C-WW Has anybody tried to run an HO layout outdoors? I've been toying with running an HO layout on an elevated double-track around my back yard fence and then turning around in slightly elevated tracks in a couple of flower beds. A total of 470' of track. The voltage drop and all I can eventually deal with. Has anybody tried such a thing, and what kind of problems did you run into when you did? I'd like to hear about it. Mark [ March 29, 2006, 04:42 PM: Message edited by: watash ]
Mark, I've never tried HO outdoors, but I'm working on a "garden RR". HO outdoors has scared me for a number of reasons, the first being size of rolling stock. Very easy for a small branch or even a leaf to cause a derail. How 'bout a curious cat, squirrel, or racoon thinking that looks like something nice to play with... swat! there goes a new engine and a few cars into the woods. Now I know that Utah doesn't get salt winds to corrode things but non the less, weather will be your biggest enemy. Sorry to be so negative. LOL
I saw an HO layout with a branch line that ran along a fence outside in MR once. Don't remember how long ago - if I see it I'll post the details here.
I'm running on a roofed deck above a carport with one wall(the house), wood stick blinds on the windward side and open both ends. Main problems so far are airborne stuff-dust, bits of dead tree stuff, blown-over plastic RR signs and some card stock small buildings moved. My big concern is corrosion because of very high humidity. None visible yet after 3 months. Perhaps occasional overloading of locomotives and the resultant wheelspin keeps wheels and tracks burnished?
Mark, I have a couple of N scale modules, one finished and one unfinished. I have had them stored outside in the rafters of my carport for a few years. I reciently got the unfinished one down to do some work on it. First thing I noticed was the track ties had gotten brittle and the cork was junk, so I'm replacing that. The finished one appears to be in better shape save for the inch of dust on everything. The track has ballast where the unfinished one dosen't so maybe the ballast & glue has preserved the plastic in some way. I think if you're going to build outside I'd use the Bachmann EZ track or if you have the bucks Kato unitrack. I'm almost positive that cork roadbed and ballast wouldn't stand up to the exposed temperature extreems here in Utah. The plastic used in HO track doesn't do well in wild temperature swings, check out the type of plastic used in G scale track there is a difference. 2slim
I can see how the weather would be a problem on the track. I seriously doubt that Atlas flex track has any UV inhibitors in the plastic ties. I'll probably have to paint the ties and such to keep it protected from the sun. I was initially planning on running on using cork for the roadbed, but maybe I'll use something sturdier for the roadbed, like pine? I can make a lot of sawdust with my table saw.... I figure once it's all ballasted it won't matter as much what I use. Talking about ballast, how should I glue it in place? All the methods I'm familiar with use white glue or a variation to glue it, and that's certainly not weatherproof. I have seen a waterproof glue that comes powdered that you mix with water. Pricey, and once you put it on you'd never get it back up. As for stuff getting on the track, once over with the garden hose or a leaf blower should clean off the stuff. While my area is quite dry and "clean", I expect that the worst problems will be caused by the sprinkling system and us working in the flower bed, not to mention my youngest son playing in the sand box! Mark
Mark, I once saw some sponge rubber type foam roadbed that had cutouts for the ties. It was supposed to replace the ballast material. It came in a Grey color and wasn't too bad really. I don't know if you could treat it with something to be more 'weather proof'. Perhaps you could use the pine you suggest and mill a slot length-wise for the track to sit in. Then you could paint some sealer type paint over the ties and roadbed and sprinkle the ballast into the wet paint as you go. I agree that protecting the ties from UV, moisture and such is going to be the challenge. I'm trying to convince my brother that his newly completed rock garden is just screaming for a G scale railroad running through it!! 2slim
I'm not too worried about moisture on the track. I figure if it's outside it'll get wet, and will have to be built to deal with it. Plus, if the track is dirty, what better to use than a garden hose to clean it off? Sounds radical, doesn't it? I figure the most important thing is to make sure everything is protected from UV, the normal daily activities such as gardening and mowing the lawn, and design it so the track is stable over time and doesn't suffer too much from warping wood or settling. After designing and designing again a layout for my nasement, the thought of moving out to the open outdoors is really changing my persepctive, and raising my hopes that I'll actually be able to run some long trains relaibly. Mark
Much, much later - here is the 00 scale Dorking Garden Railway. Click on one of the DGR Playlists... https://www.youtube.com/user/Dorkingian
