How Hard is it to Maintain an HO Scale Garden Railroad?

[noahmarkow]

Hey guys, I really want to build an outdoor railroad, and I want to stay on the lesser expensive side. So, I was wondering how hard it was to maintain an HO garden layout and what was needed to take care of it. Sorry, I'm new to railroading

[steamie1]

I think what you have to ask yourself, are you prepared to spend the time cleaning the track before every run. Do you love track cleaning? Do you love soldering and fiddling with wires? It can be done but I grew tired of the track cleaning after two years. Ripped it all up and thought never again but thats me. Quite a good one on you tube

[noahmarkow]

Thanks! I appreciate it! It's not going to be a big layout, so it shouldn't be much trouble cleaning the tracks. Speaking of tracks, do you have any suggestions for long lasting outdoor tracks?

[steamie1]

I used Peco which was fine as the nickel is higher than say Hornby. The wire can get a thing called black wire. Any stranded wire will get it outside. Damp and cappilery action draw a back coating up to make the resistance mega high. So I used thin lighting cable which is bulky but soldered this to the track. The track tarnishes too so DCC is out, as the track cleaning becomes a serious issue, so DC only. Try to have a few more pick up on a buzz bar system in single stranded copper. I had the controllers indoors and hooked up outsside only on a running day. With the weather and tack cleaning it was not my bag, slug trail leaves bird droppings etc. I do have an indoor live steam set out in the garage and I can still get the car in, with the aid of flaps. This has transformed outside steaming as a hobby. Battery locos and the odd steam can be done at night and or in the rain. Then on sunny days outsside 16mm.Just another plug for 16mm forgive me..

[noahmarkow]

Thank you so much for all of these useful tips. I will look at the track and stuff

[gringodon]

We have a g-gauge (1:20.3 to 1:29) DCC outdoor layout. Stainless steel rail is what we use. Our biggest cleaning is with the locomotive wheels. Plants growing in ways that the locomotive drives over rather than just pushing out of the way and bugs on the rail when a locomotive comes by get smashed and turn into an insulator inhibiting the current flow. It is not uncommon for us to have to pull a locomotive off after 3-4 hours of running to clean the wheels.
Keep your wiring weather tight and yes, solder to the rails.
Stay away from brass rail outdoors when using electrical power. The oxidation that forms on brass is an insulator to current flow. Unless you like scrubbing the rail before every run.

Hope this helps,
Please keep us posted on your progress.

[noahmarkow]

Thanks... I appreciate everyone's opinion! And yes, this helps a lot! I'll try as hard as I can to keep you posted! As you probably know, this takes a while, so Ill post something every time I make progress.

[noahmarkow]

Thanks... I appreciate everyone's opinion! And yes, this helps a lot! I'll try as hard as I can to keep you posted! As you probably know, this takes a while, so Ill post something every time I make progress.

[bessytractor]

its perfectly possible as long as you build a decent road bed and limit the number of points. My friend has one going round his house.

[noahmarkow]

Cool, it's not going to be big anyway, so it shouldn't be too bad

[bessytractor]

as long as you fix the track to something solid, and avoid having exposed points, and all the joints are bonded, you will be fine.  My mate uses Railzip conductive fluid to keep the rails clean.

My mates railway http://www.adnalm.org.uk/

[noahmarkow]

I'll keep that in mind!

[invicta280]

Take a look at metadyneman's videos on youtube

[noahmarkow]

do you have a link to it?

[noahmarkow]

These are the items I just bought, they are supposed to arrive on wednesday, the Peco track is supposed to come on Friday.



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[noahmarkow]

Oooops... You can't see the pictures!

[LnBmad]

These are the items I just bought, they are supposed to arrive on wednesday, the Peco track is supposed to come on Friday.

[invicta280]

http://youtu.be/u2lKoJbzuU0

Jules has quite a few videos of his 4mm scale garden railway on youtube

[noahmarkow]

It's a beautiful railway, mine won't be as big though

[noahmarkow]

Sorry it took so long to tell you about the railroad, I never have time! I don't have pictures yet, but I guarantee that everything works fine! I suggest buying any train related item from modeltrainstuff.com, on that site, everything is cheaper! The UP DD40AX I bought was originally $279(174 pounds), but that site sold it to me for $130(81 pounds)! Is that a great deal or what?!