American garden "railroads"

Hancockshire · Post by **Hancockshire** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 11:35 am

I see soooooooooooo many videos on youtube of American garden railroads and I can honestly say, why? The reason for that is they don't use live steam locos. Could this be because of money worries? Perhaps not, electric G-scale trains cost more than £500 a pop and many live-steam locos cost less like the mamod SL1 (or similer) and the roundhouse Millie, Bertie and (an American flavoured loco) Sammie. Also, I saw this video that was filmed at an American show and they were advertising a NEW power supply called BATTERY power that we've had for years. And also they've got the Accucraft Ruby which is an American based G-scale loco for less than £300. Can anyone put me out of my misery and tell me why.

andysleigh · Post by **andysleigh** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 3:53 pm

dont know my self. But i cant stand the stuff.
All the plastic
the sounds
all the foreign stock, buildings, infact i dont know of any british stuff for LGB etc, but hey, just as well, i wouldnt like to see a nice british loco make from plastic going round lgb track.
32mm 16mm narrow gauge live steam- the one to rule them all

MuzTrem · Post by **MuzTrem** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:15 pm

I expect it may well be to do with the fact that the LGB electric range has plenty of US-outline stock availible. (Though they have recently released one "British" loco, the Corpet Louvet Cambrai - IIRC one was running on the G-scale society range at Stoneleigh.)

However, it must be pointed out that many people do prefer electric operation to live steam. It may be because they don't like having to spend time preparing the engines. It may be because they would rather be signalmen than drivers, running multiple trains or performing complex shunting operations, both of which are more difficult with live steam (especially if only one person is present). It may be that their line has an indoor section and the "domestic authorities" don't want live steamers leaking water and oil. It may be that the operators just aren't steam fans, and there aren't very many "live diesels" availible!*

The point is different people want different things from their garden railways. This also applies to different choices of scale/gauge, raised vs. ground level, Mamods vs. other engines, and many other things. So live and let live!

*Not that a diesel engine has life, IMHO...but each to their own.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:15 pm

I'm sure I will be corrected on this but...

I believe that SM32 is a fairly recent addition to model railways, and although you can now get a few live steam locos much of the rolling stock and buildings are kits.

Go to ebay and do a search on SM32, and then do a search on g scale, you will see that there is far more stuff for sale for g scale (generally electric LGB type stuff). So I think they just got there first in terms of garden railway, and there is more available that you don't have to build yourself.

Personally I have enjoyed building a few buildings and painting a few people, but there are plenty that just want to buy the final product and get running.

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:39 pm

Chris wrote:I'm sure I will be corrected on this but...

I believe that SM32 is a fairly recent addition to model railways, and although you can now get a few live steam locos much of the rolling stock and buildings are kits.

If you consider 30-odd years to be "fairly recent" then yes. I'd agree there was very little R-T-R until Accucraft started doing their stuff, but now the range is getting ever bigger and we're actually getting to the stage where it's possible to buy a "train set" which can run straight out of the box.

However, in my view it's much more fun (and better value) to buy a selection of IP Engineering Eezee kits and build your own!

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:42 pm

It's purely taste, some people prefer big trains like that, I can see the attraction of G scale myself, it's like having a 00 layout where you can easily do lots of shunting, but on a larger scale. I just happen to prefer 16mm because I currently have enough time to build models of the sort of thing that goes past my front door.

Why do people like Snickers? I hate them, but you may like them.

andysleigh · Post by **andysleigh** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:45 pm

SillyBilly wrote:It's purely taste, some people prefer big trains like that, I can see the attraction of G scale myself, it's like having a 00 layout where you can easily do lots of shunting, but on a larger scale. I just happen to prefer 16mm because I currently have enough time to build models of the sort of thing that goes past my front door.

Why do people like Snickers? I hate them, but you may like them.

because mr t will shoot me with snickers bars if i dont like them

laalratty · Post by **laalratty** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:52 pm

andysleigh wrote:
SillyBilly wrote:It's purely taste, some people prefer big trains like that, I can see the attraction of G scale myself, it's like having a 00 layout where you can easily do lots of shunting, but on a larger scale. I just happen to prefer 16mm because I currently have enough time to build models of the sort of thing that goes past my front door.

Why do people like Snickers? I hate them, but you may like them.
because mr t will shoot me with snickers bars if i dont like them

lmao

SLRmidge · Post by **SLRmidge** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:37 pm

Suppose its a case of each to their own.
So 16mm narrow gauge rules OK

Hancockshire · Post by **Hancockshire** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:00 am

MuzTrem wrote: It may be because they don't like having to spend time preparing the engines. It may be because they would rather be signalmen than drivers, running multiple trains or performing complex shunting operations[/size]

Yes but, preparing a loco is where most of the fun is because you somehow feel mentally connected to the miniature machine.

Hancockshire · Post by **Hancockshire** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:13 am

Also, the track would need to be cleaned every single run, and they've solved the problem by using battery power but, because battery operation is new there, it's more expensive. It's just too confusing

pauly · Post by **pauly** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 2:39 pm

Hancockshire wrote:Also, the track would need to be cleaned every single run, and they've solved the problem by using battery power but, because battery operation is new there, it's more expensive. It's just too confusing

track doesnt need to be cleaned for every single run at all, every couple of days is the norm (I used to run electric)

what if you wanted to run an american mainline

mainline american livesteamers cost a bomb!

if I had the space that american lines need to look good I would run american electric.

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 9:09 pm

You can also buy Rail Zip or something along those lines which when the rails are coated with it they are preserved for say a month.

MuzTrem · Post by **MuzTrem** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:08 pm

If you've got the cash to spare you can even buy a track-cleaning locomotive - I've seen one in action and its owner assures me it does a good job...

Hancockshire · Post by **Hancockshire** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:38 pm

MuzTrem wrote:If you've got the cash to spare you can even buy a track-cleaning locomotive - I've seen one in action and its owner assures me it does a good job...

Yes, but how much does it cost?

andysleigh · Post by **andysleigh** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:40 pm

Hancockshire wrote:
MuzTrem wrote:If you've got the cash to spare you can even buy a track-cleaning locomotive - I've seen one in action and its owner assures me it does a good job...

Yes, but how much does it cost?

£517

Hancockshire · Post by **Hancockshire** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:41 pm

SillyBilly wrote:You can also buy Rail Zip or something along those lines which when the rails are coated with it they are preserved for say a month.

Where can you get it and how much is it? I need some for my 00 gauge indoor layout that needs the track cleaned every 10 or so miniutes.

MuzTrem · Post by **MuzTrem** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:15 pm

Hancockshire wrote:Where can you get it and how much is it? I need some for my 00 gauge indoor layout that needs the track cleaned every 10 or so miniutes.

Given your earlier comments I hope you're running Hornby live steam. I'd hate to have to accuse you of hypocrisy...!

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:20 pm

Hancockshire wrote:Where can you get it and how much is it?

I duno I was given it, if it's called rail zip then why not put it in google?

pauly · Post by **pauly** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:26 pm

MuzTrem wrote:If you've got the cash to spare you can even buy a track-cleaning locomotive - I've seen one in action and its owner assures me it does a good job...

Iv seen 1 in action, quite amazing as it goes over dirty track and what comes out behind is supershining

Garden Railway Forum

American garden "railroads"

American garden "railroads"

Who is online