What scale is G scale?

Okay...

The term "G scale" was coined in the late 60s by LGB, when they introduced their line of indoor/outdoor model trains. "G" stood for both "Garten" (German for "garden), and "Gross" (german for "large"). They stated their scale to be 1:22.5, at which the 45mm track on which they ran (historically referred to as "Gauge 1") scaled out to 1 meter. As others have stated above, there was some definite playing with proportions with LGB's models, but they stated that their scale was 1:22.5.

Fast forward about 15 years, to the early 80s. Other manufacturers are beginning to enter the garden railroad market. Some (Delton, Kalamazoo) chose the scale of 1:24, since it worked out to 1/2" to the foot, and was easy to work with. Dollhouse accessories, die-cast cars, and other things were already plentiful, and the models were more or less the same size as LGB's so-called "G scale" offerings. Most of these manufacturers did not designate their products to any lettered scale, referring to them by their scale ratio, or "compatible with LGB." Others chose other scales (Aristo at 1:29, Bachmann at 1:22.5, USA Trains at both 1:24 for their early stuff and 1:29 for their later standard gauge stuff.) Again, none of these manufacturers identified their products by any singular letter. Most stated a scale, or at least acknowledged that they used a single scale for their products.

What has since happened is that the term originally used to "identify" LGB"s 1:22.5 models has taken on a generic label for all trains designed to be run in the garden on 45mm (Gauge 1) track. So now, when one says "G scale," they're no longer referring to any one specific scale, they are referring to outdoor trains in general. The track gauge itself has also taken on a dual identity, being called both "G gauge" and "Gauge 1". Historians and purists cringe and cry foul (and I include myself in this group to an extent), but you can't stop the adaptation of language. We best get used to working with the "new" definition.

So, historically, "G scale" was a marketing term singularly identifying a scale ratio of 1:22.5, at which the 45mm track measures out to 1 meter. If you're going to use 1:24 (1/2" to the foot,) then the track scales out to 42". If you want the track to measure out to the common 3' gauge used for narrow gauge lines in the US (D&RGW, EBT, etc) then your scale is 1:20.3. (15mm to the foot.) There's a slow push to identify this scale specifically as "F scale," though it hasn't really caught on, and most manufacturers still use the scale ratio as the identifier.

Later,

K