New to garden trains

[rcjtplt]

 Hello all, I recently purchased some trains from an auction. I am an O gage modeler so I don't know too much about garden trains.

 

My trains do not have a transformer. Can I use my O gage Lionel, or one of my HO scale transformers?

 

Thanks for the help

Mike

[cabbage]

As you mentioned Lionel -I presume you are somewhere in the USA? You can still use the "O" 32mm gauge track outside -which is what I used to do (I am rebuilding at the moment). You will need quite a lot more raw power than your indoor transformer rectifier unit can provide, this has lead to the use of batteries, either NiMH or SLA to provide on board power.

The Garden Railway is a the de facto place to experiment with scratch building and there are two major "areas" in this field...

The UK and Commonwealth countries seem to favour 16mm scale on either 32mm or 45mm track to represent 2 foot or metre gauge locos and rolling stock.

The US and Canada seem to favour 7/8ths scale on 45mm track to represent 2 foot narrow gauge.

It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. I spend £10 per week on my railway and I build it from junk and scraps. Click the homepage icon below and have a look around.

regards

ralph

[cabbage]

Thank you for your e-mail!

No, not all garden railway locomotives use on-board batteries. There are several suppliers of the large 10 and 20 Ampere power units in the US. What has proved to be a problem is the fact that being outside -the track does get very dirty very rapidly -or in my case very wet!!! You would also need to connect the power supply to various parts of the track to ensure even supply. You are beginning to see why batteries are so popular....

Welcome to the great outdoors, you will never regret the move I assure you!!!

regards

ralph

[DMUinCT]

  OH NO, NOT LIONEL ! !

You have a "Lionel", you must be in North America.

  Lionel transformers put out AC !  Nearly ALL "G" locomotives run on DC (except Railking which can run on AC or DC).  AC will take seconds to end your locomotive's life.

   An HO Power Supply is too small for all but the smallest locomotives (12-15 volts DC). Look for 10 to 15 Amp, 18-22 volt DC power supply FOR "G" gauge use.

   "G" power is 18-20 volts DC, ether Track Power or "on board" Battery Power.  Control: Can be Analog (lower and raise voltage), full track voltage with DCC, DCS, MTS, or Train Engineer radio control. 

[altterrain]

Welcome to large scale. You did not mention what locomotives you purchased. I have an older MRC pack from my HO days that said it was good for G scale. I looked at the specs and saw it was not going to have enough power for running multiple trains or a big multi motored diesel. Its was rated 24 vA (1.7 amps at 14v). It is fine for running a single motored loco (LGB Stainz, Bachmann ten wheeler, Aristo Lil'Critter or Eggliner) or even a slow runner like a Bachmann geared steamer. It won't run these at Lionel speed but at a more realistic speed which is fine for a 4 foot diameter circle of track around the Christmas tree. If you envision running multiple or large engines with smoke and lights something like 10 amps at 24v is in order.

-Brian 

[Semper Vaporo]

Get Live Steam and forget voltage and current requirement or dirty track problems.

 

[altterrain]

Get Live Steam and forget voltage and current requirement or dirty track problems.

 

Yeah, and spend thousands on a locomotive that you have to fiddle with for a hour to run for 20 minutes.

 -Brian

[FJ and G]

I've been running Lionel, Williams outdoors now for several years.  using a homemade R/C from motorboat

 

 

Here's an MTH train in operation plowing snow in mid-April (the snowstorm killed all my plums and peaches which were in blossom). Note in the video that the snow is very wet and heavy but the little engine still pushes on, observed by the hound.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy0S-XUDGxs 

 

 

[scottychaos]

Get Live Steam and forget voltage and current requirement or dirty track problems.

 

Yeah, and spend thousands on a locomotive that you have to fiddle with for a hour to run for 20 minutes.

 -Brian

 

Or spend $250 on a locomotive that you have to fiddle with for 5 minutes to run for 20 minutes.

thats also an option for live steam! ;)

Scot 

 

[cacole]

Depending on the G scale locomotive you have, it should run okay using the HO scale power pack, but not very fast.  The Lionel AC transformer will destroy the motor in the G-scale engine, so don't use it.

During an open house at our primarily HO scale club, we used an HO power pack to run a Bachmann Big Hauler G-scale train outdoors almost continually for two days without harming the engine or the power pack.  The track was on a large table top, though, and was fairly level.  If you have a hill to climb, the HO power pack may not have enough amperage.

I run all of my G-scale trains on battery and radio control, and I have one live steamer.  My advice is to forget all of the recommendations that you spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on radio control and battery power or live steam until you have played with your trains outdoors for awhile and decided that you like the idea and want to take it more seriously.

 

[altterrain]

Get Live Steam and forget voltage and current requirement or dirty track problems.

 

Yeah, and spend thousands on a locomotive that you have to fiddle with for a hour to run for 20 minutes.

 -Brian

 

Or spend $250 on a locomotive that you have to fiddle with for 5 minutes to run for 20 minutes.

thats also an option for live steam! ;)

Scot 

 

Hey Scot,

I'm not putting down live steam. It's just not for me or most beginners. I know you can get a Ruby kit for $250 but from what I have heard they are not the easiest things to put together. I have never seen a live steamer get steam up in 5 minutes. Twenty is more the norm. Then what can you pull with it? A couple of small cars on level track. I know the big and geared steamers can pull more and handle grades but they do cost big bucks. I was just poking a bit of fun at Charles' post because it really had nothing to do with the original poster's question.

-Brian 

[scottychaos]

Brian,

thats fine! :) Im just trying to dispell some of the misconceptions..and 20 minutes is definately *not* the norm...I have never heard of any live steamer that takes 20 minutes to raise steam. 5-10 minutes is the norm.

Scot

[Semper Vaporo]

And I was just poking fun at you sparkies.

To get one of my Aster Mikados fueled, watered, oiled and up to steam pressure takes about 20 minutes total, but at least part of that should be compareable to the electric versions if you are taking care of your engines... the oiling around part anyway.  Then you sparkies have to go get the pole with the sanding pad on the end to go wander around the layout scrubbing the track... and I've seen it have to be done in the middle of a session too.  You also have to get the rolling stock out and on the track, just like I do and I do that while steam is coming up so I "multi-task" for a few minutes there.  All totalled I probably spend 5 more minutes getting the train in motion than a sparkie does.

Now let's talk cost.  Sure, you can get a small inexpensive loco (but I think $250 is a bit on the low ball side of things... the Ruby kits were more like $350 or more that last I heard)  but I spent $4000 for my Aster Mikes (each and I have TWO of them... love double-heading!) and yes that is a big bunch of money!!!  But what do you purchase?  How much was that SD-90MAC?  You also have to start with better track if you want less trouble... brass at a minimum or nickle-silver.  I can, if I want, run on plastic, just like the battery brigade can.  You have to maintain the electrical continuity of the track from section to section and design loopback controls and have your switches control the power to sidings.  What about those pesky moles knawing on the wires buried in the mulch?

Then you need a power supply.  Sure, go get you HO transformer and hook it up and run a small engine on a small layout... big layouts lose voltage as the distance increases.  So, you then go buy the big 10 or 15 or maybe 20 to 25 amp supply... not cheap!  Oh, and let's add remote control, by putting a controller in series with the power supply lines to the track and the hand held controller.  More dollars! 

And your controller has just pushbuttons to control the speed... punch it once and the train might begin to move... hmmmm punch it a bunch more to get it started... what do you have... either 8 punches to go from zero to max or is it 16 or 32 or 64 or 128 or 256 steps of range.  If you have few, you have little control over inbetween speeds; or if you have lots, you get carpal-tunnel syndrome from all that punching... punch a bunch of "Increase" then several "Decrease" then a few more "Increase"... just can't get it "right".........

No, I much prefer my "Car" type R/C where the steering wheel is my reverser lever and the trigger is an analog control of the throttle.  Put it in FULL "Forward" notch and open the throttle... simple squeezing of the trigger varies the throttle with infinite control.  Once up to speed, you can pull the reverser lever back to the "Company Notch" and save fuel and water.  This is NOT 'Playing trains' anymore... it is REAL operation of a REAL steam locomotive... NOT a simulation... the REAL thing.  Open the throttle more for a hill, slam it into reverse to spin the drivers backwards to bring it to a full emergency stop (and get called on the carpet by the Foreman of Engines!)

Okay, yes, you can put your toy train on the tracks, start it up, and sit in your easy chair and go to sleep... but, uh... that ain't playing with your train... I can sleep in my easy chair without a toy train running in circles wasting electricity (though I usually waste the electricals anyway 'cuz the TV is on whilst I nap).

I like RUNNING MY TRAIN, not snoozing while the sparkie hangs up on a twig and burns out the high torque can motor I installed to replace the wimpy one from the manufacturer.

I still say, forget the electricty and get a REAL train.  GO LIVE STEAM!

 

[scottychaos]

The Ruby kits were going for $250 for awhile, but I dont think they are available anymore,  and Accucraft isnt planning to make any more.

 You can also build this:

http://www.panyo.com/project/index.htm

For under $200.

Scot 

[Anonymous]

GEESH!