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Use the interactive ScaleViewer to resize drawings of model cars, motorcycles, trucks and trains and compare them with familiar-size objects.
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Scale is one measurement that represents another value of measurement. For example, architects may use a scale of ¼-inch equals 1-foot for construction drawings. At this scale, a building 100-feet on each side could be represented as a 25-inch square. As a ratio, the scale of ¼-inch equals 1-foot would be 1:48. Stated another way, a drawing at this scale would be 1/48th actual size.
The scale used for die-cast, wood or plastic models is represented as the ratio of two numbers. Ratios such as 1:6, 1:16, 1:48, 1:72 and others are common. A real-world construction vehicle 30 feet (9.14 meters) long scaled to 1:55, would be 1/55th actual size or 6.55 inches (16.64 centimeters) long.
The scale for model trains uses similar ratios but railway scales are usually stated with letters representing track gauge or width.
The gauge of a railway is the measure between the inside vertical surfaces at the head of the rail. Standard real-world gauge in the United States, Canada and much of Europe today is 4-feet, 8½-inches. Gauges under this standard are known as narrow gauge, and those over as broad gauge.
Popular model train gauges include G, O, HO, N and Z, with scales that range from 1:22.5 (G gauge) to 1:220 (Z gauge).
The proportion of model tracks to the scale of locomotives and cars generally corresponds directly to gauge size, although O gauge is an exception. All O gauge trains run on the same size track — their wheel assemblies are of the same compatible size — but body scales can vary widely from 1:32 to 1:64. A scale of 1:48 is the generally accepted ratio for O gauge trains in the United States, and vary somewhat in the UK and Europe.
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Train gauges and scales — United States
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Smaller  |
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Scale
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G
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O
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HO
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N
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Z
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Ratio
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1:22.5
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1:48
1:43.5 — UK
1:45 — Europe
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1:87
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1:160
1:148 — UK
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1:220
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Inside width — inches
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1.78
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1.26
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.65
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.35
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.26
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Inside width — mm
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45.00
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32.00
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16.50
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9.00
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6.5
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Use the interactive Mad Cat Toys ScaleViewer to compare different train gauges and model ratios for cars, construction and farm vehicles, motorcycles and trucks.
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