O Gauge Train Track – the Classic Toy Scale

In the widespread hobby of train modeling, O gauge is among the most popular scales. It usually implies a train running on a three rail track, scaled at approximately a ratio of 1:48. 1:43 and 1:45 are also sometimes used, though they generally run on a more realistic-looking two rail track using direct current rather than alternating household current. This gauge was originally introduced around 1900 by a German toy maker, and called gauge zero, since it was smaller than the existing gauge 1. At the time, it was believed impossible to build a smaller model of train. By the 1930s, a variation called three-rail alternating current O gauge was the most common scale for model railroading in the United States. This remained the case until the early 1960s.

In Europe, smaller scales were introduced prior to World War II, contributing to a more rapid decline in O scale use. Once model railroads moved out of the realm of being considered toys, where priority was given to cost, durability, and ease of operation by children, other scales become more popular. These other scales permit greater detail and realism. However, O scale is still extremely common among hobbyists who mostly enjoy the act of running their model trains, more than the fine details of modeling and scenery. Vintage O scale trains are also very popular with collectors. Such manufacturers as Ives, American Flyer, and Lionel used this scale.

During the Great Depression, almost all demand for the larger models of trains disappeared, and by 1932, O gauge was the default standard. Because the gauge had not yet been standardized, trains of that time varied wildly in size and style, but all would run on the same track. Lionel has been the most enduring brand to produce O gauge trains, with a name known even outside the hobby. During the heyday of this standard, it was difficult to use trains from different companies together, as they used different couplers to interlock the cars. However, since O gauge began to regain its popularity in the 1990s, more manufacturers began to produce trains for it, this time with standardized cars. In 2003, six companies marketed trains or cars in O scale, all of which theoretically can operate with one another. Lionel trains remain the most frequently collected, though rarer trains from shorter-lived companies are highly sought after by some. O gauge are an accessible and popular choice for the model train hobbyist, whether just beginning in the hobby or a veteran who loves running trains.

Copyright 2007 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved

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