N Scale

Summary: N scale or N gauge is a popular model railway size, allowing hobbyists to build layouts less space than other scales, or put longer track runs into the same amount of space, because the models are smaller (by nearly a half) than they are in HO scale (1:87). The name comes from an abbreviation for Nine millimetres.

Small part of an N scale layout with a human hand shown for size

DCC decoder installed in an N scale LifeLike Berkshire Steam Locomotive

N scale (more properly N gauge - proportions range from 1:148 to 1:160) is a popular model railway size, allowing hobbyists to build layouts that take up less space than other scales, or put longer track runs into the same amount of space, because the models are smaller (by nearly a half) than they are in HO scale (1:87). The name comes from an abbreviation for Nine millimetres, which is the distance between the inside edges of the rails.

Main article: N scale/History of N Scale

General N Scale Topics

Here is a list of topics relating to N Scale:

N Scale History - How the size was started, etc.
N Scale Coupling - Coupling information for N scale railroads.
N Scale Track Work - Working with N scale tracks
N scale turntables - Using turntables with N scale and DCC
- see also Turntables for general turntable information
N Gauge Plug-n-Play Decoder - Decoder PnP charts.

Comparison of H0, H0n3 and N Gauge Track

DCC for N scale

Bachman N scale model of a Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 2-6-6-2 shown with a pencil for size

(Just getting this page started. Feel free to add to this section, or create new N scale DCC topics, and link them to this section. TazzyTazzy 13:37, 29 March 2006 (EST))

Due to the small scale of the trains, you may find it tricky to get decoders installed into some locomotives... There are very few "impossible" locomotives in N scale, but some can be difficult.

You will find there are at least 4 situations when it comes to DCC and locomotives in N gauge.

Factory installed decoder
N Gauge Plug-n-Play Decoder available
NEM socket provided
No Provision for DCC

Installing DCC in N scale Locomotives

NRMRC DCC installation pages - a very good source for installation methods for N scale locomotives.

Links to Clubs

The N Gauge Society
The Modern Area Group of the N Gauge Society
The 2 mm Scale Association
N-Trak N scale modular group with clubs worldwide
Bend Track N scale modular group with double-tracked in-and-out free-form modules.
T-Trak Micro-modular N scale group. A typical module is approximately letter-paper sized.

Additional Reading

What's N Scale?