Model Forum / General / Railroads / July 2005

My wife has granted me limited, experimental, don't you dare touch my
flowers, access to a bed near the house where I've had a 30' loop for going
on a year.  I laid Aristo track on pressure treated 2x4 buried flush with
the ground surface, and it survived here in the Virginia Blue Ridge foot
hills (some near 0 F winter nights and some near 100 F summer days) just
fine.  Given the restrictions on my ROW, I was not allowed to use the poured
concrete with an incased nailing board as some recommend, but have not seen
any need for that.  I would advise against the fine gravel sub-roadbed some
advocate only because I used 5' track flexed, and found I needed the firm
base to hold the bends.  I also found it important to use the patented rail
clamps offered by a couple suppliers, and not rely on the Aristo slip-on
rail joiners.

I had been concerned about using brass rail outdoors after past experience
with HO brass rail in a basement, but have had no problems.  I did get a
spare pair of trucks, mounted them under a rectangle of Plexiglas, and made
a weighted sliding Masonite block track cleaner car just like I use for HO
and it seems to get the thin layer of black crud from drips off the overhead
leaves off the rail just fine.  I've been able to operate year round, but
one snow last winter was preceded by freezing rain, and none of the engines
or my track cleaner car would break through the thin layer of ice on the
rail heads.

My roster includes an LGB US prototype 2-6-0 which I like a lot and runs
very well, an old REA (now Aristo) FA, and two Bachmann cheap old 4-6-0's.
I put a Barry's Big Trains chassis in one 4-6-0 which would not run when I
got it, and have been so very impressed with the results that I've ordered a
second for the other 4-6-0.  Rolling stock is mostly Colorado prototype
Bachmann 1:24, some old Delton (now Aristo), and some Aristo 1:29 std gauge
prototype stuff I run with the FA.  All work OK, and while the different
brand Janey style couplers all mate, I find them less compatible than the
Kadee-EasyMate-McHenry coupler interfaces we complain about in HO.  Gary Q

There are some excellent websites out there that provide a variety of
techniques.  As others have suggested, anchoring the track is important.
   I do O gauge in the garden and would add to other suggestions that
the right of way not go under or even near trees and bushes that are
likely to dispense leaves and berries onto the track.  Also consider
lawn edgings, of which there is incredible variety these days, if the
track borders any areas covered with mulch.  Mulch can migrate onto and
under track rather readily.

http://www.kevinboone.com/railway_garden_II_track.html
http://www.hrtrains.com/classnotes6.html
http://www.ontrackscart.co.uk/graphics/guide_gardenrail_trackwork.htm
http://www.btcomm.com/trains/primer/howbuilt/howbuilt.htm

Told of Mr. Rove's remarks, Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New
York, replied: "In New York, where everyone unified after 9/11, the last
thing we need is somebody who seeks to divide us for political purposes."

Ken, how far north in New York are you going to build this?

I am in northeast PA near Binghamton.  I've wanted to build outdoors also,
but winters here sometimes get down to minus 10-15.

Stan in Susquehanna