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N Scale Trains
N scale is a popular model railway size. Depending upon the manufacturer, the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160, with 1:160 being the most common. In all cases, the gauge, or distance between the rails, is 9mm. The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions, and is not a scale. However, the terms N scale and N gauge are often used interchangeably.
An advantage of N scale is that it allows modelers to build layouts that take up less space than HO scale. Railroaders can fit longer track runs into the same amount of space because the models are smaller, by nearly a half, than they are in HO scale which is most commonly 1:87. The name N comes from an abbreviation for nine millimeters which is the distance between the inside edges of the rails.
In the US and Europe, models of standard gauge 4 ft 8.5 in trains are built to 1:160 scale so that they run on N gauge track. In the United Kingdom, a scale of 1:148 is used for commercially produced models. And in Japan, a scale of 1:150 is used for the models of 3 ft 6 in gauge trains while a scale of 1:160 is used for models of standard gauge Shinkansen (Bullet Train) models.
N scale locomotives are powered by DC motors that accept a nominal maximum of 12V DC. In traditional DC control, the speed of the train is determined by the amount of voltage supplied to the rails while the direction of the train is determined by the polarity of the power to the rails. Since the end of the 20th century, an increasing number of enthusiasts have started using Digital Command Control or DCC for short to determine the speed and direction of their trains. This has been made possible by surface mount technology and new motors that draw very little current, typically 0.2 amps.
N scale has a large worldwide following. These models are made of very many standard gauge prototypes from every continent. N scale's popularity is second only to HO scale. In Japan, where space in homes is more limited, N scale is the most popular scale while HO scale is considered large. Not all modelers select N because they have small spaces, but instead use N scale in order to build more complex or more visually expansive models.
Checkout the full line of N Scale Train buildings, locomotives, rolling stock, sets, and vehicles we have available.
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