There is no doubt that the HO scale is the most popularly used scale when it comes to model railroading. It all started in the late thirties, when the HO scale was introduced by the British. Around twenty years later, the popularity of HO scale model trains caught on in the United States and the rest, as they say, is history.
The most commonly asked question regarding HO scale trains is “What does HO stand for?” As we all know, one of the largest scales in model trains is the O scale. HO stands for “half of O” or fifty percent of the size of the O scale trains. As compared to its actual equivalent, the HO scale train has a ratio of one is to eighty-seven. Other model train scales are the Z scale, the G scale, the S and the O scales. To get an idea of the HO scales size in comparison with the other scales, just remember the Z is the smallest scale, which has a ratio of one is to two hundred and twenty.
This makes the HO scale trains large enough to boast of the actual trains wonderful features and designs, while making it possible to bring the model train into your home right in the living room. Meanwhile, the smaller scales such as the Z scale trains allow you to have a birds eye view of the scene you are trying to recreate. Not only are HO scale trains amazing to look at, but they are one of the easiest to work with as well. Novices have an easier time working with bigger pieces and the smaller scales need more advanced and technical knowledge, and not to mention hand-eye coordination skills.
Because of the lover affair of most model train hobbyists with HO scale model trains, there are now clubs and organizations that specialize on working on HO scale model trains as a hobby. Some even have online websites and forums that you can join so that you can exchange tips and ideas on building your HO model train set and railroad plan. The best part about joining these clubs is that you will be able to exchange ideas with others who are also building similar train sets. You can get inspiration on your next train project and learn which mistakes to avoid so that your project will go along smoothly.
Apart from getting the technical details of your this scale train set correct, you should also scour history books and the internet for photos on how the actual train set that you are recreating looked. Look for photos regarding the fashion of the people at that time, what they wore and what luggage they brought along. Knowing what ads were put up on the train station at that point in time is also a sure fire way to make your model railroad set more interesting. Again, the possibilities are endless when you have a lot of imagination and a lot of time to invest in model railroading.