Best way to start a garden railway

Garden Railroading
1

I’m planning on building a garden railway in my backyard, wich brand offers the best starter set that I can use outside ? Bachmann has nice startersets but I understand that the tracks are not really for outdoor use. Also, the idea of battery power sounds good cause I’m afraid i’ll loose a lot of power on a +/- 150’ -200’ track with a track powered train. What kind of powersupply would I need for that (track powered) ? And I also like to be able to control multiple engines on the same track.
All suggestions wellcome.

Thanks,
Bert in CO

2

Bachmann’s track is not good for outdoors, but their starter sets aren’t a bad way to start. Sam’s club has a particularly nice one right now, provided you either (a) really like Christmas trains, or (b) don’t mind doing a bit of repainting.

But I digress…

If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend using Aristocraft’s brass sectional track. It’s fairly cheap, comes in a wide variety of curve diameters, and is robust enough to last outdoors for a good long while. Every February, Aristo has a sale where you buy 4 boxes and get a 5th free!

As for power, with 150’ - 200’ of track, traditional track power will work just dandy. In fact, it will work just dandy for 5 times that amount, provided the track joints are solid, and/or you run feeder wires every 30’ or so. You won’t lose power, provided your power supply is up to the task. For that, you’ll want to use any of the mid-to upper range power supplies from MRC, Bridgewerks, Aristocraft (Crest), Blue Streak, etc. GR has a downloadable article that looks at many of the power supplies on the market and compares them. Go to the home page and look for downloads. (I wrote the article a few years back, but get no royalties from its sale.)

Battery power is nice, but not the cheapest way to go if you’re just getting started. Of course, if you want to control multiple locos on the same track, you’re then looking at some kind of DCC system (digital command control), which isn’t inexpensive, either.

My suggestion would be to buy whatever starter set aesthetically appeals to you, use Aristo’s track, and buy a decent power supply. Once you have that, and are playing in the back yard, you can research the merits of DCC, battery, and other methods of running trains. But the important thing is to get the trains running as simply and cheaply as possible first.

BTW, what part of Colorado? If you’re near Centennial, drop me an e-mail.

Later,

K

3

Start small. Play around with stuff and learn. If you’re going long distances, use heavy (12 or 14 gauge) wire. Chances are, if you try to do too much at once you’ll get frustrated and quit.

If you’re in a region that gets a lot of snow, the best thing for you to do right now may be to grab a cup of hot chocolate and read past messages here. I can’t run outside until (a) the snow clears or (b) the snow GETS cleared. (Marty, there’s a pizza and root beer for you if you come over and clear the track and give me a few photo tips. You’ll probably have to bring the rotarty. ( - : )

4

Thanks for the replies gus this helps a lot. I’m in the Brighton area in Colorado, and yes we can get quite some snow.

Bert

5

Hello

If I might add a suggestion that helped me in the development of my line:

Having bought a starter set and a couple of long lengths of (LGB) track, I found myself having to try and work out what gradients (grades?) I could get away with - to do that I put together a ‘prototyping kit’ of lengths of wood and house bricks or similar. By laying the track on the wood and adjusting the heights withthe bricks, I was able to experiment with different gradients. It also helped quite a bit with visualising the end result.

Just a suggestion!

Clive

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/cetucker/gardenrail

6

And what are the option for O-scale ? I’m planning on building a freight yard with a lot of switching and figure I can have moer line in O-gage.

Bert

7

Bert,

Unless you handlay track like I’m doing; you can use either Atlas or Gargraves stainless steel rails with UV protected plastic ties.

If you are serious about using O scale, email me.

8

Money is good to have to start. i want one with bridges and a yard but money is the problem.

9

Unless you’re using deep flanges on the “0” stuff, be careful.
Even pine needles can cause problems.
Cross-level in “1” is critical enough, I can’t imagine trying to keep a fair sized pike outdoors in '0" cross-levelled.

I started the Colorado Consolidated about 13 years ago.
I ran up one fnce line, tested for a siding length, and a 4% grade around the corner to the other fence, with the connection to the upper loop.
This was all done with track power and my old LGB track.
Not a good idea, I found out.

I went with RCS as a consumer within 2 months, three of the original radio installations are still functioning just fine on original throttles and radio gear.

I then found aluminum rail, 250, and started using that as I didn’t need track power and wanted a better “profile” to the track.

Later, I found Llagas 215 aluminum.
Had I known about Llagas and 215 at the outset, it is all I would have used.

I now have over 1400 feet of track, 75 or so turnouts, no track power at all outdoors, any remote switches outdoors are EZ Air.

Check the profile.

TOC

10

TOC

I keep debating using air powered turnout motors. How reliable are the EZ Air? Have you had them in a long time? How well do they work when the track gets messy between the points and the rail? What about going through them from behind when closed? Will they give way or will they cause a derailment?

mark

11

I’ve used air motors for a couple of years. Mine are Del Air, but the new ones are essentially the same. They are nearly bullet proof – don’t seem to corrode or fill up with dirt. No worry about wiring getting brittle or corroded. Early tubing got soft in our heat and blew off the motors when air was applied, but new stuff is better. They will not work when the track is packed with mud – but neither will anything else! They set very positively, and going thru them backwards WILL cause derailment every time.