Garden Railway Forum

A first timer to garden railways. Having noted all the wonderful advice on my introduction discussion and on reading various posts on here I have finally got round to building the first parts of the railway. After originally wanting to model O gauge I found that budget and availability SM32 scale is where we have started. Although if we get the right stuff we will go to o gauge too. I have attached pictures of the project so far. The trucks were an ebay buy and although o gauge look great with the SM32 loco. The loco is and HGLW Gordon. I have R/C'd it and upped the engine power. Battery is now in the following truck. I know the brake van is a peco O gauge model but that can be used later. Although it may have a run out anyway! Track base and build pictures also included. Next job is laying of track and ballasting. Thinking aquarium gravel should work. Won't be structual. Just decorative.

Pictures for post

Lovely stuff. Will be keeping an eye on your progress

Looks like a great start has been made. I've just worked out that the photos are of the same location in reverse order.

Just wondered what you're using for the surface material for the baseboards. It looks to me like chipboard, but I assume it must be some sort of weatherproof composite?

Rik

The photos are in reverse. The boards are a weatherproof composite. Once I have rounded off corners and completed any tweaks I will also be using a weatherprrof laquer. I have left small gaps between boards to allow for slight change and i am experimenting with a sliding track mount system also.

Belluva wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 5:42 pm The boards are a weatherproof composite. Once I have rounded off corners and completed any tweaks I will also be using a weatherprrof laquer.

That sounds like a good plan. I've had problems with so-called 'exterior' plywood but maybe I didn't seal it sufficiently well

Belluva wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 5:42 pm I have left small gaps between boards to allow for slight change and i am experimenting with a sliding track mount system also.

That sounds like you're covering all bases - both literally and metaphorically

Rik

This is my 1st railway outside so I am experimenting really. Chatting to a guy in the local model shop at the weekend and he suggested covering the board in shed felt and sealing joins with bitumen. Am seriously considering this instead of the lacquer.

Roofing felt on treated deck boards is what I did and some of it has now been outside for over 8 years with no problems that I am aware of. I also used bitumen sealer at the joints in the early days, but after a bit of discussion with Peter Butler and some thought, I dropped the sealer. The main reason being that however good a job you do sealing the joints, as soon as you fix anything to down using screws or nails, you've bridged the waterproof layer and any water that gets in is then trapped with nothing to do but rot the timber.

I painted the pressure treated wood gravel boards I used as a base for my raised railway and then covered them with roofing felt, worked well.

I would recommend you use stainless steel or external grade screws as when it came to take apart the railway the general purpose screws I used were all rusted which made dismantling a pain in the bottom.

All valid points. I was wondering about the fact that screws etc would puncture the felt. Wondering if sealing over the top would work? Also at the start was hoping to go O gauge so all my track is Peco O gauge track. Am i going to struggle using SM32 vehicles or is it just the scale of sleepers etc that's different?

Use the screws on the wood then tack the felt down afterwards with galvanised roof nails.

Belluva wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:53 pm Also at the start was hoping to go O gauge so all my track is Peco O gauge track. Am i going to struggle using SM32 vehicles or is it just the scale of sleepers etc that's different?

It is going to be dependent on what code rail you're using. You may find the flanges on SM32 stock catch the chairs , and then you're going to have to simply try running through points and see what results you get.

A picture of Capt Evelegh running light.

A track overview