I have been thinking about getting some G scale for my back yard, but i do not know were to get started.
I am looking for a nice locomotive like a USA trains gp7 and a few box cars what do you know about these how good are they, are they worth the money.
your input please?
thank you.
BEN
Hi Countershot,
I have a USA Trains F-3 AB Unit, it’s a fairly good locomotive, it has good detail, and its a smooth runner. But, there is something that I don’t like about it. I have several LGB locomotives and USA trains just don’t match up in the running quality field. If it were me I’d go for an LGB unit, it doesn’t have quite the detail, but the technical quality is unsurpassed, in my opinion.
-Nat Taggart
I am a fellow garden railroader! Check out the garden raiways forum, all kinds of stuff there. I do not know much about USA Trains because I use Bachmann; yes I am a narrow gauger and I love scale models!
Think about this…if your modeling standard gauge you will need a larger curve radius, probably about 8 feet minimum, and that means you need more space. Of course if space is not an issue, go for it! On my railroad, narrow gauge, I use 4 foot radius and it looks just fine. Also, 5 foot radius would not look bad either.
On track, I would highly recommend Aristo-Craft www.aristocraft.com it is the same quality as LGB but at half the price! I am very pleased with. Of course you can use USA trains track also. DO NOT AND I MEAN DO NOT USE BACHMANN G GCALE TRACK!!! It is made out of some kind of tubular alumminum and rusts very quickly in the rain. It is only meant for inside or around the Christmas tree.
Like I said, check out the garden railways forum, hope this helped, have fun!!!
P.S. - If you have any questions at all, feel free to send me an e-mail! I would be happy to answer any questions you have!!!
The first thing is to realize is that it is G-gauge not scale. G-gauge track is used for many different scales. Off the top of my head I believe 1:29, 1:24, 1:22(LGB), and 1:20.3. I model in 1:20.3 where the G-gauge track represents 3’ narrow gauge.
That unit won the 1998 Reader’s Choice award for the best G locomotive. I would think it would be excellent. The USA trains GP7 is a 1:29 scale unit. Just make certain the box cars you get for it are also 1:29 scale.
A harder decision might be whether to go with brass, stainless steel, or aluminum track. I’ve got stainless for outside and use brass inside. I hesitate to recommend one over the other as they each have their problems. And my experience is too limited to know the total picture. I would guess if you post this same question over in the “Garden Railways Form” General discussion you will get much more informed answers.
thanks.
BEN
There is no such thing as “G gauge track.” The track that G, F, and other large scale trains run on is No. 1 gauge.
Countershot, please see my reply to your post on the GR forum, later Vic
NO!!! STOP!!! … Don’t even start!!!..
G scale is HIGHLY addictive… I figured I’d just get a starter set with a small loop of track to see what it was like… BIG mistake!! I’m totally addicted now! I’ve ended up with 9 locos, 27 cars, 14 switches, 300’ of track, 8 buildings, all in the last four months… I can’t stop!! Someone tackle me and put me in one of those funny white jackets that button in the back. There’s just to many indescibably delious locos and cars out there… HELP!!! And I don’t even have a yard!!! I’ve neglected my On30 layout. I’ve neglected my 7 1/2" gauge. My van can’t go passed a Hobby shop anymore without stopping… I dream about them in my sleep! I daydream about them when I’m awake… I’m sunburned passed done from being out in the sun. HELP!!!
And Yes, they ARE worth the money. Slobber,slobber,drool,drool!
[:P][:o)][:D]
Hummm…I wonder if they have any G scale at the funny farm…
Pay no attention the the man in the White Straight Jacket, …thats right, put down that issue of Model Railroader, pick up that issue of Garden Railroads, thumb thru the ads and articles, and repeat after me, “small trains good, Big Trains BETTER”
, “small trains good, Big Trains BETTER”
Ohhhhhh…I like[:P][:P][^][:D]!!!
Small trains good, Big Trains BETTER…
.MORE BIG TRAINS, EVEN BETTER…[:P][:P][^]
Do any of you guys run your G scale indoors?
Do you now prefer G scale over whatever you used to run indoors?
I’m indoors, in the garage on benchwork just like everyone else here, thats why I’m still over here. Same issues, problems, dilemas, headaches, etc, just much bigger trains. I came from HOn30 so yes I way so much prefer the big stuff now. I look at my old HOn30 stuff and wonder how in the heck I ever worked on anything that small. I get the same feeling now looking at regular HO (Dont even ask about N or Z).
Space is the biggest issue with Large Scale indoors, my layout is 8’ x 20’ yet its barely a small point to point switching layout with a very small loop thrown into it for continuous run. But I can get sooooooo into the detail on engines and cars and kitbashing has become one of my favorite past times.
Yes there are scale issues cause there are about 10 different scales all using the same gauge track. My layout uses a mix of 1/20.3 and 1/22.5 but it leans towards 1/20.3 because almost all my engines work out to somewhere in that scale, building kits are closest to that scale, but I use 1/18 scale cars, 1/24 cars look like pedal cars.
It’s kinda hard to run them indoors when you live in a 31’ RV, but yes, I lay track down the middle of the floor with a couple of sidings and play switching. I have an On30 layout in the RV. I don’t run it anywhere near as much since I’ve started the G scale’n.
Oh my pretties…more trains!!! drool, drool, slobber
Yeah thats pretty tight but at least it would be easy to extend the indoor line outside, just get the Can-opener![:D][:p][;)]
You guys are the best. lol
Now I want to try G scale. My wife and I currently lives with mother-in-law, who is now visiting her siblings in England, I wonder if I could set up a layout encircling the house. They have some amount of yard space. It’s gonna scare the heck out of the dogs but if it is as addictive as everyone so far says I might have to charge them (dogs) a fee to get to the front of the house and back. lol
I know I’m gonna get into it when we get our own home.
Oh no!!! Help me,help me!!! The count just went to 11 locos and 31 cars…I can’t stop!!!
MORE…more…trains…[:P][:P][:D] more BIG trains…!!!
I have toyed with the idea of a Garden Railroad. I think it would be pretty cool to have all that space out in the backyard. I would even have a RPO car sitting at the front of the house for the mail carrier to put the mail in [:D], then just coupe up, run around back, have a “train door” and deliver the mail to the kitchen table. Hmm, I can see working the Garden set into ones everyday life. Let’s see, a poop train for the dog droppings (definatley need a car washer)
Seeing some of the Garden sets on the web and how they get those plants to almost look like scale trees etc is interesting. Be a big jump from N to G [:p]
wow crazy guy with big toys!
thanks for your input, and i have a big back yard so a big oval with a turn out would be nice. I bought two aristocraft union pacific dash-9s for an extremly cheap from a freind for $50 each cool huh! do not have any cars yet but they will come thanks again. oh! and what would be the best power pack for track power without a hand held?
Ben
$50 bucks? dam! thats really not fair!
Aristo makes a good power pack. With two -9’s I would get the 10Amp model, afterall you’ve got 4 big motors between the 2 engines to power.
insteador in addition to the turn out I would suggest at least one passing siding, Those -9’s will need 8’ min dia curves, 10’ better, make sure your switches are comperable, LGB’s 16000 and Aristo’s next up switch from the 4 footers are both 6’ diameters, too small for the -9. All my stuff is small, so I dont know the #'s but Extra Wide switches are a necessity.
Way to go Ben! 2 UP Aristo Craft Dash 9s for $50 a pop! That’s a screaming good buy!