AMAZING NANO-SIZE TRAIN BEGS THE QUESTION - WHAT IS A MODEL?

At barely 6.35 x 3.18 mm (1/8 x 1/4 in) in size, New Jersey model train builder David Smith’s tiny train must be in the record books for the smallest ever - it works out to 1:35,200 scale. It’s not a feature in its own right however, for it represents a model train running inside an already small Z gauge 1:220 scale display. Wow!

In fact the five-car ‘train’ consists of an oval of trimmed and painted plastic, moving by means of a small motor. And this has raised queries on at least one internet site, with people suggesting that because there are no separate three-dimensional components such as locomotive, carriages and track, then perhaps it shouldn’t count as a ‘model’ at all.

Well in SMN’s book, it is certainly a thing of wonder, and there’s nothing in the book against making a two-dimensional model, so David Smith gets our vote for sheer amazingness, if nothing else. You’ll find out how he pulled the trick off in the fascinating video above.

For more conventional model train enthusiasts, there’s a selection to enjoy at Amazon here.