start

[Anonymous]

Hi, im starting my first garden railroad and i have a couple of questions. I was going to do it in ho scale but if there was too much snow i could not push it that would be a problem. Plus what about mowing, I couldn't get to close. Do you thing I should elevate it?

 

      thanks, riley

[DennisB]

Garden railroads, to survive out of doors, need to be large. Trying to run an HO scale train can only lead to problems. HO trains are not UV resistant and are meant for indoor use. I don't know if you are aware of this. I mean, you could make it work, but it would have to be under a protective canopy. This endeavour would require a lot of thought. Regards, Dennis.

[altterrain]

UV is a plastic killer unless uv resistance additives are added. Large scale trains, track and structures usually have these in them and even then there can be problems after a few years. Garden railroaders in very sunny areas like Az usually wind up replacing track ties after a few years anyway.

You can give it a try if you have a shady spot and use a build a raised table type layout. Similar to indoor layouts except you use a pressure treated lumber grid topped with hardware cloth (galvanized mesh) then landscape fabric. Someone (MicroEngineering, Peco?) makes outdoor (uv resistant) On30 track which is the same gauge as HO track but the ties are spaced wider. Plastic buildings can be painted with outdoor spray paints and uv resistant acrylic clear coats to help protect them from the sun.

Most garden railroaders do not usually run in cold winter weather except for a few nuts that like to make videos of their trains plowing snow (and they're usually only outside long enough to tape it!). We spend most of our winter time working on new locos and buildings.

-Brian 

[Capt Bob Johnson]

I usually run year round anytime the temps are above 40 and the wind is under 10mph.   I'll run in more wind given warmer temps as long as it don't blow them off the tracks!   Yes, I do plow snow if it's plowable.   let it get an ice crust and you're done!

That's what they make long johns and gloves for!

[gbbari]

It's a fair question, but you have gotten good replies. I too believe HO track would not survive outdoors very long since it is small and fragile. The UV from the sun would deteriorate your plastic ties (unless you lay your own rail in wood ties) plus temperature changes will play havoc with the rail and warp it unless it is left free-floating in ballast.  But then, critters will trample it; leaves and detritis from trees will present major obstacles to tiny HO engines and rolling stock.  One heavy downpour of rain and how much of your roadbed will be wiped out?  The light weight of HO engines may not be sufficient to make good electrical contact through tree sap and other pollution that accumulates on the rails.

All in all, outdoors is not favorable to HO.  You won't find many O scalers in the garden either.

Welcome to large scale. Most manufactured equipment is built of UV-resistant plastics, and heavy enough to survive outside.  The track can take quite a beating - some of it you (or an elephant) can walk on - and still maintain gauge and not bend.

Note - There are several large scale (garden) railroaders who also maintain an HO layout indoors. Two different worlds.

Al

[markperr]

One of the most fun things that I enjoy about a garden railway is the use of real elements in the layout.  Real dirt, real rocks, real plants, real water. 

There are very few elements that lend themselves to 1:87 scale.  I suspect that most if not all HO scale buildings and trackside structures would not last very long outdoors.  You would be very disappointed with the resulting catastrophe.

Now for the silver lining portion of my post.  You would have a great article for GR on what NOT to do outdoors.

My three recommendations:

1) Sell the HO

2) Buy some G

3) Set 'em up, grab your favorite adult beverage, watch 'em run.

Ah, life is good.

Mark