What is Proto-48 and how is it different from O Gauge?
Because the O Gauge was created as toy trains without specific attention to scale, a second 1:48 scale was created that is true to scale. This is called Proto-48. From the chart above, you can do the math to show that Proto-48 Gauge track will be 4 feet, 8 inches wide. This is the proper width of standard gauge prototype track. (Please note that there are smaller sizes of prototype track often referred to as Narrow Gauge. We will deal with them later.) O Gauge, however, would solve to have track that is 5 feet wide. Thus, Proto-48 exists simply to make a “true” 1:48 scale available. Is “Proto” used elsewhere? Yes, there are other less common gauges that use the “proto” designation. Generally, it means that this track is the most true to scale for this size, i.e.
