Some advice on a first Garden railway needed.

[Someone]

After losing interest in 00 due to extortionate prices I've decided to return my interest in Garden Railways, and I plan on building my first Garden railway, but I have a few questions I want to ask.


1. I am torn between 45mm and 32mm track, I like the Narrow gauge feel of SM32 but I also like LGB and Playmobil trains I especially like the LGB Swiss trains with working doors and lights, which one do you think is best.

2. Is it possible to convert LGB locomotives to battery power and 32mm gauge along with rolling stock, or is conversion to SM32 while retaining track power possible?


3. If I use G scale, Can plastic Track like Playmobil track be used for Live steam or will it melt.


All advice in these regards and other's will be appreciated.

Hopefully the questions I've asked are understandable.

[ge_rik]

After losing interest in 00 due to extortionate prices I've decided to return my interest in Garden Railways, and I plan on building my first Garden railway, but I have a few questions I want to ask.


1. I am torn between 45mm and 32mm track, I like the Narrow gauge feel of SM32 but I also like LGB and Playmobil trains I especially like the LGB Swiss trains with working doors and lights, which one do you think is best.

Sounds like you're happier with off the shelf models, in which case you'll be better with 45mm. Much more choice.

2. Is it possible to convert LGB locomotives to battery power and 32mm gauge along with rolling stock, or is conversion to SM32 while retaining track power possible?

Converting locos to 32mm gauge is almost impossible. Other rolling stock is easier, but still quite a fiddle.

Having abandoned track power in favour of battery RC many years ago, I'd recommend battery RC. Very time consuming and frustrating trying to keep track clean enough outdoors.

3. If I use G scale, Can plastic Track like Playmobil track be used for Live steam or will it melt.


All advice in these regards and other's will be appreciated.

Hopefully the questions I've asked are understandable.

I'll let those with more experience of live steam answer this.

Rik

[Someone]

After losing interest in 00 due to extortionate prices I've decided to return my interest in Garden Railways, and I plan on building my first Garden railway, but I have a few questions I want to ask.


1. I am torn between 45mm and 32mm track, I like the Narrow gauge feel of SM32 but I also like LGB and Playmobil trains I especially like the LGB Swiss trains with working doors and lights, which one do you think is best.

Sounds like you're happier with off the shelf models, in which case you'll be better with 45mm. Much more choice.

2. Is it possible to convert LGB locomotives to battery power and 32mm gauge along with rolling stock, or is conversion to SM32 while retaining track power possible?

Converting locos to 32mm gauge is almost impossible. Other rolling stock is easier, but still quite a fiddle.

Having abandoned track power in favour of battery RC many years ago, I'd recommend battery RC. Very time consuming and frustrating trying to keep track clean enough outdoors.

3. If I use G scale, Can plastic Track like Playmobil track be used for Live steam or will it melt.


All advice in these regards and other's will be appreciated.

Hopefully the questions I've asked are understandable.

I'll let those with more experience of live steam answer this.

Rik

Thanks for the advice! I need to think of cool name for my Garden railway.
I think I'm gonna go for 45mm gauge

[Phil.P]

Welcome to the Forum..

Go back to Rik's post, and follow the link at the bottom to his Blog..
Lose yourself there, for a few hours..

Even the plastic sleepers of SM32 and LGB track, will melt, if hot coals, Ash, or burning spirit, make contact.
Playmobil track can be used (and left) out in the garden, but is very limiting. - You can quickly get something running, out on the lawn (or patio) though!

Most of all, have fun!
Phil.P

[Someone]

Welcome to the Forum..

Go back to Rik's post, and follow the link at the bottom to his Blog..
Lose yourself there, for a few hours..

Even the plastic sleepers of SM32 and LGB track, will melt, if hot coals, Ash, or burning spirit, make contact.
Playmobil track can be used (and left) out in the garden, but is very limiting. - You can quickly get something running, out on the lawn (or patio) though!

Most of all, have fun!
Phil.P

Is there a way to combat this.

Also, yes I will read Riks blog becuase there Garden railway is my favourite.

[Andrew]

Welcome to the Forum..

Go back to Rik's post, and follow the link at the bottom to his Blog..
Lose yourself there, for a few hours..

Even the plastic sleepers of SM32 and LGB track, will melt, if hot coals, Ash, or burning spirit, make contact.
Playmobil track can be used (and left) out in the garden, but is very limiting. - You can quickly get something running, out on the lawn (or patio) though!

Most of all, have fun!
Phil.P

Is there a way to combat this.

Also, yes I will read Riks blog becuase there Garden railway is my favourite.

Welcome!

Most ready-to-run live steam locos are gas-fired, which I don't think would cause a problem on plastic track. I don't know how tight the radius of Playmobil track is, but many steam locos prefer 2'6"-ish as a minimum, and many need a little more. That said, your planned Swiss stock (which sounds great!) won't look their best twisting round very tight curves either - the standard advice is to go for the biggest radius curves your space allows...

Good luck with your project - let us know how you get on!

Andrew.

[philipy]

Hi and welcome.
I can't really add much to what has already been said, I'm afraid, but do keep us updated on your progress and feel free to keep asking questions.

[Someone]

Welcome to the Forum..

Go back to Rik's post, and follow the link at the bottom to his Blog..
Lose yourself there, for a few hours..

Even the plastic sleepers of SM32 and LGB track, will melt, if hot coals, Ash, or burning spirit, make contact.
Playmobil track can be used (and left) out in the garden, but is very limiting. - You can quickly get something running, out on the lawn (or patio) though!

Most of all, have fun!
Phil.P

Is there a way to combat this.

Also, yes I will read Riks blog becuase there Garden railway is my favourite.

Welcome!

Most ready-to-run live steam locos are gas-fired, which I don't think would cause a problem on plastic track. I don't know how tight the radius of Playmobil track is, but many steam locos prefer 2'6"-ish as a minimum, and many need a little more. That said, your planned Swiss stock (which sounds great!) won't look their best twisting round very tight curves either - the standard advice is to go for the biggest radius curves your space allows...

Good luck with your project - let us know how you get on!

Andrew.

Good to know!

Will mamods be okay aswell?

[Andrew]

Will mamods be okay aswell?

I'm not sure how Mamods are fired these days - if it's gas, that will be fine, but I'd avoid Meths and plastic track, and be careful with the solid fuel pellets too. As I recall, once they've burned down quite small they can fall out of the burner tray, which won't do plastic track much good either.

Andrew.

[invicta280]

Mamods are fun but can be frustrating. Most people who get the best out of them seem to spend some money upgrading them.

If you spend enough money you can probably turn a Ford Focus into a Mustang but you may have been better buying a Mustang in the first place.

[BEV551]

If you're coming from 00 ask yourself whether you really want a narrow gauge line or whether you'd get more satisfaction from modelling standard gauge. Gauges 0, 1 and 3 are good outdoor gauges - or why not take your 00 outside (save a lot of money that way - large scale is only cheaper if you build it yourself).

[Someone]

Im gonna try Playmobil track and see how it goes, the worse that can happen is the track melt and the train derails, I doubt it will get damage though.

[Lonsdaler]

If you're coming from 00 ask yourself whether you really want a narrow gauge line or whether you'd get more satisfaction from modelling standard gauge. Gauges 0, 1 and 3 are good outdoor gauges - or why not take your 00 outside (save a lot of money that way - large scale is only cheaper if you build it yourself).

I think very few have a satisfactory experience taking 00 outdoors, especially in the British climate. Even in larger gauges, track power is fraught with problems. Most outdoor garden railway owners switch to battery power, or steam. Both difficult (but not impossible) to do in 00.

[BEV551]

If you're coming from 00 ask yourself whether you really want a narrow gauge line or whether you'd get more satisfaction from modelling standard gauge. Gauges 0, 1 and 3 are good outdoor gauges - or why not take your 00 outside (save a lot of money that way - large scale is only cheaper if you build it yourself).

I think very few have a satisfactory experience taking 00 outdoors, especially in the British climate. Even in larger gauges, track power is fraught with problems. Most outdoor garden railway owners switch to battery power, or steam. Both difficult (but not impossible) to do in 00.

Not an 00 man myself but plenty of outdoor 00 layouts in the model railway press and on Facebook. Remember that big recreation of Birmingham New Street back in the 80s was it? Bert Groves described his outdoor N gauge layout in the Modeller in 1967. If you want scale length mainline trains then 00 is not a problem. Just seemed to me that abandoning 00 on the grounds of expense is a little odd. A decent entry steam engine will probably cost £500 and LGB Swiss coaches don't come much cheaper. Diddy battery electrics and tiny rolling stock is fun, but hardly satisfying if you hanker after Gresley Pacifics on the East Coast Main Line. IMO there are too many unrealistic double track so-called narrow gauge garden railways as it is - it's obvious that the builder really wanted a Standard Gauge line. I was pointing out that it pays to think about what you really want before you start. Standard Gauge doesn't have to be 00, there's always 0, 1 and 3. Of course, a small 5 inch gauge line needn't cost more than LGB, but that's another story.

[ge_rik]

Not an 00 man myself but plenty of outdoor 00 layouts in the model railway press and on Facebook. Remember that big recreation of Birmingham New Street back in the 80s was it? Bert Groves described his outdoor N gauge layout in the Modeller in 1967. If you want scale length mainline trains then 00 is not a problem. Just seemed to me that abandoning 00 on the grounds of expense is a little odd. A decent entry steam engine will probably cost £500 and LGB Swiss coaches don't come much cheaper. Diddy battery electrics and tiny rolling stock is fun, but hardly satisfying if you hanker after Gresley Pacifics on the East Coast Main Line. IMO there are too many unrealistic double track so-called narrow gauge garden railways as it is - it's obvious that the builder really wanted a Standard Gauge line. I was pointing out that it pays to think about what you really want before you start. Standard Gauge doesn't have to be 00, there's always 0, 1 and 3. Of course, a small 5 inch gauge line needn't cost more than LGB, but that's another story.

Hopefully, this blog post might be of interest ....
https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2022/0 ... lways.html

Rik