About N Scale Model Trains

This scale is recommended for anyone living in an apartment
or with limited space.

N-scale trains are easy to store when they are not being used
and are built tough for trouble-free operation.
The small size is fine for teenagers and adults.
Young children will need to be assisted by
an adult/teenager when setting up or taking
down a set.

N scale is a popular model railway scale/track
gauge. The scale ranges from 1:148 to
1:160. In all cases, the gauge , which is the
distance between the rails, is 9 mm (0.354 in).
The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions,
but in the UK in particular N gauge refers to
a 1:148 scale with 9 mm (0.354 in) track
gauge modelling.
An advantage of using N scale is that it takes
space and hobbyists can build layouts
with onger tracks running in the same
space.It is much easier to build layouts
with n scale since they are half the size
of HO scales. Even though N scale is fairly
small there are 2 others that are smaller;
the Z scale and the Tscale.


N scale History:

Although trains and accessories of this size have
existed since as early as 1927, modern N scale
models were first launched in 1962 by the Arnold
company of Nuremberg . Unlike other scales
and gauges, which were de facto standards
at best, within two years N scale manufacturers
defined the gauge, 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 (see discussion below),
Arnold allowed use of the Rapido design by other
manufacturers and 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 HO scale's. In Japan, where space in homes
is more limited, N scale is the most popular scale,
and HO scale is considered large. Not all modellers
select N because they have small spaces; some
use N scale in order to build more complex or
more visually expansive models.

N scale in Australia has become more popular
over the years. Modellers model mainly US,
British and European prototypes because
until recently the Australian market had
no N scale models of local prototype.
The creation of local prototypes is now
a flourishing cottage industry, making A
ustralia N scale modelling more popular
each year.

N gauge track and components are also
used with larger scales, in particular HOe
and OO9 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' industrial narrow gauge
modelling in N scale using custom track is
done but there are few suppliers of parts.
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.