Planing a layout, one will ask himself soon about the size of a station. What would be the ideal length for the station tracks? A quite important aspect, because the length of the trains one can operate later on depends very much on this. Friends of HO gauge will soon realize: 26 cm coaches are offered in diferent lengths for this gauge.

What length is the best one for the own layout? Do I have coaches of different legnths in my collection? How must I take account of this? This site will help you a little bit for these decissions!

Coaches Of A Different Length

Let's now have a look on the different scales of HO gauge coaches!

1:110

For a longt time, Märklin offered coaches with a length of 24 cm. The scale was about 1:110. These cars were manufactured of sheet metal were quite popular, but have been taken out of programe in 2003. Fleischmann, as well, produced cars of this scale, before they have been replaced by 1:100 coaches. However it didn't seem possible to "shorten" the cars in exact 1:110 scale. The problem was solved by omitting two compartments. Trix offered coaches which were even a little bit shorter!

These coaches are ideal for model railroaders with little room for their layout, however one will only get such coaches on the second hand market.

1:100

Coaches of a 1:100 scale are currently offered for example by Roco and Märklin. The models with a length of about 27 cm langen were previously also produced by Fleischmann, where they have, however, meanwhile been replaced by models of an own scale, which will be descriped later on in this text.

Märklin however don't describe their models as "1:100 coaches". In their catalogues, they speak instead of "27 cm coaches". However, the first 1:100 models of this firm were not "shortened" in exact in 1:100 scale - they were shortened by omitting two compartments or windows, like model railroaders were it used to from the 24cm coaches... So, an original Bm 234 hast twelve compartments, the Märklin model only ten. The models constructed later on however, are shortened in exact scale. However the mssing compartments don't attract attention if the older coaches are not operated toghether with other Märklin models in a train.

1:93,5

Coaches of a 1:93,5 scale are offered by Fleischmann. They relieved the 1:100 models of this producer. Meanwhile the change to the new scale has been completed. Unluckily, Fleischmann offers nearly only German stuff. However, Roco has brought out some Swiss models in 1:93,5.

The old Fleischmann 1:100 coaches were also "shortened" not in exact 1:100 scale: a Bm 234 had eleven insteadt of twelfe compartments.

1:87

These coaches are exactly true to scale (1:87). They are produced, for example, by Roco, but also Ade's models are coming back on the market now. Moreover, several 1:87 coaches were offerd by Lima. Operating 1:87 coaches, one should use wide curves on his layout. Even if these coaches also run through narrow curves without causing any technical problem, it won't look very realistic.

Comparing Different Lengths Of Trains

Now let's have a look on trains consisting of a different number of coaches. The upper row shows the lenghth of the train without any loco, the lower row the length of the complete trainset. For the locomotive, about 30 cm are estimated (many steamers with seperate tenders are between 25 and 30 cm long).

*These coaches are not equiped with any close coupler; becase of the distance between the single cars, 25cm are estimated for every coach.

Of course, trains with nine or ten coaches can only be operated by model railroaders with a lot of room for their layouts or on club layouts. Especially when 1:87 coaches are used. However, a 255 cm long platform aöready offers the operation of trains with nine 1:110 coaches, eight 1:100 or 1:93,5 coaches, or seven 1:87 coaches.