Build the Perfect Miniature With OO Gauge Model Railway Tracks
The well-received OO gauge model railways were first introduced commercially in 1921 by the German toy company called Bing. This model rail track layout was entitled "The Table Railway," and it ran on a 16.5 mm track and had a scale of 1:76. The term "OO" as used for contemporary OO gauge track is slightly misleading, as the "OO" really refers to the scale ratio for the trains running on this track. Both OO and HO model trains run on the same-sized 16.5 mm HO track. The OO train and HO track combination is the most frequently purchased model railway size in Britain, and you can easily find new and preowned OO model train track for sale in the UK on eBay.
What is the scale of OO gauge and how does it compare to HO gauge?HO model trains are on a 1:87 scale and run on HO track that has a gauge of 16.5 mm. HO means "half of O," and it is a smaller scale than the original "O" scale size. HO was created for use in smaller home layouts. HO is the most sought-after size for model trains in most of the world except for Britain. The OO model trains are on a 1:76 size scale and they also run on HO track. This OO/HO combination is frequently seen in the UK.
What do scale and gauge mean as they relate to train tracks?Scale is the ratio size for model trains. For example, a scale of 1:87 means that it would take 87 model trains laid out from end to end to match the length of the actual train it is modelling. If you stacked 87 model trains, then they would reach the height of a standard train. Gauge refers to the distance between the inner sides of the train tracks. A gauge of 16.5 mm means that there is a distance of 16.5 mm between the inner tracks. It is used to model 1,435 mm standard rail tracks, which are about 1.5 metres long.
Companies that make OO gauge modelsThe Hornby company still produces new OO scale train sets, which are mainly purchased in the UK. Historically, there were many companies that manufactured OO train sets between the 1930s and the 1950s, including Lionel, Nason, Schorr, Scale-Craft, Famoco, Kemtron, Graceline, J-C, and Picard, amongst others. These vintage sets are in demand by train hobbyists in many areas of the world.