Markin trains are some of the highest quality model trains you can buy. Made in Germany, Marklin model trains represent a higher level of detail and much better run characterisitcs than cheaper "toy trains" -- they run more smoothly at varying speeds, without jerking and stopping at slower speeds. Marklin trains are produced in 3 scales: (1) Z scale, which is the smallest scale available; (2) HO scale, the most popular scale for model trains; and (3) "Marklin 1", which is essentially the same as G scale, the largest commonly available model train scale.