can O go outside?

[Anonymous]

read question

[vsmith]

Depends: O scale-2 rail Atlas type or O guage - 3 rail lionel?

Lionel 3 rail, Heck No! track will rust to nothing in a very short time and the AC voltages are not the best thing to mix with a garden sprinkler.

Atlas 2 rail, Well Yeah but, The biggest problem is that O sclae track is that it is not UV protected like LGB track. Unprotected it will deteriorate fast in the sun and it might warp under heat of the sun. painting the ties or using Handlaid track would work then you would have to be carefull with the trains in the sun, again no UV protection and the thinner plastic would be very vunerable to heat warpage. Plus no O scale stuff is weather resistant like the G stuff is, fair weather only and DO NOT mix with water.

[kstrong]

There are alternatives to Lionel track, almost to the point where the old fashioned Lionel track is in a minority on the shelves of the hobby shop. The rails on these new tracks are nickel silver or stainless, depending on manufacturer. The ties may or may not be UV stable, but if they're not, a coat of paint will help protect them there. Folks have been doing Lionel outdoors long before LGB popularized the notion with their outdoor trains. O gauge has a very long outdoor history across the pond in England.

So long as you don't leave your trains outdoors, you'll be fine. Maintenance really is no different than with the large scale trains. You will want to have a solid subroadbed for O scale, though. The track, being smaller, is inherently weaker.

Enjoy, and keep us posted on your progress.

Later,

K

[DSchmitt]

Good comments. Outdoor O scale is more common in Great Britian than it is here. You might see if you can find some British magazines. A web search might find some sites with useful information

[spankybird]

There are some folks that do it. Gargraves has a track for outside use.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I read somewhere that O was outside before G was invented. [:0]

The new 2 rail and 3 rail Atlas track is UV protected, and made to stand up outside. [;)]

As posted above, I would not leave my O scale equipment out in the weather, but I won't leave my G scale equipment out either. [:I]

With the new Lionel control system (TMCC) or MTH's (DSC), you will have a better control and sound than that offered in G scale, so I say go for it. [:p]

[8D]

[Anonymous]

I am also considering putting using O gauge outside. I really want to put a train in my garden but I fear my budget is not really large enough to support G scale. It seem the prices of O Gauge are much more reasoniable when compared to prices of the cost of G Scale locomotives, rolling stock and scenary . I looked into it at my local O Gauge hobby shop, even he doesn't support the ideal as to using O Guage outdoors, but he recommended I use the Altas brass Track designed to be used outdoors, with UV plastic ties. He also said Gargraves stainless has wooden ties, which probably only last a season or two. The problem I have is that I would feel left out of the Mainstream of Garden Railroaders, who I have learned so much from reading things on this site, as well as Mylargescale Road and Large Scale online. Best of Luck on your decision but It looks to me that there is not to much support for someones like us, who are considering using O Gauge outdoors, like there is for O guage indoor users or Garden Railroaders using G Scale.

[DSchmitt]

Check out these sites[:)]

http://www.trainweb.org/oscaleoutdoors/

http://www.mackaymodels.co.uk/LenzOScale.htm

[spankybird]

Gargraves also makes track with plastic ties for outside use.

tom

[Wild Bill]

I spent this last summer building an outdoor O guage layout using the techniques I learned from this forum and Garden Railways " how to" publications. The same methods work. You get twice the train in the same space, With the new engines, you also get all the smoke, and sound already installed, with digital control, and of great quality!
I now have 550' of mainline, with 200' of sidings, and such. I used Atlas UV rated track in 3-rail, all 40" flex track so I could get very wide radius curves. Control is using MTH's DCS, and the digital signal works real good.
The track has held up very well, through 5 months of desert heat, thunderstorms, and dogs.
The rolling stock comes inside at night.
There is nothing like seeing a scale Daylight GS-2 with 30' of lighted cars going over the bridge at the waterfall for the pond at dusk, and getting the reflection off the water of the pond!
I say Go for it! For me it has been a very rewarding experience!

[ben10ben]

Gargraves makes stainless steel flex track with wooden or plastic ties that can be, and is used by some, for outdoor O gauge layouts. It might not be the best idea to leave locomitves outside, though, as many still have parts inside made from steel and would not be protected from rusting.