Collecting model toy trains has become extremely popular all over America in recent times. This exciting hobby has enormous appeal for both young and old alike. There is now a vast choice available to the beginner and seasoned collector. As with any new hobby a little background knowledge can be a valuable asset when making choices.

History.
Model toy trains were initially manufactured in Germany although the concept of model trains originated in Britain. Germany manufactured the trains and exported them to Britain and other parts of the world including America. As a result of the First World War this partnership of production between Britain and Germany came to a halt. This event began the history of the American Model Trains industry.

The next greatest change in the model train industry came with the development of plastic. Plastic is an effective insulating material which improved the running of electric trains. Its other major effect was the reduction of cost in producing the model trains. This made the hobby much more accessible to a lot more people.

Present Day
The popularity of American model trains continues to increase and there are many online sites devoted to the hobby with many models available. Understanding what some of the terms used in 'train lingo' can help when making a decision to purchase. http://www.americanmodels.com/sscale.html produces what is called S scale model trains, also known as American Flyer compatible. s scale. A,C Gilbert introduced the S gauge trains at the end of World War 2 having already begun the manufacture of of an HO line. This marked the beginning of the two track American model train system.

What does S scale mean? Simply that any part in an S scale model train has a 1:64 scale. So if the length of a particular part on the model train is one inch it is representing a length of 64 inches in the original train.
The most common scales of model trains in America are: G -1:22, O -1:48, S - 1:64, HO - 1:87, N - 1:160, and Z - 1:220

This is a very brief introduction to the American model toy train system and there is a wealth of information available online.Delving into the history and development of American model toy trains can be as fascinating a hobby as owning one, or more.