Gauge is the distance between the rails. Standard gauge on the real railroads is 56-1/2 inches, derived from the wheel spacing on an ancient Roman chariot. Gauges wider than this standard are referred to as broad gauge, and narrow gauge is rails spaced closer than standard. Common sizes for narrow gauge are 2 feet, 3 feet, and meter.
Scale is defined as the proportion or ratio of the real train (often referred to as prototype) to the model.
One and one half inch to the foot is 1/8 scale. The prototype is 8 times bigger than the model. 56-1/2 inches divided by 8 equals 7.0625 inches. Standard gauge in this scale should be 7-1/16 inches! However, when people began building in this scale they chose a gauge of 7-1/4 inches. Most of the world and the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada use this gauge. Due to an unfortunate misunderstanding in the late 1930's some modelers began using a gauge of 7-1/2 inches for 1/8 scale. This gauge is now commonplace in most of the United States. Some 7-1/2" gaugers now use a scale of 1.6 inches to the foot to compensate for this error.
Two and one half inch to the foot scale (1:4.8) is often used to model three foot narrow gauge trains to run on 7-1/4" or 7-1/2" gauge tracks.
The Finger Lakes Live Steamers have 3 different gauge tracks. Click on the links (above left) to learn more about each gauge railroad.
* Note: No. 1 gauge equals 1.766 inches (44.85 mm).
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"Gauge" is the Distance Between the Rails.
"Scale" is the Ratio of the Model to the Prototype.
"Standard Gauge" is 4 feet, 8-1/2 inches.