Small Balcony Garden Railway
Small Balcony Garden Railway
Hello everybody!
Long enough I read this wonderful forum, but just now I decided to show my work. My name is Egor. I live in Russia (60 km from Moscow), so English is not my native language unfortunately. I use the Google translate, so please forgive possible errors in advance.
A couple of years ago I thought about building my own garden railway, which could be used all year round. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment in a big house, besides the climate in Russia does not contribute to year-round work outdoor.
I decided to make a small garden railway layout on the balcony in our apartment. My wife let me take half of it for my hobby. I present to you my work.
The theme of my layout is the US logging narrow gauge railway in the early stages of development. I like live steam locomotives, so I do not have any electric model, as there is no power on the rails. But I equipped all of my steam locomotives with a radio control system. Due to the balcony is very narrow I had to apply non-standard radius - about 510 mm. The rails were bent with the rail bender, which my friend kindly lent me. Such a small radius pass well locomotives 0-4-0 - Accucraft Ruby and Bowande Falk. To get inside the layout I made the drop-down part on the hinges. On my layout, I embodied my long-standing dream of having a turntable, although it is small, but quite working.
A few photos with details:
Turntable:
Unloading ramp:
Long enough I read this wonderful forum, but just now I decided to show my work. My name is Egor. I live in Russia (60 km from Moscow), so English is not my native language unfortunately. I use the Google translate, so please forgive possible errors in advance.
A couple of years ago I thought about building my own garden railway, which could be used all year round. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment in a big house, besides the climate in Russia does not contribute to year-round work outdoor.
I decided to make a small garden railway layout on the balcony in our apartment. My wife let me take half of it for my hobby. I present to you my work.
The theme of my layout is the US logging narrow gauge railway in the early stages of development. I like live steam locomotives, so I do not have any electric model, as there is no power on the rails. But I equipped all of my steam locomotives with a radio control system. Due to the balcony is very narrow I had to apply non-standard radius - about 510 mm. The rails were bent with the rail bender, which my friend kindly lent me. Such a small radius pass well locomotives 0-4-0 - Accucraft Ruby and Bowande Falk. To get inside the layout I made the drop-down part on the hinges. On my layout, I embodied my long-standing dream of having a turntable, although it is small, but quite working.
A few photos with details:
Turntable:
Unloading ramp:
Last edited by E.V. on Tue Feb 26, 2019 5:11 am, edited 2 times in total.
Egor
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Re: Small balcony garden railway
You have managed to fit a lot into a small space . Brilliant.
Regards Graham.
- tom_tom_go
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Re: Small balcony garden railway
Thanks for sharing Egor.
Having a railway whatever it's size is better than no railway at all
Is the turntable motorised?
Having a railway whatever it's size is better than no railway at all
Is the turntable motorised?
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Great railway fitted in beautifully! The smallest live steam line on here????????
Where did I put that uncoupler?
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Egor, a warm welcome from Oklahoma! Your English is a million times better than my Russian (which is zero). A visit to your wonderful nation and seeing life in Russia is on my bucket list. I watched a series of Youtube videos called "Real Russia" that gave me an insight to everyday life in Russia. Ya'll are no different than us in spite of what certain criminals in suits over here we call politicians keep chanting.
Love the small layout, the theme and your rolling stock. Thanks for sharing.
Love the small layout, the theme and your rolling stock. Thanks for sharing.
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Re: Small balcony garden railway
Excellent work Egor under challenging circumstances. You have a nice railway and a very understanding wife... lucky man!
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Thanks!
Thanks!tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Sat Jun 24, 2017 1:35 pm Thanks for sharing Egor.
Having a railway whatever it's size is better than no railway at all
Is the turntable motorised?
No, turntable is manual. It is absolutely flat and does not require any hole.
Thank you! I hope my railway will inspire someone who also lives in the apartment for their own construction.
Many thanks!Dwayne wrote: ↑Sat Jun 24, 2017 6:35 pm Egor, a warm welcome from Oklahoma! Your English is a million times better than my Russian (which is zero). A visit to your wonderful nation and seeing life in Russia is on my bucket list. I watched a series of Youtube videos called "Real Russia" that gave me an insight to everyday life in Russia. Ya'll are no different than us in spite of what certain criminals in suits over here we call politicians keep chanting.
Love the small layout, the theme and your rolling stock. Thanks for sharing.
I unfortunately visited so far only in several European countries and was not in America, but my modest experience confirms that people in all countries are approximately the same. I hate politicians, I hope there will come a day when all countries will live in peace and harmony.
Thank you! I agree, I was very lucky with my wifePeter Butler wrote: ↑Sat Jun 24, 2017 7:11 pm Excellent work Egor under challenging circumstances. You have a nice railway and a very understanding wife... lucky man!
Egor
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Hi Egor,
Great to have a russian moddeler on the forum! A warm welcome! Though it's small, you managed to get a lot of things onto the layout and together with the 2 live steam locomotives, it really is a nice railwayline. Thanks for sharing
Great to have a russian moddeler on the forum! A warm welcome! Though it's small, you managed to get a lot of things onto the layout and together with the 2 live steam locomotives, it really is a nice railwayline. Thanks for sharing
"En schöne Gruess" from an Alpine railway in Holland.
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Thanks for posting Egor. I met up with a couple of railway guys thus afternoon and we agreed you can build a railway anywhere with some planning. That works lovely, loco number 4 looks interesting.
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Egor,
thanks for sharing. Your railway is inspirational. You have achieved so much in a small space. Brilliant
By the way. In your first photo there is a branch heading off in the direction of your apartment so do I detect your expansion plans? Maybe you could sell the idea of a plant food or water delivery system for the pot plants on your balcony. Great stuff.
Dave
thanks for sharing. Your railway is inspirational. You have achieved so much in a small space. Brilliant
By the way. In your first photo there is a branch heading off in the direction of your apartment so do I detect your expansion plans? Maybe you could sell the idea of a plant food or water delivery system for the pot plants on your balcony. Great stuff.
Dave
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Hi Daniel,
Thank you for your kind words!
Yes, locomotive 4 - the jewel in my collection. Most of all I am amazed that she has a full REAL Stephenson valve gear. Those I can control the reverser like a real steam locomotive.
Thank you Dave!DG wrote: ↑Sat Jun 24, 2017 8:55 pm Egor,
thanks for sharing. Your railway is inspirational. You have achieved so much in a small space. Brilliant
By the way. In your first photo there is a branch heading off in the direction of your apartment so do I detect your expansion plans? Maybe you could sell the idea of a plant food or water delivery system for the pot plants on your balcony. Great stuff.
Dave
Of course, I would like to expand my railroad, but I'm afraid that this is not yet possible. On the other half of the balcony is a folding table, where we like to have dinner on warm summer evenings.
I am very grateful to my wife that she allowed me to take at least half of the balcony.
Egor
Re: Small balcony garden railway
I can only agree with all that's been said, and I'm sure it provides many happy hours of enjoyment.
Grant.
Grant.
Re: Small balcony garden railway
very good looking line .just shows what can be done in a small space very clever keep us posted with pictures etc looks like you have some interesting locos too
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Hi and welcome.
Lovely layout. Garden railway without a garden. Love to see a video of No.4 running.
David
Lovely layout. Garden railway without a garden. Love to see a video of No.4 running.
David
David T.
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Thank you Grant!
Thanks! I will update this thread in a timely manner.
Hi, David,
Many thanks. Make a video with my Bowande Falk - my goal for the next weekend.
Egor
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Re: Small balcony garden railway
Hi Egor
I love that railway, its great, very cute and goes to show you don't need a huge garden to enjoy your hobby. Loving the turntable, I assume its hand made just for your line?
My only one concern would be the lack of a buffer stop on that line where it looks like a loco could run off the end of the track, is there anything there to stop that?
You have done fantastic work and if it were mine I would be extremely proud
I love that railway, its great, very cute and goes to show you don't need a huge garden to enjoy your hobby. Loving the turntable, I assume its hand made just for your line?
My only one concern would be the lack of a buffer stop on that line where it looks like a loco could run off the end of the track, is there anything there to stop that?
You have done fantastic work and if it were mine I would be extremely proud
The buck stops here .......
Ditton Meadow Light Railway (DMLR)
Member of Peterborough and District Association
http://peterborough.16mm.org.uk/
Ditton Meadow Light Railway (DMLR)
Member of Peterborough and District Association
http://peterborough.16mm.org.uk/
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Hi Steve,-steves- wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2017 2:15 pm Hi Egor
I love that railway, its great, very cute and goes to show you don't need a huge garden to enjoy your hobby. Loving the turntable, I assume its hand made just for your line?
My only one concern would be the lack of a buffer stop on that line where it looks like a loco could run off the end of the track, is there anything there to stop that?
You have done fantastic work and if it were mine I would be extremely proud
Thank you for your kind words!
No, that turntable available commercially. Produced in Germany by Modell-Werkstatt Heyn. Site:
http://modell-werkstatt.de/turntables
At the end of the way (near the unloading ramp) two miniature stop block are laid, which perfectly prevent accidents. By the way, I use one stop block to accurately stop the locomotives on my small turntable. Everyone knows how difficult make accurately stop a live steam locomotive (even equipped with radio control) ...
Stop blocks I also purchased in Germany:
http://modell-werkstatt.de/stop-block-code-332-track
Egor
Re: Small balcony garden railway
I did not wait for the weekend and made today a small video with a locomotive 4 (Bowande Falk). I apologize for the extraneous noise, our house is located not far from the busy street and the main railway line.
Last edited by E.V. on Fri Sep 06, 2019 5:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Egor
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Lovely video Egor, No 4 does run nicely. Now we need shots of the nearby railway!. Can you see it from the apartment?
Re: Small balcony garden railway
Thanks!
I hope the admin will not be very unhappy if I make a little offtopic and post the photos I made this morning on the way to work. I apologize for making them by a mobile phone camera.
If I look left from my balcony, I'll see the railway ....
Suburban train to Moscow
Our local station
Occasionally (about once a month) an excursion train with a steam locomotive arrives. There are the photos from last winter:
Last edited by E.V. on Thu Jun 29, 2017 2:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Egor
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