| The Christmas tree used to not be complete | | | | Continental Europe). The 16.5 mm HO (NMRA) and |
| without a model rail road roaming around its trunk. | | | | HO (NEM) represents the standard gauge. The |
| But model trains are certainly not just for kids. On | | | | classic 0 Scale system also runs on tracks of this |
| the contrary, model railroading is sometimes | | | | size. The 10.5 mm HOn3 (NMRA) system |
| referred to as the "world's greatest hobby" for | | | | represents the 36" gauge which was once |
| enthusiasts around the world. To call railway | | | | common in American mining railroads and short |
| modeling just a hobby is like calling "The Golden | | | | lines, particularly in the Western States. The 30" |
| gate" just a bridge. | | | | gauge is represented by the 9 mm HOn30 |
| The idea of model railway was first pioneered as | | | | (NMRA) and HOe (NEM) systems. |
| early as the 1840s. Since then, the craft has | | | | The first tracks available for the HO railroad |
| evolved and travelled a tremendous length. The | | | | layouts were basically available in standard lengths |
| world of model railroading is literally divided into | | | | and curvatures, which gave modelers quite few |
| many shapes and sizes, and amongst these, the | | | | limitations in designing their layouts, but with the |
| most popular is the Ho scale, which is equally | | | | introduction of "flex track" which can be bent at |
| popular, both in US and places like Japan and | | | | any angle within reason, the world of HO railroad |
| Australia. Incidentally, in the UK, a system called | | | | layouts has almost no limits. |
| 00 gauge predominates. Both the 0 Scale and Ho | | | | The HO railroad layouts are also available in a few |
| Scale use the same size tracks, but the 00 Gauge | | | | different brands such as Ready-to-Run, |
| models are built to a bigger scale. The 0 scale | | | | Shake-the-Box and Craftsman Kits. The |
| was also dominant in railroad modeling in US, but | | | | Ready-to-Run can be put into action just out of |
| after the arrival of HO railroad layouts, it has lost | | | | the box whereas the Shake-the-Box variety |
| its previous popularity. The name of the HO scale | | | | needs a little bit of assembling. The Craftsman |
| has come from half 0, as the newer HO railroad | | | | Kits are only for the biggest fans of railroad |
| layouts was almost approximately half that of 0 | | | | modeling as it needs quite a lot of time and skill to |
| (zero) scale. The HO railroad layout is basically | | | | build out. |
| used indoors, considering the smaller size. | | | | The biggest advantages of the HO railroad layouts |
| HO scale is further divided into more choices, | | | | are that the sizes lie in the mid range, as they are |
| representing both standard and narrow gauges in | | | | large enough to fit a lot of details into the whole |
| roughly 1:87 scales. The standards are set by | | | | layout, yet not too small to handle for the adults. |
| different organizations and industry watchdogs like | | | | The children can also play safely with them |
| NMRA (in North America) and the NEM (in | | | | without any fear of danger. |