The Toy Model Trains Blog

O scale model trains were originally created around 1900 by the German manfacturer Marklin and are commonly used as toy trains. 

By the 1930s, O scale trains were far and away the most popular in the US and this remained the case for another three decades. 

This is in contrast to Europe where demand for the scale declined prior to the second world war primarily due to the range of smaller scales available on the market. 

O scale model trains were most in demand when model trains were still thought of as toys - that is, when trains were built primarily for children with emphasis on them being durable and offering value for money. 

The focus at this time was not on detail and realistic recreation of trains, but this became increasingly important over the next few decades. 

O gauge trains are still popular in the US - particularly among those who are interested in running trains as opposed to other elements of model railroading. 

Many enthusiasts also particularly enjoy collecting O scale model trains. 

The situation in the UK is quite different from this - enthusiasts who are primarily interested in detail and in creating perfect models of trains seem to be most attracted to this scale. 

The OO scale tends to be more popular for those interested simply in running trains as opposed to recreating their precise detail.

This is mainly because of its lower costs and the fact that there are so many of these model trains available on the market.