Turn and run as fast as you can away, thats what my wife would tell you if you came and visited. She wishes I had done that.
Is it REAL? or Just 1:29 scale?
Long live Outdoor Model Railroading.
As I have always used self powered locos I suppose it depends on what you consider to be "limited run times"... For me about 15 to 20 minutes is enough for a loco -after which I power down and reach for another one off the shelf. The Mamod can run for about 15 minutes on a full tank of meths whilst the Heilmann needs its gas cylinders topping up after having raised about 0.5Bar of pressure. The NER EE-1 can remain fully powered for about 30 minutes -her "draw" from the batteries is about 29 Amperes at 12 Volts. The FELL is capable of continuous running if kept topped up with coolant water and fuel but to be honest even with two stage scavenging and glass fibre packed silencers -it is still too bloody loud!!! 20 minutes of its continuous ROAR is about what anyone can take...
regards
ralph
The Home of Articulated Ugliness
well i had to start with track power because thats what i could afford and i dont like the idea of limited run time. I run mine all day
When I read about the evils of drinking I quit reading.
Grims LGB with their two little scuffy pads for contacts require a nice clean track to run,
LGB with their two little scuffy pads for contacts require a nice clean track to run,
That's why I elected to go with battery power and radio control for all my G-scale trains -- I never have to clean track other than going around and removing rocks or twigs that are big enough to knock a train off the track.
Me being a total newbie to this (I just got a loop up and running this summer) and being an N scaler you know more about trains than I do the only thing Im going to say is LGB with their two little scuffy pads for contacts require a nice clean track to run,
where as my other locos with all the wheels for pick ups will run on a less clean track allowing you to run a track cleaner behind your train to get it clean. I never thought this would be a big deal until i had to clean those hard if not near impossible places to get at.
If your havin fun it cant be wrong
Ed
A 20' x 30' area around a fire pit isn't all that large, and presuming "around your fire pit" to mean the fire pit will occupy the center of the space, then you're looking at a comparatively small, fairly simple railroad, with one train running at a time. That's fairly simple in terms of operation, so I'd recommend simple track power to start. It's the most basic, and cheapest way to get going. For what I'd bet you're looking to do, it will be quite sufficient. Maybe look at something like Aristo-Craft's Trackside Train Engineer system if you want a remote control throttle. (The trackside one which controls power going to the track, as opposed to the on-board one which controls power going specifically to one locomotive.) They've made a few different versions of this over the years, the most recent one being their "Revolution" controller. Quite frankly, that may be overkill for what you need, so look for one of the older model "Train Engineer" ones. They often show up used.
In terms of locomotives and rolling stock, buy what you like. There's no manufacturer that's "king," nor any one to stay away from. Each specific locomotive has its own reputation, so find one you like, and ask specifically about that locomotive.
Scale? What's your pleasure--standard or narrow gauge, or do you care? If you're into standard gauge, then the de facto common scale for that in large scale is 1:29. Aristo-Craft and USA Trains are the two big players in that arena, and Accucraft has been entering that field as well. If you're a "scale purist," then 1:32 is the "proper" scale for standard gauge on 45mm track. However, your selection in that scale will be significantly limited. Accucraft (mostly brass locos and equipment) and MTH are the key players in that scale. If you've got a narrow gauge bent, then the "proper" scale for 45mm track will be 1:20.3, which is supported by Bachmann's "Spectrum" line and Accucraft. There's also a bunch of 1:22.5 and 1:24 stuff on the market from LGB, Bachmann's "Big Hauler" line, Hartland Locomotive Works, and others. Good stuff, just not "proper" for being 3' gauge. (The 1:22.5 stuff scales to meter gauge, the 1:24 stuff scales to 42"). So, pick your genre, your scale, and go from there. It's all personal preference.
Track? I'm a fan of flex track, and I would presume being in N scale, you're familiar with the luxuries it affords. I'd go with that, personally. You can get it in various rail sizes, the two most common being code 332 and code 250. I like the code 250 stuff, as it looks better than the larger rail. I've used both over the years, and in terms of operation and durability, both are equal when laid on a proper foundation.
As others have said, get in with your local club. I believe there's a fairly active group in Las Vegas; at least there used to be a sizable live steam group there. Definitely get in touch with Silver State Trains.
Later,
K
If you are looking for a train to go around your fire pit, have you considered live steam operation?
live steam is as close to the real thing as you can get in a scale model. It is just a blast to maintain and operate the steamers.
Accucraft has a nice selection of locos. Granted, they are a bit pricey, but they are worth every cent!
I have some FAQ's and stuff for beginners on my site, maybe helpful:
http://www.elmassian.com/trains/beginners-faqs
Look on the menu below, read about picking scale, and layout space, what type of running, etc.
Greg
Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.
Click here for Greg's web site
Might check with Mark Johnson, he owns Silver State Trains, could give you info on the local scene. Join a club and look at their layouts. Best to work with the climate you have, since water is scarce there, as well as mild temps! Mark has ads in GR, I think and in Steam in the Garden.
Jerry
web site:
http://thescrr.com/
He already stated in the original post that it was Vegas which I assume is Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Hot and dry most of the year, Vegas was built in a desert type area.
The first question that you have to ask yourself is "What am I going to run"? If the answer is modern diesel and electric locos then your options are gauge 1 and scale 1 or scale 2 equipment -normally with track power. If your answer is a small "logging and commercial" narrow gauge line then your options begin to expand...
16mm scale uses gauge 1 and gauge 0 track -these are normally self powered (1:19.1)
7/8ths scale uses gauge1 track -these are normally self powered. (1:13)
At the extreme end of "Large Scale" there is Gauge '3'... These are ALWAYS self powered! (1:22.6)
I have had excellent results with rail made from Nickel Silver, Brass and Stainless Steel. Nickel Silver is the easiest to bend. Brass seems to be the most tolerant of poor conditions. Stainless steel is the strongest if you are going for low profile rail -however track bonding and soldering can be very flux dependant and physical clamping is your best option here.
Hi Joe Seasons Greetings It help if you let the forum know where you are based as you can see im in the UK I run Bachmann trains, track power and LGB track and turn outs ( points) If you do fancy battery power must locos can be converted to it but you only get 3-4- hours running between batt charge. If you plan to run 2-8-0 wheels curves will need to be at a min R3 you can see all the curves in an LGB catolouge. Hope this helps
Age is only a state of mind, keep the mind active and enjoy life
I always suggest to find a club and/or other folks in the hobby to see up front and personal some RRs.
GRRers love to share their stuff, so don't be shy.
Its a learning curve but you have the basic's with N scale.
Howdy all,
I have been an n scaler for about 4 years, just completed an n scale lay out in my 12x25 shop.
Thinking of do a g scale in my side yard, I have about 20x30 area around my fire pit, I thing a train going around would be a great addition. I have been researching for a couple months, more questions than answers. Best manufactures of locos, rolling stock, track, scale, battery vs track pwr, ect???????
I live in Las Vegas not much rain or snow but lots of heat.
Any advise would be great.
thanks
Joe
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