009 and N gauge

[Benjamin Thompson-Jones]

I'm new to the hobby, do they use the same size track?

[Graeme Dunbar]

They are the same gauge (9 mm) and if using Peco track and probably several other makes, the track pieces and rail joiners are compatible. The difference is in the plastic representation of the sleepers.

The sleepers on N scale track are not as long and look more 'petite' whereas 009 track on an N scale layout will look too chunky.

People do use N track in 009 fiddle yards and also in places where it can be seen by disguising the sleepers by ballasting over them or changing the spacing of the sleepers.

[Benjamin Thompson-Jones]

Thanks, I only ask as I've not got anything yet and was wondering if the n guage starter sets would let me use 009 trains.  So thanks again for your help

[Graeme Dunbar]

No problem - and welcome!

A lot of (probably most) kit-built 009 locos use N scale 'donor' chassis so the difference in track is mostly cosmetic.

[JulienW]

Ahh, the old "Scale" and "Gauge" confusion that I get a lot when manning the West Mids 009 Publicity Stand.

Gauge is the distance between the rails, scale is the ratio of measurements on the models as compared to the real world (or prototype).

So, 'N Gauge' has a track gauge of 9mm, 'N scale' is about 2mm to one foot, though different countries use slightly different scales with 1:148 being used in the UK.

"OO scale" is 4 mm to one foot, or 1:76.2 with "OO Gauge" being 16.5mm (the distance between the rails, as against EM at 18.3 mm and P4 and 18.83 mm, all three reprisenting the 4' 8 1/2" of standard gauge to varying degrees of fidelity).

009 is a bit of a hybrid, and uses the 4 mm : 1 foot (or 1:76.2) scale and 9 mm gauge for models of railways with a gauge of 2' 3", though as we are somewhat relaxed about this we tend to stick with the 9mm gauge for models or prototypes with track gauges from just under 2 feet (like the 1' 10 3/4" of the North Wales slate industry) up to 2' 6" (and a little beyond), as it makes life easier as we can use the various N scale chassis for our locos and N scale track to avoid the need to scratch build them.

Picking one of the commercial scales and using the track from the next scale down is quite established, hence combinations like O-16.5 (O scale at 7 mm to one foot on OO gauge track) and N6.5 (N scale models using 6.5 mm / Z gauge track), with other combinations resulting from a double jump (O9 or OO6.5 for example for 'minimum (15' or 18") gauge).

[Alan Pollock]

Hi Guys

I've tried to upload a photo of the different track that I've built for the display stand but it won't allow me to upload it

Thanks
Alan

[JulienW]

Hi Guys

I've tried to upload a photo of the different track that I've built for the display stand but it won't allow me to upload it

Thanks
Alan

You'll need to host the photo somewhere and post a link...

[Graeme Dunbar]

This came up in a Zoom discussion. A 'track comparison' piece/diorama would be a good thing for general exhibitions.

Peco publish a drawing showing front view of locos in different scales and gauges along with a drawing of a man in the various scales. I think it crops up from time to time in the magazine and "Shows you how" leaflets.

[Peter Boulter]

Hi Guys

I've tried to upload a photo of the different track that I've built for the display stand but it won't allow me to upload it

Thanks
Alan

You'll need to host the photo somewhere and post a link...

Not necessarily, but note that there is an maximum filesize for uploads.

[B.Meldon]

As mentioned above there is a max size for the photos uploaded direct to this forum.

I usualy re-size them to 720 x 540 and then save them as a jpg with 25% compression.
This is plenty good enough quality for this forum and makes for very small file sizes.