Railway modelling (UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland) or model railroading (US and Canada) is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale .
72-406: N scale is a popular model railway scale. Depending upon the manufacturer (or country), the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. Effectively the scale is 1:159, 9 mm to 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ), which is the width of standard gauge railway. However the scale may vary to simulate wide or narrow gauge rail. In all cases, the gauge (the distance between
144-425: A "layout". Hobbyists, called "railway modellers" or "model railroaders", may maintain models large enough to ride (see Live steam , Ridable miniature railway and Backyard railroad ). Modellers may collect model trains, building a landscape for the trains to pass through. They may also operate their own railroad in miniature. For some modellers, the goal of building a layout is to eventually run it as if it were
216-437: A 48 class retailing for around A$ 240. A new manufacturer has arrived on the scene (November 2011) with Australia-N Railways using both Australian locally manufactured detail accessories and top end Chinese factories to produce their new locomotives and rolling stock. Other kits continue to be released using the more usual method of resin-based castings and it is now possible obtain models of railways running in most states, although
288-555: A branch of model railways for unpowered locomotives, examples are Lone Star and Airfix models. Powered model railways are now generally operated by low voltage direct current (DC) electricity supplied via the tracks, but there are exceptions, such as Märklin and Lionel Corporation , which use alternating current (AC). Modern Digital Command Control (DCC) systems use alternating current. Other locomotives, particularly large models, can use steam. Steam and clockwork-driven engines are still sought by collectors. Most early models for
360-615: A cottage-industry affair, with typically small runs of resin-based models being produced. Some etch-brass kits have also been released. In most cases, the kits have been bodies designed to run on mechanisms or bogies available from overseas. Some very fine models are starting to emerge from various Australian manufacturers with many kits now available. Manufacturers have started to engage Chinese manufacturers to produce very high quality wagons and locomotives. The Victorian producer Aust-N-Rail pioneered this approach, while in 2011, BadgerBits released Australia's first ready-to-run N gauge locomotive,
432-458: A design which is fairly robust and easy to mold. Modern N scale stock uses a standard NEM socket for couplers which allows different coupling designs to be used by simply pulling out the old coupler and fitting a new one of a different design. In the UK, vendors are increasingly shipping both NEM sockets for couplers and buckeye (knuckle) couplers. It is also very easy to use for coupling and uncoupling. In
504-506: 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 cardboard strips, or carved stacks of expanded polystyrene (styrofoam) sheets. A scenery base is applied over the sub-terrain; typical base include casting plaster, plaster of Paris , hybrid paper-pulp ( papier-mâché ) or
576-410: A flourishing "cottage" industry, making Australia N-scale modelling more popular each year. N-gauge track and components are also used with larger scales, in particular H0e (or "HOe") and 00-9 scale for modelling narrow gauge railways. N-scale models on Z-scale track are used to model metre gauge ( Nn3 ). A small amount of 2-foot (Nn2) industrial narrow-gauge modelling in N scale using custom track
648-413: A foam backing. Castings can be painted with stains to give colouring and shadows. 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. Also, the wear a freight car or building undergoes depends not only on age but where it
720-502: A high degree of precision and realism. In the past this was not the case and scratch building was very common. Simple models are made using cardboard engineering techniques. More sophisticated models can be made using a combination of etched sheets of brass and low temperature castings . Parts that need machining , 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
792-478: A lightweight foam/fiberglass/bubblewrap composite as in Geodesic Foam Scenery. The scenery base is covered with substitutes for ground cover, which may be Static Grass or scatter . Scatter or flock is a substance used in the building of dioramas and model railways to simulate the effect of grass, poppies, fireweed, track ballast and other scenic ground cover. Scatter used to simulate track ballast
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#1733094201697864-480: A magnet placed under the track. Other manufacturers, such as Atlas, McHenry and Kato, are now making couplers that mate with Micro Trains couplers. European modellers have the option to convert the couplings on their rolling stock to the Fleischmann Profi-Coupler system for more reliable operation should they wish to do so, but most N scale rolling stock continues to be manufactured with Rapido couplers -
936-485: 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 Twin , allowed two trains to be independently controlled on one track, before
1008-691: A model scale of 1:120 using 9 mm gauge tracks to represent the narrow gauge railway 3 ft 6 in ( 1,067 mm ) gauge lines common in Japan. This is a different prototype gauge and scale to standard N scale with the narrower prototype gauge and called TT-9 . Model railway The scale models include locomotives , rolling stock , streetcars , tracks , signalling , cranes , and landscapes including: countryside, roads, bridges, buildings, vehicles, harbors, urban landscape, model figures , lights, and features such as rivers , hills , tunnels, and canyons . The earliest model railways were
1080-589: A number of other manufactures in recent years. Working knuckle couplers are a closer approximation to the "automatic" couplers used on the prototype there and elsewhere. Also in HO, 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
1152-436: A real railroad (if the layout is based on the fancy of the builder) or as the real railroad did (if the layout is based on a prototype). If modellers choose to model a prototype, they may reproduce track-by-track reproductions of the real railroad in miniature, often using prototype track diagrams and historic maps. Layouts vary from a circle or oval of track to realistic reproductions of real places modelled to scale. Probably
1224-621: A total of more than 30,000 members. The term "MOROP" is a portmanteau derived from " MOdellbahn " (German for "model railway") and EuROPe. The most important activity of MOROP is to define and maintain the Normen Europäischer Modellbahnen (NEM) ("European Standards for Railway Modelling") standards for model railroads. Since 1994, close ties have been established with the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) which defines model railroad standards for
1296-539: A wide range of prototypes. 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 transformers and rectifiers more sophisticated throttles appeared, and soon trains powered by AC contained mechanisms to change direction or go into neutral gear when
1368-432: Is "EM" which uses a gauge of 18.2 mm ( 0.717 in ) 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
1440-402: Is 1:8, with 1:4 sometimes used for park rides. G scale (Garden, 1:24 scale ) 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 scale are more often used indoors. At first, model railways were not to scale. Aided by trade associations such as
1512-457: Is achieved by finer rail, flange, and crossing dimensions than commercial N gauge ( 9 mm / 0.354 in ) components. A variation of the 2 mm standards is used by the FiNe group for 1:160 scale. It uses the same rail, flange, and crossing dimensions as 2 mm (1:152) standards, but with a track gauge of 0.353 in ( 8.97 mm ), and corresponding reduction in back-to-back. FiNe
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#17330942016971584-508: Is considered large. Not all modellers select N because they have small spaces; some use N scale to build more complex or more visually expansive models. N scale in Australia has become more popular over the years. Modellers use mainly US, British, and European prototypes because for a long time, the Australian market had no N-scale models of local prototype. The creation of local prototypes is now
1656-410: 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
1728-480: Is dominated by European modellers. In 1961, Lone Star introduced some of the first (1:160) N scale models branded as Treble-0-Lectric (OOO) into the United Kingdom. The original die-cast metal models were push along and gauged to run on a die-cast trackwork having a gauge that was closer to 8 mm ( 0.315 in ). Coupling was by a simple loop and pin arrangement. The novelty of the "Lone Star Locos" line
1800-600: Is done, but suppliers of parts are few. Nn18 layouts use T-scale track and mechanisms to represent minimum gauge railways . N-scale trains and structures are often used on HO or larger layouts to create forced perspective, or the illusion that an object is further away than it actually is. Standards useful to both manufacturers and modellers are maintained by MOROP in Europe and the NMRA in North America. These standards are generally
1872-400: Is essentially 'EM-minus-1.7mm.' Many groups build modules, which are sections of layouts, and can be joined together to form a larger layout, for meetings or for special occasions. For each kind of module system, there is an interface standard, so that modules made by different participants may be connected, even if they have never been connected before. Many of these module types are listed in
1944-499: Is one in Z in Australia . Occasionally gasoline -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. Modern manufacturing techniques can allow mass-produced models to cost-effectively achieve
2016-606: Is the model's measurement as a proportion to the original, while gauge is the measurement between the rails. The size of engines depends on the scale and can vary from 700 mm (27.6 in) tall for the largest rideable live steam scales such as 1:4, down to matchbox size for the smallest: Z-scale (1:220) or T scale (1:450). A typical HO (1:87) engine is 50 mm (1.97 in) tall, and 100 to 300 mm (3.94 to 11.81 in) long. The most popular scales are: G scale , Gauge 1 , O scale , S scale , HO scale (in Britain,
2088-450: Is used. Rail cars in cities accumulate grime from building and automobile exhaust and graffiti , 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. There are many weather techniques that include, but are not limited to, painting (by either drybrushing or an airbrush ), sanding, breaking, and even
2160-880: Is usually fine-grained ground granite . Scatter which simulates coloured grass is usually tinted sawdust , wood chips or ground foam . Foam or natural lichen or commercial scatter materials can be used to simulate shrubbery. An alternative to scatter, for grass, is static grass which uses static electricity to make its simulated grass actually stand up. Buildings and structures can be purchased as kits, or built from cardboard, balsa wood , basswood , other soft woods, paper , or polystyrene or other plastic. Trees can be fabricated from materials such as Western sagebrush , candytuft , and caspia, to which adhesive and model foliage are applied; or they can be bought ready-made from specialist manufacturers. Water can be simulated using polyester casting resin , polyurethane , or rippled glass. Rocks can be cast in plaster or in plastic with
2232-535: The Arnold company of Nuremberg in 1962. Unlike other scales and gauges, which were de facto standards at best, within two years N-scale manufacturers defined the gauge and voltage, as well as the height and type of couplers. For example, Arnold developed the now ubiquitous "Rapido" coupler to provide a simple and robust releasable coupler design. Although the original Arnold coupler has been joined by more functional and aesthetically pleasing designs, Arnold allowed use of
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2304-627: The Layout standards organizations section of this article. In addition to different scales, there are also different types of couplers for connecting cars, which are not compatible with each other. In HO, the Americans standardized on horn-hook, or X2F couplers. Horn hook couplers have largely given way to a design known as a working knuckle coupler which was popularized by the Kadee Quality Products Co., and which has subsequently been emulated by
2376-485: The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) and Normen Europäischer Modellbahnen (NEM), manufacturers and hobbyists soon arrived at de facto standards for interchangeability, such as gauge, but trains were only a rough approximation to the real thing. Official scales for the gauges were drawn up but not at first rigidly followed and not necessarily correctly proportioned for the gauge chosen. 0 (zero) gauge trains, for instance, operate on track too widely spaced in
2448-496: The National Railway Museum , York, England and dates back to 1912. It remained in use until 1995. The model was built as a training exercise by apprentices of the company's Horwich Works and supplied with rolling stock by Bassett-Lowke . Involvement ranges from possession of a train set to spending hours and large sums of money on a large and exacting model of a railroad and the scenery through which it passes, called
2520-681: The United States . For example, the NEM standards for Digital Command Control (DCC) have been defined by working with the NMRA. The NEM standards and other official documents of MOROP are published in French and German . Some NEM standards have been translated into English , but these translations are not currently normative. MOROP holds annual public conventions usually held in September, in changing European locations. This model rail-related article
2592-607: The ' carpet railways ' in the 1840s. The first documented model railway was the Railway of the Prince Imperial (French: Chemin de fer du Prince Impérial) built in 1859 by Emperor Napoleon III for his then 3-year-old son, also Napoleon , in the grounds of the Château de Saint-Cloud in Paris. It was powered by clockwork and ran in a figure-of-eight. Electric trains appeared around the start of
2664-455: The 20th century, but these were crude likenesses. Model trains today are more realistic, in addition to being much more technologically advanced. Today modellers create model railway layouts , often recreating real locations and periods throughout history. The world's oldest working model railway is a model designed to train signalmen on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway . It is located in
2736-886: The Atlantic in the magazines Model Railway News and Model Railroader . Bekonscot in Buckinghamshire 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 Wunderland in Hamburg , Germany . The largest live steam layout, with 25 miles (40 km) of track is Train Mountain in Chiloquin, Oregon , U.S. Operations form an important aspect of rail transport modelling with many layouts being dedicated to emulating
2808-449: The Rapido design by other manufacturers, so established a common standard to couple together rolling stock from different sources. N scale has a large worldwide following. Models are made of very many standard gauge prototypes from every continent. N scale's popularity is second only to that of HO. In Japan, where space in homes is more limited, N scale is the most popular scale, and HO scale
2880-525: The United States and Europe, models of standard gauge [ 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in )] trains are built to 1:160 scale and made so that they run on N gauge track, but in some other countries changes are made. Finescale modellers also use variants of normal N scale. In the United Kingdom, a scale of 1:148 is used for commercially produced models. In Britain, some N-scale models are built to "2 mm scale" for "2 mm to
2952-992: The United States as the scale is accepted as 1:48 whereas in Britain 0 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 16.5 mm ( 0.65 in ) gauge corresponds to a track gauge of 4 ft 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,257 mm ), 7 inches or 178 millimetres (undersized). 16.5 mm ( 0.65 in ) gauge corresponds to 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge in H0 (half-0) 3.5 mm/1 foot or 1:87.1. This arose due to British locomotives and rolling stock being smaller than those found elsewhere, leading to an increase in scale to enable H0 scale mechanisms to be used. Most commercial scales have standards that include wheel flanges that are too deep, wheel treads that are too wide, and rail tracks that are too large. In H0 scale,
N scale - Misplaced Pages Continue
3024-465: The advent of Digital Command Control . As accuracy became important some systems adopted two-rail power in which the wheels were isolated from each other and the rails carried the positive and negative supply with the right rail carrying the positive potential. This system precludes some track layouts that occur in the real world but would create short circuits in a two-rail model. Other systems such as Märklin instead used fine metal studs to replace
3096-441: The central rail, allowing existing three-rail models to use more realistic track. Where the model is of an electric locomotive , it may be supplied by overhead lines , like the full-size locomotive. Before Digital Command Control 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 could be supplied by one of
3168-469: 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 dimensions scaled from the prototype. This 4 mm:1 ft modelling uses wheels 2 mm (0.079 in) or less wide running on track with a gauge of 18.83 mm ( 0.741 in ). Check-rail and wing-rail clearances are similarly accurate. A compromise of P4 and OO
3240-426: 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. Of the several competing systems, the command system offered by the majority of manufacturers in 2020 was a variant of Digital Command Control (DCC). The advantages of DCC are that track voltage
3312-433: The continent. For British modellers, whose most popular scale is OO, the normal coupler is a tension-lock coupler, which, again has no pretence 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
3384-434: The coupler pocket at the wrong height. A fairly common alternative is to use representations 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. In all scales couplers can be exchanged, with varying degrees of difficulty. Some modellers pay attention to landscaping their layout, creating
3456-439: The coverage is highly variable. Since the former Japanese National Railway and other major private railways adopted a track gauge of 1,067 millimetres (3 ft 6.0 in), Japanese N-scale models of conventional railways adopted 1:150 scale with 9 mm gauge. But, in the case of Shinkansen, which adopted a 1,435-millimetre (4 ft 8.5 in) track gauge, models are scaled down to 1:160. A small number of modelers adopted
3528-845: The difficulty in obtaining reliable power supply through the outdoor rails. The high power consumption and current draw of large-scale garden models is more easily and safely met with internal rechargeable batteries. Most large-scale battery-powered models use radio control. Engines powered by live steam are often built in large outdoor gauges of 5 inches (130 mm) and 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (190 mm), are also available in Gauge 1 , G scale , 16 mm scale and can be found in O and OO/HO. Hornby Railways produce live steam locomotives in OO, based on designs first arrived at by an amateur modeller. Other modellers have built live steam models in HO/OO, OO9 and N, and there
3600-668: The engines are often powerful enough to haul dozens of human passengers. The Tech Model Railroad Club (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, London , UK. As well as building model railways, it has 5,000 books and periodicals. Similarly, 'The Historical Model Railway Society' at Butterley , near Ripley, Derbyshire specialises in historical matters and has archives available to members and non-members. The words scale and gauge seem at first interchangeable but their meanings are different. Scale
3672-437: The foot" which calculates to a 1:152 proportion. Early N scale was also known as "OOO" or "treble-O" in reference to O and OO and was also 1:152, though for an entirely different reason. A number of modellers in the United Kingdom use 2 mm scale , a closer-to-scale standard than N scale. 2 mm scale is scaled at 2 mm to the foot (1:152) with a 9.42 mm ( 0.371 in ) track gauge. Nearer to scale appearance
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#17330942016973744-677: The largest model landscape in the UK is in the Pendon Museum in Oxfordshire , UK , where an EM gauge (same 1:76.2 scale as 00 but with more accurate track gauge) model of the Vale of White Horse 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
3816-462: 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. Scratch builders may also make silicone rubber moulds of the parts they create, and cast them in various plastic resins (see Resin casting ), or plasters. This may be done to save duplication of effort, or to sell to others. Resin "craftsman kits" are also available for
3888-603: The operational aspects of a working railway. These layouts can become extremely complex with multiple routes, movement patterns and timetabled operation. The British outline model railway of Banbury Connections is one of the world's most complicated model railways. Model railroad clubs exist where enthusiasts meet. Clubs often display models for the public. One specialist branch concentrates on larger scales and gauges , commonly using track gauges from 3.5 to 7.5 inches (89 to 191 mm). Models in these scales are usually hand-built and powered by live steam , or diesel-hydraulic, and
3960-511: 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
4032-554: The problem by using a sprung plate. All were compatible, though. The Rapido coupler system works well, but is difficult to use for automatic uncoupling and also relatively large. In the US, Canada, and Australia, it has been largely superseded by a more realistic-looking magnetic knuckle coupler, originally made by Micro-Trains and branded Magne-Matic. The MT couplers (as they are known) are more delicate and closer to scale North American appearance than Rapido couplers. Also, they can be opened by
4104-429: The rail heights are codes 100, 87, 83, 70, 55, 53, and 40 -- the height in thousandths of an inch from base to railhead (so code 100 is a tenth of an inch and represents 156-pound rail). 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
4176-548: The rail-to-rail gauge equal to 9 mm exactly (at the cost of scale exactness), so when calculating the rail or track use 1:160 and for engines and car wheel base use 1:148. All rails are spaced 9 mm apart but the height can differ. Rail height (in thousandths of an inch) is expressed as a "code": thus, Code 55 rails are 0.055 inches (1.4 mm) high while Code 80 rails have a height of 0.080 inches (2.0 mm). Common real railroad rails are at least 6 inches (150 mm) tall and can be taller on some roads, so at true scale
4248-513: The rails would be about 0.040 inches (1.0 mm) high. Many older N-scale models may not run well on Code 55 track as their flanges are often unrealistically large, causing the wheels to bounce along the ties instead of ride along the railhead. Wheelsets with these large flanges are colloquially known as 'pizza cutters' due to a resemblance to the kitchen utensil. An advantage of N scale is that it allows hobbyists to build layouts that take up less space than HO scale , or put longer track runs into
4320-447: The rails) is 9 mm or 0.354 in . The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions, but in the United Kingdom in particular British N gauge refers to a 1:148 scale with 1:160 ( 9 mm or 0.354 in ) track gauge modelling. The terms N scale and N gauge are often inaccurately used interchangeably, as scale is defined as ratio or proportion of the model, and gauge only as a distance between rails. The scale 1:148 defines
4392-422: The running rails. The other running rail would act as a common return. Early electric trains ran on trackside batteries because few homes in the late 19th century and early 20th century had electricity. Today, inexpensive train sets running on batteries are again common but regarded as toys and seldom used by hobbyists. Batteries located in the model often power garden railway and larger scale systems because of
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#17330942016974464-505: The same amount of space, because the models are smaller (by nearly a half) than they are in HO scale (1:87). While N scale is quite small, it is not the smallest commercially available scale, as Z scale is smaller yet at 1:220 and T scale is 1:450 or 1:480. N scale is considered generally compatible with 1:144 scale for miniature wargaming . Although trains and accessories of similar gauge or scale existed as early as 1927, modern commercially produced N-scale models were first launched by
4536-426: The same for such elements as track gauge, scale ratio, couplings, and electrical power, and differ for clearances and other factors that are specific to the prototype being modelled. The wheel and track standards are, however, slightly incompatible and most vendors follow neither standard in part because of this. N scale locomotives are powered by DC motors which accept a maximum of 12 V DC. In traditional DC control,
4608-508: The same specifications, standardized electricals, equipment, curve radii. MOROP MOROP is a European association that federates national associations of railroad and model railroad enthusiasts. MOROP was founded in Genoa , Italy by Italo Briano in 1954, and now has its headquarters in Bern , Switzerland . In 2006, MOROP federated 22 national associations from 17 European countries, with
4680-739: The same stretch of track. Several manufacturers also offer software that can provide computer -control of DCC layouts. In large scales, particularly for garden railways , radio control and DCC in the garden have become popular. Several organizations exist to set standardizations for connectibility 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
4752-505: The similar OO ), TT scale , and N scale (1:160 in the United States, but 1:148 in the UK). HO and OO are the most popular. Popular narrow-gauge scales include Sn3 , HOn3 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 3 ft ( 914 mm ) instead of the 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge). The largest common scale
4824-621: The speed of the train is determined by the amount of voltage supplied to the rails. The direction of the train is determined by the polarity of the power to the rails. Since the end of the 20th century, an increasing number of enthusiasts have started using digital train control systems to determine the speed and direction of their trains. This has in part been made possible by surface mount technology and new motors that draw very little current (typically 0.2 amps). The most popular digital control systems used in N scale model railways are NMRA-DCC and Selectrix . The initial agreed-to standard coupling
4896-411: 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 handling the controls was practical. Various manufacturers introduced slowing and stopping tracks that could trigger levers on the locomotive and allow station stops. Early electrical models used a three-rail system with the wheels resting on
4968-797: The use of chemicals to cause corrosion. Some processes become very creative depending on the skill of the modeller. For instance several steps may be taken to create a rusting effect to ensure not only proper colouring, but also proper texture and lustre. 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 adds realism. Some modellers 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. Static diorama models or "push along" scale models are
5040-428: The usual worm gear. A different coupling based on a shrunken OO scale coupling was fitted. The OOO couplings and specifications have long since been replaced by commercial N scale manufacturers. Australian railways use several gauges across the states, although in most cases 9 mm gauge track is used. Some modellers have used Z gauge track for Nn3 models of Queensland Railways. N scale modelling in Australia has been
5112-418: Was known as a 'Rapido' coupler from the manufacturer ( Arnold ); this coupler had been produced under a license from TT-manufacturer Rokal. Most companies developed their own variants of this coupler to avoid Arnold patents on the spring system. Graham Farish initially adopted a plastic flexible U rather than a spring, Peco used a compatible weighted coupler system (Elsie), and Fleischmann cunningly sidestepped
5184-430: Was such that they even found their way to the United States and were sold in the toys area of major department stores like J.J. Newberry. Electrified models followed soon after. The track gauge was widened to a nominal 9 mm ( 0.354 in ) and rails were isolated with nonconductive ties (sleepers) for DC operation. Gearing between the motor and the axles at such a small scale was done by rubber bands, rather than
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