| In the area that is model railroad, scale H0 is the | | | | model trains have allowed for much more |
| most well-liked dimension by far. Of course this is | | | | condensed pieces so that things can be built on a |
| not the case if you are reading this in sunny | | | | more detailed scale. |
| England -- where larger scale trains are more | | | | Being a true enthusiast, you can't just have the |
| typical. | | | | train operating on bare tracks with no landscape!! |
| Because of the popularity of this scale of model | | | | Nearly every person that collects or has a model |
| railroad, this article is going to focus on this model | | | | railroad scale not making a difference, can |
| and some of the reasoning as to why it is the | | | | remember the first time they got their first one!! |
| most popular. The H0 model railroad scales were | | | | Typically they start as such, "I was eleven years |
| first introduced to the public in approximately 1950 | | | | old when I got my first H0 model railroad; it had a |
| - almost immediately gaining significant fans. The | | | | red engine, two cars and a mustard yellow |
| introduction of this scale could almost be said that | | | | caboose. I was so excited to play with it that I |
| it came about rather out of necessity. In the | | | | could barely get the snap tracks connected |
| 1950's, the model train pastime was in a pretty | | | | completely. I setup a big oval of tracks and just |
| significant down turn. | | | | ran the train round and round and round.... for at |
| As the enthusiasts demanded more practicality | | | | least an hour." There is always a passion in the |
| and a better ability for creative design over this | | | | tone of these collectors. |
| hobby of model trains, the H0 Scale was | | | | Soon after the initial excitement wears off, the |
| introduced and immediately won back many of | | | | realization occurs that there is a need to improve |
| the previous train fans. | | | | upon what you have, which commonly is just the |
| The rationale for this was due to the fact that all | | | | train and the tracks. This is where the creativity |
| of the model trains previously were regarded as | | | | comes into play -- creating grand schemes of |
| too large or bulky. A consequence problem to | | | | what you are going to build: mountains, valleys, |
| these bigger trains was the fact that it really | | | | rivers and bridges to cross them, small towns. |
| limited those that wanted to create realistic details | | | | It is this desire to build upon the simple model |
| to the surrounding "land" that the train tracks | | | | railroad, scale H0 being the perfect size to expand |
| went through. | | | | and create a world apart from this technologically |
| Since everything had to be much larger in scale to | | | | driven one. These new designs will take some |
| reflect the larger model trains-- the owners of the | | | | time to perfect and the first ones will have room |
| larger scale model railroads couldn't afford--and it | | | | for improvement, but as time passed you will be |
| makes sense, the larger your diorama needed to | | | | able to create much more realistic landscapes and |
| be the more would be spent in the supplies | | | | remember that the costs will not be as expensive |
| needed to create your small world. The H0 scale | | | | because of the railroad scale H0. |