N scale is a popular model railway scale. Depending upon the manufacturer, the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. Effectively the scale is 1:159, 9 mm to 1,435 mm, which is the width of standard gauge railway. However the scale may vary to simulate wide or narrow gauge rail. In all cases, the gauge is 9 mm or 0.354 in. The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions, but in the United Kingdom in particular British N gauge refers to a 1:148 scale with 1:160 track gauge modelling. The terms N scale and N gauge are often inaccurately used interchangeably, as scale is defined as ratio or proportion of the model, and gauge only as a distance between rails. The scale 1:148 defines the rail-to-rail gauge equal to 9 mm exactly, so when calculating the rail or track use 1:160 and for engines and car wheel base use 1:148.
A Bachmann Industries N-scale model of a Chesapeake and Ohio Railway H-5 class 2-6-6-2 Mallet locomotive, shown alongside a pencil for size
A modern Kato model of SBB Re 460 electric locomotive, featuring the ubiquitous Arnold "Rapido" coupler
SW-8 switcher.
A collection of N scale buildings and scenery
Railway modelling or model railroading is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale.
One of the smallest (Z scale, 1:220) placed on the buffer bar of one of the larger (live steam, 1:8) model locomotives
HO scale (1:87) model of a North American center cab switcher shown with a pencil for size
Z scale (1:220) scene of a 2-6-0 steam locomotive being turned. A scratch-built Russell snow plow is parked on a stub (Val Ease Central Railroad).
A simple H0 (1:87) scale model railroad, consisting of three interconnected modules, each 70 x 100 cm in size. It has two concentric ovals of track and a few switches to sidetracks. It makes no pretension of being a copy of "real life". Using low-cost landscaping parts, house kits and rolling stock, it was built for a total of only a few hundred dollars.