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Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 3:03 pm
by siclick33
I’m trying to decide on 32mm or 45mm.

I had decided on 32mm but now I’m not so sure. One of my reasons for 32mm was that some of the layout photos I have seen show a fairly inconspicuous presence in the garden.

45mm layouts look to be more intrusive. Is this a fair comment or does it depend on how the layout is designed and installed. Is it possible to have a 45mm garden layout that doesn’t take over the garden when not running trains?

I’m still leaning towards 32mm. The main reason for me re-considering 45mm is that there seems to be a greater selection of track available.

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 4:45 pm
by Jimmyb
I think you may find that 45mm track can be hidden just as easy as 32mm, it is just how you plant it, this is a view across my railway:
Trees_03.jpg
Trees_03.jpg (225.22 KiB) Viewed 4062 times
This is the same view from the opposite angle, different lighthouse but in the same position:
20211010-Garden-04.jpg
20211010-Garden-04.jpg (6.66 MiB) Viewed 4062 times

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 4:52 pm
by philipy
siclick33 wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 3:03 pm One of my reasons for 32mm was that some of the layout photos I have seen show a fairly inconspicuous presence in the garden.
45mm layouts look to be more intrusive.

Is this a fair comment or does it depend on how the layout is designed and installed. Is it possible to have a 45mm garden layout that doesn’t take over the garden when not running trains?
I'm not altogether sure what you perceive the problem to be? Are you talking about the physical appearance of the track or the surrounding buildings etc?

If it's the latter, then the size, type and positioning of buildings is entirely up to you, whatever the track gauge. As is whether they remain in situ permanently or whether you take them indoors when not running.

If it is the track itself that concerns you, then the extra 13mm width of the trackbed is hardly noticeable in the context of a garden( IMO of course!).

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 5:24 pm
by siclick33
It is the physical appearance of the track that I am currently considering.

This is only from what I have seen, but in some of the photos of 32m track, the sleepers etc are barely visible so all you see is 2 tiny lines of the actual rail. Most of the 45mm layouts I have seen are quite substantial in appearance.

This might simply be due to how the track is laid, and I was wondering if the 45mm track could be laid in the same way, to be unobtrusive, or if it was inevitably more conspicuous due to its larger dimensions.

I don’t want to be obviously confronted by the railway when I go into the garden; I want it to blend in.

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 5:40 pm
by philipy
It's down to how you lay it. i.e What the trackbed is made of, how wide you make it, what ballast you use, how deep you set the ballast, etc. Whether the track is elevated or on the ground, or in tunnels or cuttings. Having said all that, unless your garden is virtually billiard table flat, you will almost certainly have some sections above ground on some sort of embankment, or below ground in some sort of cutting/tunnel, depending on where you set your datum.
The actual track gauge has almost nothing to do with it overall, in all honesty.

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 5:53 pm
by siclick33
That’s all great info.

Thanks very much for all of the replies.

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 6:54 pm
by ge_rik
Hi
Take a look at my latest video which aims to show how my 45mm gauge railway fits into the garden setting. I don't think it's particularly obtrusive. In fact, a non modelling mate of mine said, not long after I'd landscaped and set up my railway, that he felt it was a garden with a railway rather than vice versa, which was what I was aiming to achieve.

I think the plants you use around your railway make a world of difference.




Rik

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 7:53 pm
by HugoFitz
I know what you mean slick33. A lot of 45mm gauge lines look like the track is made from RSJs rather than rail!! LGB is code 332 rail (0.332 inches high)

I'm starting work on a 45mm gauge line to vaguely represent 3ft gauge semi based on the Kettering Iron Stone railways but with a bit of artistic licence of some passenger traffic too. I've chosen to use Cliff Barkers excellent Gauge 1 track and I'm going to space out the sleepers to be a bit more narrow gauge in it's vibe. It's code 180 stainless rail that I've gone for so only 0.18 inches high. I'm not planning to run anything with LGB wheelsets (akin to pizza cutters) as these would undoubtedly bounce long the chairs!


I've been a long time fan of the excellent Hambledon Valley railway which I think looks like it uses G-45 track from Peco if you're looking for a more off the shelf solution. It's code 250 so 0.25 inches high and frankly looks good in video and in person having seen it at Peterborough.

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 8:19 pm
by philipy
ge_rik wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 6:54 pm
I think the plants you use around your railway make a world of difference.
Totally agree Rik. Not wishing to hi-jack the thread, but what is the small vertical 'bush' on the far side of the track just to the right of the Boneworks? It loooks a bit like a small fern?

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 8:35 pm
by ge_rik
I think you must be referring to one of the lonicera plants. I put a few cuttings in amongst the leylandii so they would be established by the time I cut down the leylandii - but this meant they all got a bit leggy.

Rik

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 8:40 pm
by ge_rik
HugoFitz wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 7:53 pm I know what you mean slick33. A lot of 45mm gauge lines look like the track is made from RSJs rather than rail!! LGB is code 332 rail (0.332 inches high)

I'm starting work on a 45mm gauge line to vaguely represent 3ft gauge semi based on the Kettering Iron Stone railways but with a bit of artistic licence of some passenger traffic too. I've chosen to use Cliff Barkers excellent Gauge 1 track and I'm going to space out the sleepers to be a bit more narrow gauge in it's vibe. It's code 180 stainless rail that I've gone for so only 0.18 inches high. I'm not planning to run anything with LGB wheelsets (akin to pizza cutters) as these would undoubtedly bounce long the chairs!


I've been a long time fan of the excellent Hambledon Valley railway which I think looks like it uses G-45 track from Peco if you're looking for a more off the shelf solution. It's code 250 so 0.25 inches high and frankly looks good in video and in person having seen it at Peterborough.
I agree. Code 332 rail is quite heavyweight. I would probably use Peco G45 track if I was starting out now.

Rik

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 9:17 pm
by philipy
ge_rik wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 8:35 pm I think you must be referring to one of the lonicera plants.
I don't think it's Lonicera, I've got miles of that myself.
This is what I meant:
snapshot.jpg
snapshot.jpg (48.93 KiB) Viewed 4026 times

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Tue May 03, 2022 9:49 pm
by ge_rik
Yes - you were right. it is a baby fern. I'll have to keep an eye on it otherwise it will swamp the line. It's self-seeded. They pop up all over the railway - some I leave in place and others I have to remove.

Rik

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Wed May 04, 2022 7:57 am
by Jimmyb
ge_rik wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 8:40 pm
HugoFitz wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 7:53 pm I know what you mean slick33. A lot of 45mm gauge lines look like the track is made from RSJs rather than rail!! LGB is code 332 rail (0.332 inches high)

I'm starting work on a 45mm gauge line to vaguely represent 3ft gauge semi based on the Kettering Iron Stone railways but with a bit of artistic licence of some passenger traffic too. I've chosen to use Cliff Barkers excellent Gauge 1 track and I'm going to space out the sleepers to be a bit more narrow gauge in it's vibe. It's code 180 stainless rail that I've gone for so only 0.18 inches high. I'm not planning to run anything with LGB wheelsets (akin to pizza cutters) as these would undoubtedly bounce long the chairs!


I've been a long time fan of the excellent Hambledon Valley railway which I think looks like it uses G-45 track from Peco if you're looking for a more off the shelf solution. It's code 250 so 0.25 inches high and frankly looks good in video and in person having seen it at Peterborough.
I agree. Code 332 rail is quite heavyweight. I would probably use Peco G45 track if I was starting out now.

Rik
On reflection I think that would be my way of choice. I don't model to scale, and as such I am not bothered by the gauge representation, just the trains, and I think the extra 13mm provides a little extra stability outside on my poor track laying, so would stay with G45.

Re: Hiding 45mm track.

Posted: Wed May 04, 2022 8:06 pm
by BWLR
My railway is 45mm gauge (Peco) and it merges into the garden quite effectively, you can look out at the garden from the house and barely see any evidence that a railway is there apart from a couple of bridges, just a few tantalising glimpses of the track 🙂. Of course that is down to it being a ground level line that is surrounded by extensive planting. In fact at this time of year, the biggest issue is it blending into the garden so completely that I can’t see it at all (shears and secateurs are fighting s never ending battle 😀 )