Temporary Garden RR Layouts

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Having 2 labs who leave landmines all over the yard I can say, "Now that's funny!"

Sure ticked you off having to clean it up though!

[SandyR]

John, I had a layout on the floor, too, on an 'astroturf' type rug. Used houseplants for scenery. That lasted until I got a middle-aged Golden Retriever puppy (four months old) who was house-broken and trained to 'go' on grass. Yup, you guessed it...he thought that the astroturf and houseplants were an indoor toilet!! End of astroturf and indoor railroad!
SandyR

[John Busby]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SandyR

Before I built my garden railroad, I used to set the track out on the driveway and surround it with nursery stock and potted flowers. I'd remove the track at the end of the day (to avoid theft). Finally, my next-door neighbor suggested that I put the RR into the garden, and I did. But running on the driveway sure was fun, and I had a different trackplan every time!!
SandyR

hi Sandy R
sounds like my efforts in the spare room before I bought a house may plan changed over time.
It was on the floor a long time it nearly ended up being an indoor layout
boy was that a lucky escape.
regards John

[SandyR]

Before I built my garden railroad, I used to set the track out on the driveway and surround it with nursery stock and potted flowers. I'd remove the track at the end of the day (to avoid theft). Finally, my next-door neighbor suggested that I put the RR into the garden, and I did. But running on the driveway sure was fun, and I had a different trackplan every time!!
SandyR

[Capt Bob Johnson]

John's method is very much like the old Mainline roadbed. I understand that the owner of Split Jaw is the new owner of mainline and is about to begin marketing the product, perhaps within the month! Only reason I didn't go that route several years ago was Rocky's poor business practices when he owned and founded Mainline!

I may well be getting a mess of it if it is on the market when I start my spring construction!

Even if it is raised and staked in, you can always set some posies in pots in strategic locations to improve the looks!

[John Busby]

Hi John Lat
My thoughts are get two bits of pipe cut into lengths drive the smaller diameter one into the ground get the larger one which is a neat sliding fit over the first.
Attatch a modular road bed to it slide it over the pipes driven in the ground level it tech screw it.
Put track on it run trains when you move pull the whole lot out take it with you.
When you settle for good concrete the posts in and set it up perminently
blending it into the garden.
Hope you can follow my rambling it is probably easier to do than it sounds
regards John

[Anonymous]

It's better to just put your track down on the grass and be running, than leave it in the box and miss any of the fun.
I am a full time RV'er. I don't have a yard to call my own. I put the track down where ever I'm parked, and run trains. It's just too much fun running trains to leave them in the box till I get a yard of my own.


Gitt'er done!!!!

[vsmith]

Well theres always this:

http://www.h-l-w.com/Products/barrel.htm

Hartlands planter barrel train is an all-in-one-box for a temp setup anywhere. Personally I just say do it, keep it simple, and dont worry about it.

Just do it!

I set up my outdoor layout (in a weekend) simply by using wood headers to build a designated containment area, put down weedbarrier and filled the area with gravel and ornimental rocks, and simply put the tracks down on top of gravel. I use LGB power connecter wires to a stand, set up one side, all thats left outside are the wires. When I want to run, I hook up the powerpack letting it set on the stand, put the train down and I'm done. Pass the drinks.

If I ever had to move, all I would have to do is pick up the tracks, leaving the gravel and rocks as an "Ornimental Rock Garden" that the realitor could list as a yard "improvement".

If I had figured out how easy it was to do this, I would have built an outdoor layout long ago.

How to build a cheap but decent (and temporary) outdoor layout....
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=44503
check out page 2 to see the expansion[;)]

[grandpopswalt]

I think you've answered your own question, build something modular. Some folks will propbably suggest that you merely drop a loop of track on the ground and start operating. I personally don't think that's a very good solution because I favor elavated layouts. I've had two temporary layouts built on "tables". The first was a simple switching layout and the second a loop. I went the temporary route because I felt that I just didn't know enough about this stuff to commit a big piece of real estate and lots of bucks to a large permenant layout. I'm very glad I did it that way. I've learned a lot about LS outdoor railroading and which aspects of the hobby appeal to me and which aren't as important. I hope to be able to start on my "permenant" railroad this spring. I think I'll be able to use the experience I've gathered from the first two layouts to create something that will really suit my particular likes and needs.

Walt

[Anonymous]

Suppose you are not sure how long you will be at your current house. Maybe Job or other factors may force you to move, but you have the trains and track
and want to set it up. Maybe some kind of modular system or something.

What would be a quick and low-hassle way of seting up a decent temporary Garden RR?