Basic Query on Scale Terminology

[MickT]

This is just a basic question and I could have easily asked a couple of knowledgeable colleagues, but I reckon there will be one or two on the Forum who would also like to know the correct answer, so I'm posting the query here:

On the continent HO scale 9mm gauge NG is referred to as "HOe", in the USA the same scale is called "HOn30". Question: What is it called in Japan?

Answers based on actual knowledge, not opinion please, or we'll be condemned to an endless debate thread!!  :o

Mick

[garrywhiting]

On some of the early Joe Works boxes the designation used is HO-9, incidentally this was also favoured by Model Railway Contructor magazine in the 1960s and 1970s. On more recent products obtained from Japan the english version commonly used is HO (1/87-9mm). This seems a little cumbersome, but is probably used to differentiate from the local Japanese version of HO, called HOj which uses a scale of 1/80. Having said that both HOe and HOn30 are also used in the Japanese model railway magazine TMS and HOn2.5 makes the occasional appearance. It may depend on the original author's preference.

You tube videos are popular in Japan, many seem to use HOn30 as a scale/gauge indicator.  There does not appear to be a local Japanese norm for a scale/gauge designation. 009 is only used in this country as a quick designator, I have a suspicion that this was invented by C J Freezer, is there any proof of this . 00n2.25 anyone?

[vulcan]

According to Railroad Depot's scale/gauge website the following are generally accepted within Japan:-

H0n2

[MickT]

Thanks Garry and Ken, that's good enough for me!   ;D

Mick

[Cambridge Paul]

Just a quick thought on this

[Graeme Dunbar]

At the risk of going off topic, other things are or were sized 3, 2, 1, 0, 00, 000 etc. I'm sure I've seen it used on artist's paint brushes. Wasn't N gauge/scale or something similar known for a time as "000"?

I was going to add that there was no distinction between 0 and O on portable tripewriters ;) but I took a look at our old Olivetti and it is the 1 that it missing (you were expected to use a lower case L), maybe Remingtons were different, but the British were always lax about the distinction between "oh" and "zero", especially with telephone numbers!

It is good advice to use both 0 and O, particularly when using eBay, though searching for HOe models can result in finding gardening implements and old postcards of Plymouth.  :D

[MickT]

Good points, but just to ensure that the record is correct with regard to the Society, it is 00 as in zero zero and not OO as in Oscar Oscar.

There is a simple reason for this - clarity and precedence! For example, when I was (briefly) Soc Sec, I discovered that our entry in the UK Model Shops directory was listed as the letter OO 9 version and was therefore buried in the middle of a load of other stuff. I had it changed to the Figure 009 version and  voila, the Society is now listed under (sic) "Specialist Societies and Clubs" - where it should be - in the premier position and first on the list! (But don't give any clues to the OOO Association if there is one!)  ;D

Mick

[detheridge]

At the risk of going off topic, other things are or were sized 3, 2, 1, 0, 00, 000 etc. I'm sure I've seen it used on artist's paint brushes. Wasn't N gauge/scale or something similar known for a time as "000"?

Yes indeedy. I think the venerable Cyril Freezer coined it in 1961 (from memory it's the same issue the the very first outing of the Aire Valley in RM, so that's the April issue). When Lone Star issued their 'Treblo' system -and my elder brother had a small Treblo Electric set- that was used before the advent of N, which I believe was coined for the Arnold Rapido stuff around 63/4, which rather put Lone Star's rubber band drives in the shade.

I know, I really should get out more...but it's pissing down with rain in Malvern at the moment.

Best wishes,

Dave (venerable sage who remembers all this old useless info but can't remember what he had for breakfast this morning)  :o ;D :-\

[vulcan]

And wasn't 000 9.5mm gauge?

Got to go now, just been told to take my pants off my head again.

Live long & prosper

Ken

[B.Meldon]

A little off topic this

[DeadHorse]

In case the question pops up on a society quiz night, the term used at the North Pole for Father Christmas's 009 layout is...................



H0 Ho Ho!


I'll get my coat  ::)

[JulienW]

And wasn't 000 9.5mm gauge?

Got to go now, just been told to take my pants off my head again.

Live long & prosper

Ken

I belive it was.

Trebble O (000 or OOO or however you wish to pronounce it!) is alive and well, and otherwise known as 2 mm scale modelling.  They use 9.42 mm gauge, so I strongly suspect that 000 was 9.5 mm.

(hope the wardrobe malfunction has sorted itself out :D)

[wimorrison]

..... so should we refer to the society as the zero zero nine society, or the double Oh nine society?  :laugh:

Iain

[Graeme Dunbar]

From the look of the logo I would say it is written as "zero zero nine" but I've always said "double-oh-nine". I'm sure I've heard "oh oh nine" but don't ever recall hearing anyone saying "zero zero nine".

It just i'nt British! Most Brits say "oh" when they mean "zero" I'm sure.

Perhaps it is specified with great precision in our constitution somewhere.  ;)

[MickT]

It just i'nt British! Most Brits say "oh" when they mean "zero" I'm sure.

Perhaps it is specified with great precision in our constitution somewhere.  ;)

Yes it is, see reply #6 dated 03 Mar above. Of course we don't call it "zero zero nine" and do call it Oh Oh Nine or Double-Oh Nine, but the spelling is zero for precisely the reasons stated above.

Why do we have to keep sailing around the same bouy with these sort of things?