O Gauge vs O Scale?
Guage usually refers to the distance between the rails.
People commonly use the term "O guage" to refer to any trains that use 3 rail track, and "O scale" for trains that run on 2 rail track. Another major difference between 2 rail and 3 rail trains is 3 rail trains run on AC power while 2 rail trains use DC. The distance between the rails is nearly the same for both types of train, but the style of the rails and the wheels, make the two types rather incompatable.
Originally Lionel did not make their trains to scale proportions, they were always undersized, with a few exceptions. Some pieces are known as 027, are proportioned even smaller than regular O guage. 027 is actually a track style, featuring lower ties and rails, and sharper minimum curves, but the usage of this term has been extended to the smallest of trains to run on O guage (distance between the rails) track.
In the last 20 years a lot of new train manufacturers have come along, to compete with Lionel. The trend has been toward more realistic, and correctly proportioned trains. Lionel has branched out in a number of directions in an effort ot capture market share.
Traditional, is the most basic offering, and is not very different from the trains of the 50's and 60's in design and purpose. These trains are intended for children as young as 4 or 5 years, with minimal adult supervision. K-line, and MTH also make trains and sets of this type. These trains are affordably priced.
Some trains are specifically intended for collectors. Higher quality, and much higher priced they are made with nostalgia in mind.
Finally, scale 3 rail trains are available. Compared to their "O guage" cousins, they seem huge, but they are only correctly proportioned models of real trains.
As for the term "staking", it refers to a method of connecting metal parts, by crushing a protruding tab of a casting into a hole in a piece of sheet metal, thus fastning the two pieces. The term "staple" is used to identify another fastening method, commonly used to attach truck sideframes, and got this name because the resulting connection looks like a staple.
