Think about getting some G gauge

Garden Railroading
1

Think about getting some G gauge for my back yard. but i do not know were to get started.
i was thinking about stainless track and USA TRAINS GP7 and a few box
cars.

input,input,input!!!
BEN

2

I thought about it also, and here’s what this o-gauge/indoor guy did last week: bought a BATTERY powered set at KB Toys for $39. (did not want to fool-arround with electric outdoors), leveled the track with pine bark mini-nugget mulch in my flower garden, bought 3 neat birdhouse buildings online for $58. total. Looks and runs great…I and my Grandkids are happy. Joe

3

countershot
you can use brass or stainless steel track, a lot of people are going stainless steel , i have brass , and i use track power, their are people going battery power , i’ll stay with track power . MY engines are mostly aristo craft, and my cars i have a mix of different mfgs. BEN

4

This isn’t a bad place to get started.

Get a copy of the magazine[:D] Decide what you like, and jump in.

5

Just get something running in “G”; let the bug bite and you’ll be off and running!

I went with SS track from the git go a few years ago and have no regrets! Having watched some guys who started at the same time spend hours cleaning track, I know it’s worth the 20% higher price!

6

countershot
i was bitten by the outdoor bug 3 years ago, but i am still into my o gauge layout as well, [#ditto] to what Capt Bob Johnson said just start out with something small, and work your way up.

7

Countershot

Jshrade also asked the same question so I’m going to repost my reply to him here, as it answers a lot of basic questions, Vic’

Jshrade, Welcome to Large Scale! I came from HOn30. You have to ask your self a few basic questions, a biggest being do I want Narrow Gauge (bachmann, some LGB) or standard guage (aristo, USA, some LGB) ? you state you like modern so that will give you a direction to go.
Just to answer question point by point.

… Now I’ve heard all the warnings about not using Bachmann track outdoors, and I rarely see Bachmann stuff referenced as ‘good quality’ stuff… so I had a few questions for a possible newbie crossover modeler…
Very good trains, good track for indoors, lousy track for ourdoors

  1. What’s the best (most cost effecient) way of delving into the world of outdoor garden RR’s? Train set or piece by piece?
    I started piece by piece but if you can afford it, LGB or Aristo both have really good starter sets, Aristo is going to sell a starter set that includes a Train Engineer R/C controller which I have now and is terrific! LGB’s sets are less to scale but dam bulletproof reliable. Both will give you a basic loop and a good powerpack to start with. This loop will be with 2’ radius curves (4’ diameter), which are rapidly becoming obsolete in LS, the rule now, like HO is wider is better. Curves are measured in DIAMETER in LS, this is different than HO, and come in 4’, 5’, 6 1/2’, 8’, 10’, 12’ and now 20’ diameter sectional track, and you can alway lay your own track with a track bender. 8’ diameter is becoming the defacto standard for larger engines, its best to plan for it, but if your space constricted, their is plenty of modern stuff that works just fine on the 5 and 6’ diameter stuff.

  2. I really like present day equipment, which is readily available in HO. What’s the availability like of modern locos a

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thanks. i was thinking modern stuff like dash-9s sd45’s things like that. i already have the track at good price 22’ curves $2 each. rolling stock is next.

thanks again.

BEN

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$2 buck EACH??? WOW what a deal ! [:O]