{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.s-scale","code":"thing-q454996","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q454996/","name":"S scale","alternateNames":["Sn3½"],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.2","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Cross-cutting context","entryKind":"thing","plane":"XCT","domain":["XCT.REL"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A model railway scale of 1:64, in which standard gauge track is 22.42 millimetres wide, developed in the 1930s and popularised by American Flyer trains, with narrow gauge variants such as Sn3 and Sn3 and a half representing narrower prototypes; S scale sits between HO and O scales and is supported by manufacturers, societies and standards bodies.","purpose":"Let an agent explain S scale and its standards, compare it with other model railway scales, support modellers in finding equipment and standards, and describe its history.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["1:64 ratio","Standard gauge 22.42 mm","Narrow gauge variants","Standards bodies"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What S scale is.","layers":[{"id":"scale","name":"Scale","description":"Scale and gauge.","findings":[{"id":"scale-finding","name":"Scale","description":"Scale.","questions":[{"text":"What are the ratio and track gauge of S scale, and what are Sn3 and Sn3 and a half?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"How does it compare with HO, OO and O scales?","kind":"definition"}]}]},{"id":"standards","name":"Standards","description":"Standards.","findings":[{"id":"standards-finding","name":"Standards","description":"Standards.","questions":[{"text":"Which standards bodies define S scale wheel, track and coupler standards?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"How do hi-rail and scale standards differ?","kind":"definition"}]}]}]},{"id":"model","name":"Model","description":"Modelling in S.","layers":[{"id":"equipment","name":"Equipment","description":"Finding equipment.","findings":[{"id":"equipment-finding","name":"Equipment","description":"Equipment.","questions":[{"text":"Which manufacturers and suppliers produce S scale models and track, and which societies support modellers?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Is American Flyer equipment compatible?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"build","name":"Build","description":"Building a layout.","findings":[{"id":"build-finding","name":"Build","description":"Building.","questions":[{"text":"How can an S scale layout be planned, including space, radii and control?","kind":"action"},{"text":"Which conversions from other scales are possible?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"history","name":"History","description":"History of S scale.","layers":[{"id":"origins","name":"Origins","description":"Origins.","findings":[{"id":"origins-finding","name":"Origins","description":"Origins.","questions":[{"text":"How did S scale originate, and what role did American Flyer play?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"How has its popularity changed?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"collect","name":"Collect","description":"Collecting.","findings":[{"id":"collect-finding","name":"Collect","description":"Collecting.","questions":[{"text":"How are vintage S scale trains valued and restored?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits a specific manufacturer?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"learn","name":"Learn","description":"Community and teaching.","layers":[{"id":"community","name":"Community","description":"Societies and events.","findings":[{"id":"community-finding","name":"Community","description":"Community.","questions":[{"text":"Which S scale societies, shows and publications exist?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"How can newcomers get started?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"teach","name":"Teach","description":"Teaching with models.","findings":[{"id":"teach-finding","name":"Teach","description":"Teaching.","questions":[{"text":"How can model railways teach scale, engineering and history?","kind":"action"},{"text":"Which misconceptions arise about scales?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Explain S scale, its ratio and gauge variants.","Help modellers check track and models against the scale's standards."],"mustNot":["Mislabel models as S scale when they are not.","Confuse S scale with HO or O scale in sales or advice.","Leave small parts or live track where young children can reach them.","Copy manufacturers' designs without permission."],"requiresHuman":["Purchases or trades on someone's behalf."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Model railway hobbies bring communities together across ages.","Honest labelling protects buyers."],"affectedParties":["Modellers","Children","Buyers"]},"owners":{"steward":"Nobody owns the scale; modelling societies and standards bodies maintain it.","roles":[],"masterSystems":[]},"relations":[{"target":"Q436435","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"rail transport modelling scale","type":"related","note":"category"},{"target":"electric locomotive","type":"related","note":"prototypes modelled"},{"target":"monorail","type":"related","note":"other rail prototypes"},{"target":"dimension","type":"related","note":"scale ratios"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.s-scale","Wikidata: Q454996 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q454996)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"not-applicable","items":[]},"recognition":{"applicability":"optional","items":["1:64 scale","Between HO and O","HO is 1:87 and O is around 1:48 or 1:45","Model trains at 1:64 on 22.42 millimetre gauge track."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["explain the scale and gauge","compare with other scales","support finding equipment and standards","describe history"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Mixing incompatible standards such as hi-rail and scale wheels","Limited product availability","Confusing S with other scales"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["NMRA and other modelling standards for S scale","Electrical safety for model power supplies"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["A model railway scale.","S standard gauge","Sn3 and Sn3 and a half narrow gauge","American Flyer compatible models","scale and hi-rail variants"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q454996: S scale","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q454996","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: S scale","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S_scale","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should narrow gauge variants be separate entries?","How should standards documents be linked?","How should societies be linked?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q454996/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q454996/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-11T22:25:28Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"not-applicable","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-06T19:52:00+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass","interaction.properties":"Plane XCT: no invented physical properties."},"score":1.0}}