I got a question what is the smallest scale to largest scale, we are looking to put a train under our small table top christmas tree...
can anyone reccomend an appropiate size...
Thanks

...we are looking to put a train under our small table top christmas tree...can anyone reccomend an appropiate size...
Thanks
How big is your tabletop(inches x inches)?
Do you have small kids, or pets, who can get at the trains?
How much money are you thinking of spending?

From small to large - Z, N, HO, S, O-27, O, G. Bachmann also sells an On30, which is kind of between HO and O, but it runs on HO gauge track. That is real good for Christmas layouts since the trains are big enough to see, but the track takes up less space. It really depends on the size of your table, but I'd think HO or On30 would be as big as you can go. However, if you don't need the whole train, the Lionel trolleys are also pretty neat, and the whole thing comes in one box.

From small to large - Z, N, HO, S, O-27, O, G...
Well-put short answer!
...Bachmann also sells an On30, which is kind of between HO and O, but it runs on HO gauge track. That is real good for Christmas layouts since the trains are big enough to see, but the track takes up less space. It really depends on the size of your table, but I'd think HO or On30 would be as big as you can go...
You're speaking of the actual size of the trains. Beerslave mentioned having a small table, so the size of the track circle is a real dealbreaker. As I gather you know, sometimes larger scale trains actually take less less space, because of their track circles.

Since you mention Bachmann's On30, this is one of those cases. They run on HO track, which has a minimum circle diameter of 36". O-27 has a 27" circle, and O has a 30" circle. Then, there are battery trains with different track circles, to complicate things. This is why I asked about the size of the table.

...However, if you don't need the whole train, the Lionel trolleys are also pretty neat, and the whole thing comes in one box.
Great point! There are trolleys in most scales, and some of these sets have point-to-point layouts, where the trolley stops and reverses at the ends of the line.

sweet
thanks, i'll configure it to work out, and i'll post up a pic when its done...

if its a tabletop go HO

if its a large tree go 027