Bachmann Online Forum

Discussion Boards => Large => Topic started by: Blackie on July 09, 2010, 05:28:37 PM

Title: Scale question
Post by: Blackie on July 09, 2010, 05:28:37 PM
I was wondering what scale is the Large scale trains? I'm thinking it is 1:24, but I would like to know for sure. All the Bachmann box's and adds I have seen don't say what the actual scale is. Then again I might have missed it some where.
Thankx for any help
Blackie
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: Kevin Strong on July 09, 2010, 05:42:18 PM
Bachmann's "Big Hauler" line of trains is 1:22.5. Their "Spectrum" line of trains is 1:20.3.

Having said that, the proportions of the "Big Hauler" line may be stretched or compressed one way or the other (just a bit), so saying everything is purely to scale would not be accurate. It's generally pretty close, though.

Note: Bachmann makes a line of "1:20" 20-foot long cars in their "Big Hauler" product line. These are freelance models, and much smaller than their "Spectrum" 1:20.3 stuff.

Other manufacturers of large scale trains make trains ranging in scale from 1:32, 1:29 (standard gauge prototypes) and 1:24, 1:22.5, and 1:20.3 (narrow gauge prototypes). And some are better than others at noting the scale on the box.

Later,

K
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: on30gn15 on July 09, 2010, 06:30:17 PM
Quote from: Blackie on July 09, 2010, 05:28:37 PMI was wondering what scale is the Large scale trains?

Is that universally or Bachmann specifically?

To a much greater degree than in the N, HO, O, model train sizes, Large scale in general has used different proportional scales to employ the same 45mm gauge model track to represent different gauges of real world track with the most common gauges represented being:

Standard gauge - 4ft 8 1/2 inches (56 1/2 inches)
Meter gauge - 1000mm (39 and some fraction inches)
3ft gauge
2 ft gauge
There are others, those appear the most common.

With 1/24 scale like I'm generally settling on the 45mm gauge model track comes out proportionally somewhere around 42inch gauge such as used for South Africa's "standard gauge"; same for a couple places in Australia and Far East; and a couple trolley and interurban line here in US such as Denver and Intermountain.
And our stuff will represent both 3 ft gauge and "shrinked" standard gauge.
And some freelanced which is just itself without much concern for what it would be in the prototype universe.

Some "mix and match" is variably employed to a given individual's personal preference.

In a generalized sense, scale is looser with Large Scale than the "indoor scales"
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: Doneldon on July 11, 2010, 02:37:34 AM
Blackie-

The 1:20.3 gauge is often referred to as F-gauge.

                                       -- D
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: JerryB on July 11, 2010, 05:38:20 AM
Quote from: Doneldon on July 11, 2010, 02:37:34 AM
Blackie-

The 1:20.3 gauge is often referred to as F-gauge.

                                      -- D


A slight correction:

That actually should say that 1:20.3 scale is referred to by the NMRA as F scale.

Gauge is the distance between the rails. Bachmann and most of what are commonly referred to as large scale trains run on 45mm or ~1.75" gauge tracks.

Scale is the proportional relationship of the model to the prototype. That scale is 1:20.32 for 3' narrow gauge models such as produced by Bachmann and other manufacturers.

Happy RRing,

Jerry
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: Doneldon on July 12, 2010, 12:29:50 AM
Jerry-

You are absolutely correct.  I know the difference but used the wrong word. 

I regret any inconvenience this may have caused and will not build your railroad for you due to my screw-up.  This is a good thing for you as I'd probably screw that up, too.
                                                                                            -- D
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: RBMN #425 Fan on July 15, 2010, 09:33:36 AM
just adding here ;)
large scale ranges anywhere from 1:32(1 gauge,G) to 1:20.3 (Fn3)
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: tac on July 15, 2010, 01:21:28 PM
Quote from: RBMN #425 Fan on July 15, 2010, 09:33:36 AM
just adding here ;)
large scale ranges anywhere from 1:32(1 gauge,G) to 1:20.3 (Fn3)

Plus the famous British scale of 16mm and the increasingly popular scale of 7/8ths....as well as Gn15, of course.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape meares Lighthouse Restoration fund
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: RBMN #425 Fan on July 15, 2010, 02:17:27 PM
Quote from: tac on July 15, 2010, 01:21:28 PM
Quote from: RBMN #425 Fan on July 15, 2010, 09:33:36 AM
just adding here ;)
large scale ranges anywhere from 1:32(1 gauge,G) to 1:20.3 (Fn3)

Plus the famous British scale of 16mm and the increasingly popular scale of 7/8ths....as well as Gn15, of course.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape meares Lighthouse Restoration fund
right i forgot. :-[ and i thought i was missing something ;)
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: Barry BBT on July 15, 2010, 04:18:51 PM
I didn't see any mention of 78N2,  13.71 scale from 45mm as two foot narrow gauge.

I have built a couple dozen of these locos.

Barry - BBT
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: tac on July 15, 2010, 06:08:59 PM
Quote from: Barry BBT on July 15, 2010, 04:18:51 PM
I didn't see any mention of 78N2,  13.71 scale from 45mm as two foot narrow gauge.

I have built a couple dozen of these locos.

Barry - BBT

Read my post above - I wrote 7/8ths....'the increasingly popular scale of 7/8ths....'

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: Blackie on July 16, 2010, 09:01:34 PM
Thankx to all the replies to my question about scale. Sorry it took me so long to reply, I have been very busy.
Thankx again
Blackie
Title: Re: Scale question
Post by: Doneldon on July 17, 2010, 04:31:22 AM
Barry-

A couple of dozen???  You must be kidding.

                                           -- D