Laying Track on retaining wall or next to it???

[breesmom1]

Hi everyone,

I just got my first 'o' scale train set! My husband got it for me as a starter set. [8D]
'This 1987 train set is in mint condition. It includes the 8902 2-4-0 steam engine, slope back tender, Conrail boxcar, PC gondola with two canisters and a 9341 caboose. Plus 75 pieces of track'
Anyway, I am planning out the track and have a couple of questions:
1. would it be better to run the track on the retaining wall (block) or on the ground next to it?
2. if I do put part of it on the wall is there any special that I need to do?
3. I want to build a bridge over the pond (30" across), will I need a center support for the bridge?

Once I get the main track dialed in, I want to get a quality steam engine set with working cars. I will probably build a 'station' for the train to live in' so I can leave it out most of the time. Living in So-Cal does have it's advantages. [:D]

[Karl Reichenbach]

Your post says O scale.
What kind of a train do you have, and what kind of track are you talking about putting outside on this retaining wall?
Most O scale trains and track are not made for outside use.
Karl

[breesmom1]

OK now I'm confused[?] Everything I read says that Gauge O is for a garden railway. Is this incorrect?? We bought a Lionel Freight Flyer set to start with and track to go with it.

[vsmith]

Oh Boy! Welcome to the forum....

Someone steared you wrong....O can be done outside but you have to take special steps or risk a real mess.

1st you cant use that stock O gauge track outside

A: it will rust to nothing very fast and

B; before that those little cardboard insulators on the middle rail will be worth less after the first contact with moisture, shorting out the whole thing

C: Lionel trains MUST be brought in when not in use, they are not designed for continous exposure outdoors, keep them somewhere dry like the garage at the very least. Their workings will rust away left outside. They do not have the sealed motor blocks like G guage stuff has.


Atlas makes an O gauge track designed for outdoor use, a good hobby shop should have it, let me know generally where you are and I'll let you know a good shop in Southern California that should carry it.

[TurboOne]

Hello and [#welcome] breesmom. Glad you found the forum.

O will work outdoors, but G is sturdier. Look up Wild Bill under members, and check out his O guage website for O outdoors. He also has some links to other O gauge sites for outdoors trains.

Like Vic said there is some track in O for indoors and some for outdoors. If you got a starter set, the track is for indoor use. Works great for that.

Vic is in Los Angeles and I am in San DIego, so where ever you are we can help point you to a good Local Hobby Shop (LHS). Also if you are down my way, there is a great garden club that runs trains every month somewhere in the county.

As far as your question, some run on tall of retainer wall, some on the ground. Wild Bill's link has some samples of both.

Take care breesmom and again [#welcome]

Tim

[Anonymous]

Yes sweatheart get rid of you "O" gauge and get into LGB G gauge for outside work, some good advice from the other side of the world,

Rgds

Ian

[Tom The Brat]

Perhaps you're thinking of G gauge instead of O?

O gauge track has 3 rails. G gauge track has 2 and is about 1 3/4 inches from rail to rail. O gauge is a little more than an inch across.

[underworld]

[#welcome]
You have good advice here from the others. As far as the bridge it depends on how it is constructed.....try it at about 1 inch elevation....does it sag? If you have the original box it should say if it needs any sort of support.

Easter Easter Easter Easter Easter!!!!!

underworld

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[Capt Bob Johnson]

I put G stainless track on a retaining wall hand held it in place with a couple of gobs of silicone sealant at 6 to 8 foot intervals, still there 3 years later! just put gob on wall from caulking gun and embed track tie in it, let sit overnight and run on it tomorrow!

[breesmom1]

HI Everyone!

Sorry for not replying sooner I didn't get the email alerts, I had to reset my spam blocker
So where's a good place in SD to get the Atlas track, I'm in east county (Santee). Is there something special I should be looking for? Is there a way to tell the difference in indoor/outdoor track??
I'll try and get pic's this weekend of where I plan on setting it up. I may do part on the wall and part on the ground. But right now I have a gopher problem, our neighborhood gopher decided to take up residence in my yard. [:o)]

Thanks for all the advice!!

Judi
[:(!]

[TurboOne]

Judi, you are right up the road from me.

Reeds in La Mesa has everything, but at full price. Did you figure out if you have O or G?

There also is a great garden shop in Poway, Walter Andersons, that has a fantastic G laoyout and they have trains, cars, and track. Didn't look at prices, was having too much fun looking at layout and all the plants. Lastly, in Escondido is Value Craft, with the nicest of all the train people down here. He is a little off of list, but great help. Going to garden club meeting this month if you are interested.

Take care

Tim

[breesmom1]

I have O gauge not G gauge. When and where is the meeting at?

Judi

[TurboOne]

Judi its in La Mesa usually second Sunday, but I don't see a date listed yet. I will let you know.

Tim