Estate Railways
This page is a collection of resources for those who
are interested in rideable model railways. At one time steam
outline models dominated this field but diesel equipment is quickly
becoming the norm. Both live-steam and gas engines are used as power
sources. For smaller (non-riding) scales that are more suitable for
suburban lots, visit Garden Railways
Gauges and Scales
The commonly used gauges/scales used in rideable model railways are:
- 3 1/2" gauge - 3/4" scale [1:16] - elevated track
- 4 3/4" gauge - 1" scale [1:12] - elevated track
- 7 1/4" gauge - 1 1/2" scale [1:8] - track on the ground
Steam Locomotive Classes
Steam locomotives are often referred to by
Whyte's Locomotive Classification based on wheel arrangement and given
colloquial or nick names. Note that in general engines
without pilot (ie. leading) wheels were used as switchers and had
no nickname. Engines with two-wheeled pilots tended to be used in freight
service.
| Wheels | Name |
| 2-4-0 | Porter |
| 2-4-2 | Columbia |
| 2-6-0 | Mogul |
| 2-6-2 | Prairie |
| 2-6-4 | Adriatic |
| 2-8-0 | Consolidation |
| 2-8-2 | Mikado |
| 2-8-4 | Berkshire |
| 2-10-0 | Decapod |
| 2-10-2 | Santa Fe |
| 2-10-4 | Texas |
|
| Wheels | Name |
| 4-4-0 | American |
| 4-4-2 | Atlantic |
| 4-6-0 | Ten-Wheeler |
| 4-6-2 | Pacific |
| 4-6-4 | Hudson |
| 4-8-0 | Mastodon |
| 4-8-2 | Mountain |
| 4-8-4 | Northern |
|
| Wheels | Name |
| 2-6-6-2 | Chesapeake |
| 2-8-8-4 | Yellowstone |
| 4-6-6-4 | Challenger |
| 4-8-8-4 | Big Boy |
|
Manufacturers
There is a large number of manufacturers in all scales. These can be
found easily by using phrases such as live steam railways in any
search engine. This set of links will focus on the smaller gauges for the
average hobbyist.
Retailers
Publications
Clubs, Associations and Hobbyists