Model Forum / General / Railroads / December 2006

Yes.

No.

Depends on your attitude to modelling! Mixing models of Japanese 3'6"
stock and European Std. gauge stock on the same tracks will never be
'accurate' so what difference will a slightly different scale make?

Keith

Railway modelling scales in Japan differ a bit from what is common in the
rest of the world. A short list with some characteristics.

N-scale is by far the most popular railway modelling scale in Japan. The
products available vary from cute toys top quality models, both
mass-produced and handmade brass models. Usual scale ratio is 1/150th scale
instead of 1/160th as common in the US or Europe. 1/160thscale is used in
Japan for models of Shinkansen high-speed trains, which have a larger
loading gauge than ordinary japanese trains. Prototype japanese trains run
on a track gauge of 1067 mm (3ft6in) or 1435 mm (4ft 8½in), narrower gauges
used are 762 mm (2ft6in) and 600 mm (2ft). The Japanese have chosen to use
normal 9 mm track for all prototype gauges between 1067 and 1435 mm.
Narrow-gauge lines are not often modelled in N-scale, so it's no surprise
that there's not a lot available 'of the shelf'. You could have a go with
European Z-gauge mechanisms and trackwork.

HO comes next and this is where life becomes a little more complicated. In
Japan there are 3 different HO standards. Most common HO standard is 1:80
scale on 16.5 mm gauge track, also known as #16 scale, but some more
advanced modellers found this unacceptable as the track gauge is too wide
for the 1:80 ratio. So they started a different standard, 1:80 scale on 13
mm track, which is to be handlaid as there is no ready-made track available.
This scale/gauge is called #13 scale. Other modellers adopted the
international 1:87 scale ratio and use a 12 mm track gauge, as per the
European narrow-gauge standards This gauge is known as #12 scale. HO-scale
has only a very small share of the Japanese model market, as homes are very
small by European or US standards, and it is hard to find some room, even
for an N-scale layout. In some towns model train clubs, pubs, restaurants or
hotels offer rental layouts on which you can run your own trains at a
charge. There are also N-scale rental layouts available in some locations.

Other Japanese modelling scales are 1:50 on 20.5 mm track gauge (static
models only) and O-scale tinplate. A few handmade models are available in
1:120 scale, running on 9 mm track. This scale is also used in New Zealand
as it fits the New Zealand trains (small loading gauge, 1067mm, 3ft 6in,
track gauge) very well.
more here :

http://www.xs4all.nl/~raicho/model/model.htm

Joe