difference

[Anonymous]

whats the difference between an indoor and outdoor track and why cant i put an indoor train outdoor

[tangerine-jack]

There is a lot of difference. In a nutshell indoor track is not generaly weather resistant and will corrode very quickly. The plastic parts will deteriorate in the sun and weather. Outdoor track is constructed to withstand all the natural elements.

Now, with that said, who says you can't do it? Some have done it very well, and you will be hearing from them soon I hope. Some indoor track will hold up outdoors, but the rolling stock will have to be put away every day.

Good luck!

[oX)]

[Tom The Brat]

And, of course, outdoor track is completely unsuitable for indoor use[:-,]

(not really[:D])

[kstrong]

The difference is in the UV stabilizers in the plastic. If it doesn't have them, the plastic will discolor and turn brittle in fairly short order. (Time dependent on amount of sun, strength of rays, etc.) This is primarily a concern with track, as most of us bring our rolling stock in. Even if we don't, the equipment is mostly protected from the sun by the paint on the model itself. The paint may not be UV stable, and may fade, though. Some common model paints such as Floquil are not UV stable, and fade/discolor rather quickly.

All track made for large-scale trains is made with UV stable plastic, with the exception of the cheap stuff that comes with the Bachmann trains--but even they don't recommend using it outoors.

As for using "indoor" trains outdoors, I'll assume you're referring to the smaller scale trains such as O and HO scale. There's no reason you cant, provided you take adequate precautions with regard to the track. (Some O scale track is UV stable. Check with the manufacturer.) The rail material itself is no more or less prone to corrosion than the large scale rails. You'll have to clean them just as often. And the trains themselves will be fine to run outdoors. You'll want to bring them in, or at the very least keep them out of the elements when not using them.

Later,

K