Hey Rob, Good to hear about your Euro and outdoor habits. I haven't been visiting this forum as much since I got into, or out to, garden railroading. I spend most of my forum time on the http://www.oogardenrailway.co.uk/ site. You might want to go check it out as the guys there all have layouts and are dealing with similar issues. I'd love to see some pics of your layout if you have any online. Someone here questioned the use of N scale outdoors... this has tempted me to lay some n scale track on my outdoor layout to see how it works out. Although my layout started as a place to run my ho european stuff, I'm now looking at getting some American trains in ho scale too. Sorry about the delay in replying.
Found another cool video on you tube. Trains running at high speed being pulled by steam, all outdoors. I think the link auto-plays all the vids so just sit back and watch the clips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtaViePFZ8g&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
This is what happens when you try to run a 38 year old loco that hasn't been oiled on track that hasn't been cleaned. I haven't had a track related derailment yet. HO is so much less fussy than my N scale. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGqmnyxihYM
Yeah it needs a complete tear down clean and lube and allignment, but I just had to run a train. It did sound better after just a little bit. I'll make sure to check the motor bearings. It has one of those sideways pancake motors that Lima used. I also think all my wheels need to be gauged. Here's another screamer of a motor. French DMU running at engine howling speeds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD1oNVxBbyc I'm just having a blast playing with my trains.
Still working on my station platform, had to use hand saw to shave the edges out so they'd be more even. since we had nice weather on TG day I got the trains out. not sure if I posted these but here they are anyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THa-LdzhdT4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yinwdJgYoo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSge-3XWYHE&feature=youtu.be The loco in the last video is the same one that is screaming in my first train run video. It runs very nicely now that I tore it down and oiled all the mechs.
Hi there, Sheeesh I looked at your other videos, saw "Geekboys Garden Railway 1st run" and ....... see HO trains, not even flowers on that baseboard. Much too easy; when doing the Garden Railway bit you need to sweat and groan from carrying stone.:shade: :shade:
Oh trust me there was sweating and grunting. I dug those 18" Post holes by hand. In the spring it will have all kinds of small plants in pots as well as lots of morning glory vines all over. It should be wonderful.
Very nice! Wish I could have a garden layout replete with stones and flowers. Still, sorry you didn't have a white Thanksgiving. Neither did we.
Hey grey was just wondering where you were. Thanksgiving was wonderful. I guess it was only 65 degrees but it felt like more in the sun. And of course no derailments.
Great thread! I like your layout and your attitude even more. There are far too many rules for everything we do. I support your view of "lets just run trains and have some fun" Keep up the good work and keep posting so rest of us can enjoy too!
I second that... if you're not having fun then it's a waste of time! (unless you're getting paid for it of course lol :tb-rolleyes Looks like you're making good progress!
Thanks guys. I don't think the outdoor thing is for everyone; there are those who get a great deal of pleasure from fine detail and sort of a museum like setting (actually I like seeing pictorials of layouts like that myself). I just happened to discover that model building got in the way of just plain having fun with my TOY trains. I've logged more time running on this layout than the entire previous three years. I'm running lots of 40 year old trains and it's a blast. I'm sure you have some nice layouts, but you should give the outdoor HO scale layout a shot. I'm actually thinking of laying some N scale track now just to see how it handles the weather.
This is such a fun topic to read, I can tell you're enjoying yourself. You need to control yourself like a proper English gentleman :tb-wink: I have a feeling N-scale Unitrack and its cousins would be well suited to an outdoor layout, the plastic roadbed would help prevent warping in a variable outdoor climate since you don't have to nail it/glue it down.
I'm here in Boston letting my eye heal, (which is coming along nicely), and looking at the space I should be filling with bench work. Grandure Lady has some time off and it is likely she will get me back on track so to speak. I've shared your vids with quite a few people. They think that is really cool until I suggest I could build one for them. Hmmmm. A new twist to, "Not in my back yard."
Jeepy, plans are in the works for an N scale layout along the front edge of the Ho scale layout. i need to run my US proto diesels somewhere. I'm not sure what track I'll use. Track is expensive when you are laying scale miles of it. he he Missus Grandure i like the sound of that. What the heck did you do to your eye grey? Ok so a design question. A double mainline with cross overs, or a double oval with passing sidings and a crossing? I have this feeling that running trains where they have to get around and avoid each other would be more fun than just two roundy roundy ovals.
the layout has had minimal running. i did run my new Fowler 4p loco the other day though. (It's a really cool 2-6-4 tank engine.) New as in built in the 80's and still in good shape, bought cheap on ebay, new to me. I also found a passenger platform shelter model on ebay for around 6 bucks. Score! 20 year old kit in perfect shape that some collector would want to squirrel away for the next 50 years. Gonna cut it off the sprues and paint it and use it outside! he he he Some of the guys on the garden site got wind of my having one piece of platform and now free platforms are arriving in the mail. Good group of modelers there. A friend from the oo garden railway site posted a video of his layout in the canary islands. He was apologetic because he didn't add music, but i love the sound of trains hitting switches, it's just magical. Oh yeah and his rope lights are a nice touch too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm482TU6g0M I hope to have my station built soon so i can get some picture updates for you guys.