Scale used for non-Shinkansen standard gauge trains?

[eldomtom2]

I was curious - what scale is used in HO and N for standard gauge non-Shinkansen trains e.g. those of Hankyu, Keihan, Keikyu, Keisei, Kintetsu, Nishitetsu, etc.? I seem to remember reading somewhere that 1/150 is used for them in N to match the models of 3ft 6in trains...

[katoftw]

Most Japanese N scale is 1/150.

[Beaver]

Yes, conventional standard gauge is usually modelled at the same scale as cape gauge. 1/150 and 1/80.

 

This makes sense considering that most JR/JR compatible 3'6" gauge and conventional standard gauge stock (and Keio 4'6" gauge) is actually pretty much the same size and indeed largely the same apart from the distance between the wheels.* This makes producing different gauge versions of a design or regauging stock very straightforward. Some companies have lines of both gauges** and second hand equipment sometimes is regauged to suit the new owner.***

 

*Which means that models made to a common gauge do not look odd running together unless the viewer knows that the real things are different gauges.

 

*A deliberate policy dating from the JGR era to maximise the carrying capacity achievable on cape gauge and make conversion to standard gauge as easy as possible if ever it should become feasible.

 

**For example, local trains on JR East's mini-shinkansen are operated with their usual designs of 3'6" AC EMUs on standard gauge bogies.

 

***For example a lot of older Keio Railway 4'6" gauge stock has been converted to 3'6" gauge to work on Kanto area local lines such as the Fujikyukou and the Choshiden.

 

(This does mean that if you model the mini-shinkansen lines the local trains and the mini-shinkansen themselves will be to different scales, which is weird.)

Edited July 28 by Beaver