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Revision as of 07:39, 1 July 2006 by Fourdee (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)S gauge is a scale in model railroading. Modeled at 1:64 scale, 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's parent company went out of business and the brand 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. S-Helper Service, another major S gauge locomotive and rolling stock manufacturer, began operations in 1990.
The National Association of S Gaugers serves as an organization to promote all forms of S Gauge model railroading.