Think about getting some G gauge

[countershot]

Think about getting some G gauge for my back yard. but i do not know were to get started.
i was thinking about stainless track and USA TRAINS GP7 and a few box
cars.


input,input,input!!!!!
BEN

[Anonymous]

I thought about it also, and here's what this o-gauge/indoor guy did last week: bought a BATTERY powered set at KB Toys for $39. (did not want to fool-arround with electric outdoors), leveled the track with pine bark mini-nugget mulch in my flower garden, bought 3 neat birdhouse buildings online for $58. total. Looks and runs great...I and my Grandkids are happy. Joe

[Anonymous]

countershot
you can use brass or stainless steel track, a lot of people are going stainless steel , i have brass , and i use track power, their are people going battery power , i'll stay with track power . MY engines are mostly aristo craft, and my cars i have a mix of different mfgs. BEN

[Tom The Brat]

This isn't a bad place to get started.

Get a copy of the magazine[:D] Decide what you like, and jump in.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Just get something running in "G"; let the bug bite and you'll be off and running!

I went with SS track from the git go a few years ago and have no regrets! Having watched some guys who started at the same time spend hours cleaning track, I know it's worth the 20% higher price!

[tmcc man]

countershot
i was bitten by the outdoor bug 3 years ago, but i am still into my o gauge layout as well, [#ditto] to what Capt Bob Johnson said just start out with something small, and work your way up.

[vsmith]

Countershot

Jshrade also asked the same question so I'm going to repost my reply to him here, as it answers a lot of basic questions, Vic'

Jshrade, Welcome to Large Scale! I came from HOn30. You have to ask your self a few basic questions, a biggest being do I want Narrow Gauge (bachmann, some LGB) or standard guage (aristo, USA, some LGB) ? you state you like modern so that will give you a direction to go.
Just to answer question point by point.

... Now I've heard all the warnings about not using Bachmann track outdoors, and I rarely see Bachmann stuff referenced as 'good quality' stuff... so I had a few questions for a possible newbie crossover modeler....
Very good trains, good track for indoors, lousy track for ourdoors

1) What's the best (most cost effecient) way of delving into the world of outdoor garden RR's? Train set or piece by piece?
I started piece by piece but if you can afford it, LGB or Aristo both have really good starter sets, Aristo is going to sell a starter set that includes a Train Engineer R/C controller which I have now and is terrific! LGB's sets are less to scale but dam bulletproof reliable. Both will give you a basic loop and a good powerpack to start with. This loop will be with 2' radius curves (4' diameter), which are rapidly becoming obsolete in LS, the rule now, like HO is wider is better. Curves are measured in DIAMETER in LS, this is different than HO, and come in 4', 5', 6 1/2', 8', 10', 12' and now 20' diameter sectional track, and you can alway lay your own track with a track bender. 8' diameter is becoming the defacto standard for larger engines, its best to plan for it, but if your space constricted, their is plenty of modern stuff that works just fine on the 5 and 6' diameter stuff.

2) I really like present day equipment, which is readily available in HO. What's the availability like of modern locos and rolling stock in G scale?
Very good, it wasnt always, all LS started as narrow gauge, but Aristo & USA have been really adding to their stock of standard gauge modern equipement. Now I dare say you model any era, steam or modern. Just keep in mind that if you want modern you will have to plan form the widest curves possible, 8' diameter if you want to run a Dash-9, but if thats too large, a GP-9 is happy on 5 and 6' dia curves.

3) Radio Controlled, battery controlled, DCC or what? What's the best for outdoor use?
Start with track power on a simple layout, start simple, get operating, then get crazy. I use a Aristo Basic Train Engineer which is a handheld controller and a reciever that controls the power to the track, its track power, but you have a unteathered controller that allows you to follow the train around the layout, very handy.

4) Compared to HO scale, how much more expensive is G scale as a hobby? (for instance, 2 times more expensive, 10 times, etc). In other words, is this a retirement hobby or something a modeler on a budget can do?
It depends on how deep you want to get into it, some only have one engine, a few cars and are very very happy letting it roam around a simple layout in the yard. Others have full blown operations, and enough engines and cars to rival any large HO layout.
A big modern engine like a DASH can be found online for around $300, but a GP-9 is about $200, not to much more than some of that premium small stuff in HO, now you may only ever need one or two engines, so its not that tough an investment.

Most of the stuff I've seen is fairly pricey as far as my budget is concerned. Locos for over $300 (for a cheap one), cars run about $50-$100 each, track pretty pricey as well. Not to mention the cost of ballasting, plants, rocks, etc to go around the railroad. Am I looking in the wrong places, or is this a rich (or retired) man's hobby? lol
I have only spent more that $100 for only one engine, the rest were bought for less than $75, I have 20+ engines, granted they are all narrow gauge tram engines. My entire empire was nickeled and dimed together, if dirt poor me can do it, anyone can. The secret is to spread out the cost of things over time, dont go out and buy everything at once unless you want major sticker shock! I bought one box of track per month or one car per month or one engine per month. Now I'm up to my elbows in stuff, I recently had to horsetrade some stuff away!

This is probably the BEST single source of links to different large scale suppliers

www.g-scale-links.com

check out the Locomotives tab for MFR information, the Dealers tab for sellers, and the rest just to see whats avaliable in large scale, good luck and dont be timid with questions!
Vic

[countershot]

thanks. i was thinking modern stuff like dash-9s sd45's things like that. i already have the track at good price 22' curves $2 each. rolling stock is next.

thanks again.

BEN

[vsmith]

$2 buck EACH??? WOW what a deal ! [:O]