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Register nowHow fast does your locomotive really run? Convert the model speed (km/h) into the corresponding prototype speed — and vice versa.
Well-known prototypes:
How long does your train take for a given distance on the layout?
H0 stands for half zero and is the most widely used model-railway scale worldwide: 1:87. This means every dimension of the model is 87 times smaller than the real prototype. The same applies to speed.
An H0 locomotive running across the layout at 1 km/h corresponds to a prototype train moving at 87 km/h. That sounds unimpressive at first — but modern digital decoders allow precise speed tuning so your trains run to scale.
| Train type | Prototype (km/h) | H0 model (km/h) |
|---|---|---|
| Shunting locomotive | 40 | 0.46 |
| Freight train | 80 | 0.92 |
| Regional train | 120 | 1.38 |
| Intercity (IC) | 160 | 1.84 |
| Eurocity (EC) | 200 | 2.30 |
| ICE 3 | 300 | 3.45 |
The simplest way is a speedometer track (e.g. from Märklin or Fleischmann) or a smartphone app together with a speedometer section. Alternatively: measure how long the loco takes for a known section and calculate speed from that.
If you run your layout to prototype, you want freight trains to run slower than express trains. With the speed calculator you can calibrate decoder settings (CV values) so each loco runs in line with its prototype role.