G Model Trains

The term “G model trains” is also misleading…

Because model trains are a hobby that has been around for almost 100 years, and with manufacturers located all over the world, they have several standard and not all of them are compatible with all types of rail tracks. Thus, scales and other standards were created in order to know the characteristics and compatibility of model trains without having to measure each of them every time. G model trains are one of the most famous standards for trains there are.

G model trains are a type of trains that conform to a standard called “G” scale. They are very popular as garden trains because they’re very efficient for outdoor use.

G scale model trains are usually built with a much better resistance than indoor trains. They are specially strong enough to resist both high weather temperatures and humid and wet weather. They can even run on snow, if the snow is not too heavy and they are equipped with a special snowplow designed for them attached to the front of the locomotive.

Because they are very common as garden trains, a lot of people use the term “G scale model trains” as synonym of “garden model trains.” Some people even think that the “G” in “G model trains stands for “Garden.”

In reality, the name has a much different origin. The G scale was introduced to the market by the German brand LGB, which is an abbreviation for “Lehmann Gross Bahn.” The literal translation in English is “Lehmann Big Train.” The “G” in “G scale
Model trains stands for “Gross,” the German word for “big.”

The term “G model trains” is also misleading, since it does refer neither to a scale, nor to the trains. It refers to the gauge of the track.

A scale is a standard representation of dimensions of a model train in relation to the train it represents, and is measured in ratios; for example, a scale of 1:40 means that one foot on the model train represents 40 feet on the real train.

In contrast the gauge track is the inner distance between the two rails of a rail track.

G model trains are all built to adapt to a track gauge or 45 millimeters, which in the English measuring system is about 1.75 inches. It’s interesting to notice that G scale model trains can be built in different scales.

While all this details might be boring or unattractive to some people, lovers of model trains and special of G model trains know that this information is necessary when you set up a garden layout, in order to avoid compatibility problems when buying equipment or accessories for model railroading.