This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Anjouli (talk | contribs) at 15:50, 19 December 2003 (Link O gauge). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 15:50, 19 December 2003 by Anjouli (talk | contribs) (Link O gauge)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)S gauge is a scale in model railroading. Modeled at 1:64, S gauge runs on two-rail track with the rails 7/8 inch (22.2 mm) apart. S gauge is sometimes confused with standard gauge, a large-scale standard for toy trains in the early part of the 20th century.
1:64 scale trains first appeared in England in the early 20th century. The first trains marketed as S gauge appeared in the 1930s when American Flyer marketed a 1:64 scale train that ran on 3-rail track similar to that of Lionel. Following World War II, American Flyer introduced an S-gauge train running on two-rail track for greater realism, and S gauge entered its heyday, which ended around 1959. However, during that period, Lionel outsold American Flyer nearly 2 to 1. American Flyer went out of business and was sold to Lionel in 1967.
Lionel reintroduced S gauge trains and accessories under the American Flyer name in 1979. Another manufacturer, American Models, entered the marketplace in 1981. Because O gauge's scale ranges between 1:43 and 1:64 scale, many manufacturers of buildings and other accessories pick an in-between scale so they can market both to O- and S-gauge hobbyists.