O-Gauge Polar Express Train Set

With the release of the very popular Polar Express movie, Lionel was quick to release their versions of this popular polar express train set. They released two different versions of the same train, which has caused quite a bit of confusion among customers that are not necessarily train enthusiasts or collectors. There is also a pretty significant price difference between the two trains which has only created more confusion among buyers.

Our goal is to explain the important differences between the two trains, while making this as simple as possible for you to understand.

Short History Of O-Gauge Trains

O-Gauge track was introduced by the company Lionel around 1915 for its lower priced trains, compared to the more expensive Standard Gauge trains. O-Gauge trains were typically smaller, cheaper versions of the premium Standard line trains. The Great Depression, starting in 1929, sealed the fate of the expensive line of Standard Gauge trains not only for Lionel but for many other high-end train manufacturers. Lionel just barely survived due to the now extensive line of lower priced O-Gauge train sets.

What Is Gauge?

Gauge is the distance between the rails of the track, Thus O-gauge describes model trains that use track whose outside rails are 1.25 inches apart.

Although Gauge and Scale are often used interchangeably, there actually is a difference. O-Gauge simply refers to any model trains which ride on tracks where the outer rails are 1.25 inches apart.

The discrepancy between O gauge in the United States and O gauge in Europe is attributed to Lionel misreading the original Märklin specifications.

What Is Scale?

Simply put, Scale is the proportion to which the models are built.

O-scale is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading.

O-Scale for instance is often defined as 1:48 Scale. That means the models are 1/48 the size of the real thing.

O-Scale refers to O-Gauge trains that are built to scale in order to closely match the real-life prototypes. Most commercially produced model track is a compromise between appearance and a trouble-free running surface.

So, Whats The Bottom Line?

“You get what you pay for”. This is especially true with the Lionel Polar Express Train Set.

The O gauge set is an electric train set, with the locomotive made from die-cast metal parts, running on standard Lionel track, also made of metal. The realistic locomotive puffs smoke as it runs, chugs like a real steam locomotive and has a very realistic-sounding steam whistle.

The three passenger cars have interior lighting (a nice touch for when darkness falls on Christmas Eve), and the passengers themselves are silhouetted in the windows of the cars. The track assembles easily into a 60″ x 40″ oval. The control pack (which also has the bell and whistle buttons) is solid, durable and easy to control.

The G gauge set, on the other hand, is made from plastic, including the locomotive, coaches and track. The locomotive is also battery-powered instead of electric and these two factors alone account for much of the difference in price.

If you want a train that is more realistic then you will also do better with the O-gauge Polar Express Train Set. O-gauge trains tend to display more detail and are crafted to closely resemble their actual real life counterparts. The O-Gauge train is also larger, so you will need a bit more space to run this train set. Since this polar express train set is more realistic, you will also have more fun building your model railway scenery.