ho in the snow

[RR Redneck]

Well tell us how long the loco lasts.

[PA Belt]

i got it running in the rain

[ttrigg]

   BTW,  are there any  pictures  of the  Z-scale operation  out of doors?
Rich

Only a few remain.






Notice that they are "almost" appropriate size.

[Tom The Brat]

Why not?

Just remember, natural events are multiplied by 87, 87 squared or often 87 cubed.

[FJ and G]

I've often thought about how a small-scale layout could be done outdoors, such as on a townhouse deck or cement deck of a condo. The challenge would be to find scale plants.

Here's how I might do it, paricularly if my deck were situated on the north side and in the shade.

I might try a Welch or Scotish narrow-gauge line that runs thru sheep pastures, simulated with moss. In a brighter area, Scotch moss would work. Various types of ground cover could simulate forests, with some imagination.

Crusher fines would need to be carefully sifted and likely mixed with portland cement so that the rails are relatively clear.

As battery technology gets smaller and smaller with more capacity, R/C would become feasible. However, with anything smaller than S scale, track power likely would be needed, unless using "live-steam" hornby in OO (HO?).

Keeping rails clean is feasible if the line is relatively small. Otherwise, you're looking at cleaning track every session.

[cabbage]

Here in the UK "OO" (4mm scale) is quite commonly found running outdoors. I do know of an "N" scale (1:148) running in the garden -but most of these are summer time running.

I live in the Peak District -where red and white post are erected to show you where the road is when it snows...

I have often contemplated building a snow plough for one of my locos -but that would mean digging down a metre through the snow to find the track to put it on!!!

regards

ralph

[rtstasiak]

Every so often I see a post about HO, N, Z etc being run in the garden. Not once have I seen anyone follow up on it. I'm sure someone will prove me wrong with an exception or 2 but I never saw it. Seems most lose interest pretty quick and we never hear another reply.

Hmm...that sounds like a challenge.  It could be done with the 'little trains' running off onboard battery power on temporary track like Bachmann HO or N sectional track.  I'll give it a shot here in the snowbelt, right down the street from the Water Level Route.   Rich

Rich;

I do not believe that David has issued a challenge.  It has been done before.  At one point, for about three months, I had a working garden railroad within my garden railroad.  A small "Z" scale oval with siding.  It was more work than it was worth.  The z scale "layout" is now on a board with green "grass" cloth with a few little fixtures.  It comes out when I have friends and family over.  It is just for decoration.  

I believe it was Ian who said it best,
'Just because something can be done,
does not mean it should be done.'

I was speaking of a humorous challenge, but I am seriously thinking about an HO oval for Christmas 2006, and the 30th anniversary of Buffalo's Blizzard of '77 a few weeks later.   BTW,  are there any  pictures  of the  Z-scale operation  out of doors?

Rich

[ttrigg]

Every so often I see a post about HO, N, Z etc being run in the garden. Not once have I seen anyone follow up on it. I'm sure someone will prove me wrong with an exception or 2 but I never saw it. Seems most lose interest pretty quick and we never hear another reply.

Hmm...that sounds like a challenge.  It could be done with the 'little trains' running off onboard battery power on temporary track like Bachmann HO or N sectional track.  I'll give it a shot here in the snowbelt, right down the street from the Water Level Route.   Rich

Rich;

I do not believe that David has issued a challenge.  It has been done before.  At one point, for about three months, I had a working garden railroad within my garden railroad.  A small "Z" scale oval with siding.  It was more work than it was worth.  The z scale "layout" is now on a board with green "grass" cloth with a few little fixtures.  It comes out when I have friends and family over.  It is just for decoration.  

I believe it was Ian who said it best,
'Just because something can be done,
does not mean it should be done.'

[PA Belt]

im putting it up on cinder blocks and plywood, and there are no trees in my yard, it should work

[Curmudgeon]

Laying track in disconnected sections on the ground and setting equipment on it MIGHT qualify as a "diorama", but does not, by any stretch of the imagination, come close to "operating".

I know what BIG, HEAVY locomotives and rolling stock are up against outdoors.

I know the issues with actually plowing snow, and not even using track power.

Imagine one pine needle across the tracks with half zero.

Go ahead, do it, make it run, tell us how many nanoseconds between derailments, how often you need to re-clean track and wheels, you know, the "normal" outdoor stuff.

[PA Belt]

i would, but i only have sheet metal on hand

[Puckdropper]

I'd consider covering the blade with a plastic resin such as Alumilite.  It should then slide on the rail heads easily and not wear off very fast.

Just throwing out an option.  I built most my blades out of plastic or PVC.

[Puckdropper]

I'm sure someone will prove me wrong with an exception or 2 but I never saw it.

Look up.  I told you what happened with my HO in the outdoors there.  The plow's on my layout still, almost finished but not quite.  (That's project #40 to get done.)  The track's in sections, ready to be installed and wired, but I've nowhere to put it.  It can't handle being in the grass like the G stuff.

[rtstasiak]

Every so often I see a post about HO, N, Z etc being run in the garden. Not once have I seen anyone follow up on it. I'm sure someone will prove me wrong with an exception or 2 but I never saw it. Seems most lose interest pretty quick and we never hear another reply.

Hmm...that sounds like a challenge.  It could be done with the 'little trains' running off onboard battery power on temporary track like Bachmann HO or N sectional track.  I'll give it a shot here in the snowbelt, right down the street from the Water Level Route.

Rich

[FJ and G]

Every so often I see a post about HO, N, Z etc being run in the garden. Not once have I seen anyone follow up on it. I'm sure someone will prove me wrong with an exception or 2 but I never saw it. Seems most lose interest pretty quick and we never hear another reply.

[PA Belt]

ty, i found my junk power packs, made my blade, and have the tracck readt, now i just need to water proof the engine and make the blade no conductive(its sheet metal)

[Puckdropper]

I started to try this a couple winters ago.  I had the plow almost built, the track soldered in large sections (about 3') and we moved before I did it.  We don't have the deck any more to support the track, which would be one of the larger concerns.

A couple things to think about: 

Conductivity.  HO's not that great inside, so it's not likely to do that well outside.  Solder the rail joints, nothing's worse than track that comes apart.

Snow weight.  Some snows are really heavy and others are really light.

Amount:  At about 2 1/2" inches tall, a large HO plow might not be able to clear snow from a moderate snowfall.

Good luck, and I hope you learn enough to make this worth while.  Keep us posted.

[PA Belt]

i have an idea, i am good with metal work and have cheap track and engin i dont mind killing, would it be posalbe to mount a heater or a ruberized blade on my cheapys and run them in the snow?