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A Beginners Guide to Model Trains

This is a general overview of what the model train hobby is and what it entails. In a effort not to discourage new beginners to this ever expanding pastime, this article will not be too technical yet designed to catch your interest.

The first thing that any model train hobbyist should know is about scale, and gauge. Scale refers to the actual size of the train engine, cars, and accessories.

They can be small enough to easily fit on a office desk top, or large enough for a garden railway. Scale is also referred to in letter form.

For example, 'G' scale train models are 1:24 scale, which means it is just one twenty-fourth the size of a real locomotive. These are often found with train hobbyists who lay out their model trains in a back yard setting, such as interwoven through gardens, and other landscaping.

The 'Z' scale is a mere 1:220, meaning it is 220 times smaller than a real train. As mentioned earlier, this size is ideal for a desk top lay out, but it is so small in size that they are difficult to work with, and are not in wide use.

The next part about model trains is gauge. While this is often confused with scale by many beginners, it is NOT the same as scale, and mixing up the two will definitely anger experienced train buffs.

What gauge measures is the distance between the trail track rails. For a simple example, if you have a 9gauge train track, this means that there is nine millimeters of space between the inside of the rails.

In this case, the bigger the gauge, the bigger the space. Now while this may seem confusing, don't worry.

HO scale is 1:87, and is ideal for many new beginners, as well as many other hobbyists. It is small enough to fit well with many different layouts, yet big enough for the average person to handle, and they show well.

This is the most commonly used scale in the model train world not only because of its versatility, but also because parts and accessories are easy to find. This brings us to layouts and accessories.

Having model trains would be really boring if all it entailed was a train engine moving along a track. That is why a model train can include many different train cars, passenger cars, hoppers, and tank containers, just to name a few.

Then there are all the layout accessories, trestles, miniature people and vehicles, as well as buildings and scenery. The possibilities are really only limited to your imagination.

You can even create your own landscaping ideas, with plastic plants torn apart for trees, shrubs, and other plants. You could also use old cleaned out tin cans, painted, for things like grain silos, or oil refinery tanks.

There are many basic sets a beginner can buy, with all things to start your hobby. You can find many of these on websites, or you could also start at your local hobby shop.

A retailer can not only offer many different ideas, but can also answer many if not all of your questions. Hopefully you will want to know more information about model trains, and you can find many example layouts online for creative ideas.

About the Author

Clint Spille is a model trains enthusiast who enjoys blogging about the World's Greatest Hobby. Stop by his blog where you can read his many articles on the model railroading hobby or watch the videos he provides on topics such as model train scale, n scale model trains and much more!

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