A big factor in selecting your model railway layout is space. How much space do you have? The big driver in deciding your space is the scale you choose to model.

One scale to think about is the O scale. It is usually the largest scale used inside. The O scale is approximately 1/48th of the original size. The O scale is smaller than the scale that you would use outside, but works well inside. It is approximately 1/48th of the original.

Because it is relatively large, many of the features available for the O scale are fairly detailed. If you like making models that are really accurate, O scale is a great scale to choose for your model railway layout.

O scale can often be the easiest to use of all the scales, mostly because it is is heavier and so has more weight on the rails.

On the negative side, however, O scale is generally more costly and the assortment of kits available is not as many as for HO or N scale. The amount of space is obviously the other challenge with O scale.

A good radius for curves on your layout is around 72 inches. That comes out to be 6 feet in radius! Of course, If you have a great deal of room, or if you plan to have room, O scale just might be the one to use.

photo credit: al.glitch

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