Using Toys in your Scale Sets

AKA Alternative Non-Model Train Branded N, HO and O Objects

AKA Miniature Scales Part 2

There are so many toys old and new that coincide with model train scales. If you’re into that sort of thing, here’s a list of toys, by brand, and the scales they can be used with. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for a variety of scale comparison images.

*I haven’t provided links, considering most would simply be to ebay search results. If you’re looking for a specific piece and having trouble finding it, let me know and I’ll do my best to help you out.

Lewis Galoob

(bought out by Hasbro in 1998)

My Pretty Dollhouse (1980s & 1990s)

(I mistakenly refer to this in 2 of the images below as ‘My Dream Dollhouse’)

• Houses = grandiose HO scale or diminutive O scale
• 1980s Furniture & Figures (originally called li’l House Wonderfull)= fairly precisely O scale, although a few pieces, like the bed pictured below run a bit small
• 1990s Furniture & Figures = chunky, in between HO & O scale

Micro Machines (1980s to present day)

• Star Wars Figures = precisely HO scale
• Cars = chunky, in between N and HO scale
• Sets = roughly HO scale, occasionally on the slightly small side
• Spaceships = tiny, I’d venture to say smaller than Z scale, but they vary in size

Pound Puppies (1990s)

• Sets = chunky O scale
• Animals = a scale in their own, as they’re all made to lie flat, they’d be roughly O scale if in a more realistic position

Mattel

Disney Lockets (1990s)

• Figures = fairly precisely O scale
• Playsets = between HO and O scale, but likely unusable in any sort of set

Bluebird Toys

(bought by Mattel in 1998)

Polly Pockets, Mighty Max & Disney Tiny Collection (1990s)

• Houses & Buildings = roughly HO scale
• Inset Furniture & Figures = chunky, in between HO & O scale

Hot Wheels & Matchbox (still in production)

• Cars = large HO scale. Seated HO scale figures, Polly Pockets, etc. can fit in these cars with opening doors, or convertible tops, however the car is a bit wide for HO scale roadways.

Beach Babies (1990s)

These could go by another name as I’m not sure what brand they fall under.

• Houses = pretty precisely HO scale
• Accessories = vary between HO and O scale, some are slim and perfect for sets, others are pretty chunky
• Babies = a very large, disfigured O scale

Safari Ltd.

Good Luck Minis (present day)

• Animals = many are HO scale, although all the animals in the packs are roughly the same size, making a bunny the size of a shark, whereas the shark would be maybe Z scale, the bunny would be larger than O scale. The mid-size animals, i.e. horses, cows, tigers, etc. fall within HO scale.

My Mini MixieQ (present day)

• Furniture = chunky HO or short O scale
• Figures = really short, chunky HO, not very compatible with other modeling items
• Room Boxes = large O scale

Tonka Tiny (present day)

• Various vehicles in mystery packs = Z to N scale depending on the vehicle

Board Game Figures (i.e. Risk – vintage and present day)

There’s a surprising amount of consistency in figures made as part of board games. The majority of these are 1:72 scale. HO scale is 1:87, so a bit smaller, making these figures I’d say a large HO, and too small for an O scale set. However, it’s a good place to go if you want a lot of military figures. See a complete list of games here: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/ShowFeature.aspx?id=72.

In these images, the graph paper – 1 square = 1/4 and inch wide (6.35mm), the cutting mat – 1 square = 1/2 an inch (12.7mm).

And just a couple examples of misc objects posed together – as a miniature photographer, and not a train hobbyist, I don’t have full set layouts with these items to show you, but hopefully what’s here will give you some sort of an idea. If there’s something in an image above you’d like to see next to something, let me know.

And some detail shots…

So that’s that. Do you know of any small-scale toys that would work with model railroading scale sets? Let me know in a comment below.