HO & DCC Outdoors

[Anonymous]

Hello Everyone,

I freely admit that I do not know the first thing about running trains out doors. While I find garden railways to be facinating and wouldn't mind having one, my less than green thumb kind of iksnays that project. (I couldn't even grow my bean plant in kindergarden) But I am looking to my outdoor space as a possibility for my indoor woes, please feel free to comment, poke holes, and generaly show flaws in logic with this Idea.

In my many contortions of trying to build an HO model railraod, I have recently started looking into the possibility of building an elevated line outdoors,(Out of structural steel or masonry) as my indoor space barely permits my current 4X6 foot operation. While this line will be built more along the lines of a traditional indoor layout with outside hardy materials, what kind of steps am I going to have to take in regard to wiring to maintain suitible conductivity, with HO track out doors. (Is an elevated HO layout outdoors even feasable?)Obviosly I would have to manufacture some kind of "Basket" to hold the DCC gear and take it inside between operating sessions. I am presently using an older Digitrax Empire Builder with an Extra DT300 Throttle. I would appreciate any insights you out door Garden Railroad people have that could help with my Indoor-meets- Garden railroad.

Sincerely,

James R. Mitich

[TurboOne]

Hello James and [#welcome]. There are a few of us that want to put our HO outdoors. As there are better experts here than me, I will let you know what they taught me. HO is not made for outdoors, so the elements will play a big part in your layout. I was told that one group in AZ put a piece of HO track out in the sun, and it deformed. The track isn't UV protected so the ties would melt, deform, break from the weather. Also a leaf, branch, bug, that all would get squashed by a G scale train, could cause all kinds of problems for HO trains. Also dirt, dust, and other outside elements will clog a HO long before it bothers a G scale train. Also the trains themselves are not UV protected, and could melt, warp, deform.
I got excited due to how much bigger a HO layout could be outdoors, but while it can be done, there are more issues than the larger scale trains.
Also with HO you need a lot of feeder wires run for the DCC, and that could be a lot of wire, or not enough power to some sections, and the DCC would have to be taken inside along with all the trians.

Hope this helps, and again [#welcome] to the forum.

Tim

[Anonymous]

Thank You.

You were more helpful than my compatriots over in the MR forum. Every response over there told me just simply to "Not do it" rather than giving me any technicle information I would need to know.

Thank you.

James

[Anonymous]

J.R.MITICH
James,
I was very interested in your artical,for i have a HO layout outdoors.I started in may of 2004. It stands 34" off the ground,and now it is complete with some scenery required.
I see your from california,here in new york,it seldom goes higher than 82 degrees.
Every one talks about U.V.my tracks are as good as the day i started. My original layout
outdoors was 4'x8', I added 12" walls of plexiglass around the perimiter,then 2 pcs of plexiglass 4'x4' as a cover over the layout. In the" box" i keep my power supply,all my rolling stock,and my locomotives. YES! they are outdoors now for the past eight months,
and they all preform as original. Now i added another 4'x8' layout without the plexiglass, and then extended it with a 12" wide double loop x 24'. I was told by the majority that it would not work,but i figured that it was worth my while to try it for myself. I think the weather by you would be alright for such a project.Put a length of track high on a roof for a couple of weeks and see if it distorts. For protection i cover the layout with a vinyl tarp,only when the forecast shows rain.We recently had the temperature go down to 8 degrees,and the following morning all the locos started and ran. James i had large scale trains for 13 years,and now with my HO ,i have enjoyed this hobby more than ever.
When the weather is right ,i often put six hrs. a day into it ,it also helps that iam retired.
If you are interested and need more info.,e-mail me ,so we can talk direct.
[e-mail]
I hope this is more positive to your way of thinking-enjoy