Doing research to determine if I have what it takes to build a garden railroad. I am curious if any would like to offer their insight as to how best to get started.
Read the forums, and find a few web sites like George Schreyer's.
Mine might be useful also.
Read a lot, there's many options.
Regards, Greg
Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.
Click here for Greg's web site
Hi to the forum you are most welcome, No one is ever to old or young to start an in/out door layout. start it simple and as you get more into it you will find it becomes easy to change things. I started out with a dog bone shape, after 5 years ive changed the layout by adding passing loops and sidings. Hope this helps
Age is only a state of mind, keep the mind active and enjoy life
My First G scale tempory set-up was in a hotel room I was staying at in St Louis Mo. I would go buy Lionel track every two weeks to expand my empire. When I was done I had a 8X10 oval with 5ft diamaiter turn's. I also expanded my rolling stock to 2 B-Mann 4-6-0's, 4 passenger car's and 5 box car's. I had fun doing that. Then that Contract ended and I Moved to Calif. That all happened 21 years ago Since then I have moved 5 time's, went for 2 years without space for a Railroad. I am now on my Last RR I plan on building by myself. It has the most track in use of any other I've built. Have Fun and wellcome to the forum.
Dave
The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.
I don't know where you are located, but you might try contacting a local club or society and attending a couple of meets. Great way to get advice and local help.
Buy some track set it down run a train easy as that
Have fun with your trains
think this spring will be my first attempt at outdoor layouts won't be big start with oval and see have 9' x 11' bedroom with ho have a 5' x 8' in front room with o scale both still works in progress ho started first about 3 years ago dad was a big train buff
I have two simple "rules" for starting. 1. Oversize. 2. Get out and play in the dirt.
Now to expand.
Rule 1: Oversize. make curves at the largest possible diameter. Many units will handle tighter curves well, but look very strange. Tight curves also reduce train lenghts. Tight curves mean shorter cars. Tight curves add wheel/rail friction. If you are pushing electorns down the rails, get a LARGE power supply. Over power and let the empire grow to the power, else you will buy several, increasingly large power supplies.
Rule 2: Get out and play in the dirt. Develop a "concept" of your overall design, Start with an oval, dogbone, folded dogbone, or whatever. start running trains an let the empire grow with time. Most folks I know went through several "hard drawn plans", ripping each out of the ground and starting over. Don't be afraid to rip it up and put it down again until you get what you like.
In my case I started on the back patio before getting in the dirt. I grabbed a box of "sidewal chalk" and drew my boundries on the cement. I had the compound problem of designing the Koi pond at the same time in the same space. The hardest limitation I faced in design was the rails had to make a 90 degree turn under the mountain (waterfall for the pond). I went through many different designs for the cinderblock foundation for the mountain before I came up with a design that would allow consistant operation. My design process took nine months since we knew that once the pond was dug there would be no chance of "reworking" the pond to fit the railroad.
Tom Trigg
Get the Garden Railways newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month