The difference between American and European model railroads


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Mr. Ron

New Member
I am presently in the process of building a model railroad using Marklin trains. I used to operate American style railroads years ago, but have taken a fancy to European prototypes. After watching you tube train videos, my impression is American modeling stresses operation and European modeling stresses lots of action in a tight space with intricate track work. What are your impressions? Europeans seem to run on many different levels, like in Alps type mountains and deep valleys. American layouts seem to be more on level ground. The Miniatur Wunderland , largest model railway in the world in Munich, Germany is awesome and off course is a big attraction that makes money for it's operators. I guess that's what inspired me to go with Marklin.
 
I think the difference in modeling is based upon the density of railroads. In the US, railroads are primarily for freight movement on the long haul with minimal long haul passenger travel but a bit more density in the inner cities. In Europe, rail has a higher density for passenger movement. I think the cost of fuel for personally owned vehicles makes for more customers to commercial travel.
 
The history of the American railroad is one where, in order to get to marketable goods, the rails had to run mostly west into the Appalachians and beyond. That means hilly if there was no river route, as was the case with the New York Central. So, a good many N. American layouts, including my four built over the past 15 years, have plenty of grades, gullies, bridges, and tunnels. For a good many of us, the gee whiz factor comes with high trestles and truss bridges over deep gorges. And we have 'em!

For the most part, the British and EU layouts are in more confined spaces. They have to be more creative about the use of space, and their layouts tend to have smaller radius curves. Their locomotives are designed for those curves. The Trix Big Boy, an impressive non-brass model, can easily go around 18" radius curves. They accomplish this this undersizing the drivers in scale and by allowing a lot of lateral motion in the linkages.
 
The 4 wheel cars used on European railroads don't look out of place on their tight curves. The 2 truck cars and passenger cars look exaggerated on sharp curves. It would seem impossible to walk from one car to the next while in a sharp curve.
 
Mr. Ron said:
The 4 wheel cars used on European railroads don't look out of place on their tight curves. The 2 truck cars and passenger cars look exaggerated on sharp curves. It would seem impossible to walk from one car to the next while in a sharp curve.
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I would suspect that British and European passenger cars, apart from maybe their high speed coaches would be 60' or less against the US's 85'. In HO, anything less than 28" radius can look that way. The reason they put double swing coupler and extended swing arms on them.
 
Check your dimensions very carefully. There are four major "N scales" scattered around including the Japanese one and the British one, and they are all slightly different in scale.
 
Mountain Man said:
Check your dimensions very carefully. There are four major "N scales" scattered around including the Japanese one and the British one, and they are all slightly different in scale.
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The reason for this difference comes down to the ratio used in the East across the pond (Europ, etc.) In the US N gauge is scaled at 1:160 Across the pond it is 1:148.
 
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