Hi
i like to design a out-door rail and need some help. Im not new to rail roading, just new to out door factor. Please reply with email or post....ty Howard
Hi Howard, to the forum, First do you have a track plan as a guide to what you want layout to look like in your head? Second a lot of people take the garden hose out and kick it around to give you an idea what shape the layout may look like. Third remember gradiants in the layout NOT more than 2% if you want good running. I use LGB track and find it very good Im using track power. forth depending on size of loco 2-6-0 4-8-0 go for a min of radius 3 curves this stops wheels binding. Hope this help
Age is only a state of mind, keep the mind active and enjoy life
I have a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section on my web site:
http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mainmenu-27/beginners-faqs-mainmenu-49
And another on designing layouts: http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mainmenu-27/planning-aamp-design-mainmenu-55
Be sure to read the "sub-menus" under these major headings, there's a lot of info.
Greg
Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.
Click here for Greg's web site
Despite the FAQ section of the poster above.... There are no real rules when it comes to running trains in the garden. The questions you have to ask yourself are:
1: What sort of railway is it?
2: What sort of locos and rolling stock will run on it?
3: How big a layout do I want?
If I were to answer my own questions than I would have to say
A1; It is set between 1880 and 1930 -roughly... It has a colonial feel to it with 16mm narrow gauge track and Gauge '3' std gauge trackwork. Mostly I want to admire my locos running around -operations and shunting is just not me.
A2: It has steam, electric, and diesel locomotives running on it. Maybe in a few years a Gas Turbine... I have two carriages at G3 scale and four at 16mm scale -a few wagons and guards vans.
A3: I want it to go all around the edges of my lawn.
Although I did have access to £8million computer design system, I found the best way to design the track layout was to lay hose pipe on the ground, look at it, then kick it around a bit for few days until I found a design that I liked.
I have found it to be an inexpensive hobby -or rather -it is as expensive as you want it to be. I seem to cope quite well on a budget of £10 per week for my layout and building requirements.
regards
ralph
The Home of Articulated Ugliness
Contray to most folks here I'm going to say there are NO RULEs in outdoor railroading. There are limitations however. An accepted "rule of thumb" is to keep grades below 2%.Most of my "empire" is about 0.25%, however I do have one section that is over 17%. It was a limitation imposed by the available realestate. I wanted a line going up (bridge) to the top of my waterfalls, That branch is run only by street cars, geese, and work trucks. My 0-4-0 will pull one stubby passenger up the grade. A second "rule of thumb" curve size. The larger the curves the longer you can run your trains. Look arounf the forums and you will find Vic's pizza layout. Sub R1 curves and he still has fun, but has limited size of equipment.
If you are looking for mainline operations, then you will want the widest curves allowed by your realestate and the flattest grades allowable. If you are looking for "shunting operations" then length of train is not a question. The you can tighten the curves and up the grades.
The only true "rule" I believe in is that it is your railroad and you design it for your pleasure.
Tom Trigg
i Guys, am I missing something here?
Does my web site have a bunch of rules?
I was not aware of this, but point them out to me if I missed them!
Greg Elmassian i Guys, am I missing something here? Does my web site have a bunch of rules? I was not aware of this, but point them out to me if I missed them! Greg
I've read your FAQ Greg, and I didn't see anything that looked like rules. Just good advice, suggestions and "how To's" . All things that would be good for a new person to carefully read to save them from making mistakes (sometimes serious ones). I know I wish I had read your FAQ before I started about 7 years ago.
Bob
Greg:
I was not implying that you have used the word "rule". All I was attempting to say was he should look at grades and curves in light of thier limitations. If you thought I was impuning your skill, I hereby tender full and complete appology, as that was not my intention, or my way of doing things.
Not at all!
I just wanted to be sure I did not screw up (more than usual ha ha!) in my FAQ's or Beginners pages, since I think that's the most critical time for a newcomer... and if you do have suggestions to make it better, I'm all ears! Those sections are definitely for the benefit of others!
Even minor working issues, or cases of ambiguity, please comment here or by email. (By the way, other than this weekend, pretty nice train weather huh?)
My 2 cents worth, I for one always go to Greg's Tips when I get stuck or am just wondering about how to go about fixing somthing.
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.
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