is both the name of a fictional railroad company created by W. Allen McClelland and the HO scale model railroad he built featuring this railroad...
Groups dedicated to railway modelling
- Railways of Germany Group
Railways of Germany is a worldwide, online-based group whose aim is the free exchange of information about German railways. Its main focus is the free exchange of information - to inform and inspire.- History :...
- German Railway Society
The German Railway Society or GRS is a UK-based society which was founded in 1981 by Stephen Rabone and has a membership of over 600 .- Aim :...
External links