DCC & HO Outdoors.

[Anonymous]

Hello Everyone,

Its me with one of my zany ideas again. Feel free to comment, poke holes, or just point out general errors in logic of this scheme. I recognize it is a bit "Extream" but my current space situation has become somewhat drastic.

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

[Anonymous]

James,
I am not a modeler of Garden Railroads, but one thing I have heard is that they all use brass track. The only thing about this is that basically, all they have available to them is brass track!!! Sorry, I couldn't help posting this little tidbit of information. The major thing you will need to keep in mind if building any electric train outdoors is that it is imperative to keep your track clean. G scale uses a higher voltage than HO, so voltage drop due to dirty track is more of a problem for HO. This is likely one of the major considerations for a project of this type. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Yo dawg in my opinion if you are going to try and go to that drastic measures for a layout then you should consider Literally knocking a wall down in your house to make more room or just build onto your house for more room to build a layout. I do not foresee a cool looking HO layout going outside and properly working nicely. Who the heck is going to want to watch a train run outside in the winter time? Or in the dead heat of summer? The direct light from the sun would cause plastic track melting. I mean it is a problem in the planning basically. Dawg knock a wall down, kick someone out of the computer room, or tell the wife you are the Man and you are using more space. If you are a young uck living at home start crying to mom and dad that you need more room. But do not go outside unless you want to Move up in Scales. Let me treat you like a kid. "Son keep your *** inside, Your grounded so stay in one room, and do not go outside!"

[cacole]

HO track and trains have no UV inhibitors in them, and will deteriorate very rapidly outdoors. If you want to see what will happen, just put a piece of flex track and a cheap boxcar that you don't really value that much outdoors for a couple of months in see what happens to them. Put the track out in the weather, but the boxcar could be under a porch or whatever out of the rain, wherever you think your rolling stock will be parked when it's not being operated.

[Anonymous]

James,

Have you thought about maybe building some modules that can be stored indoors, but quickly setup/dismantled for use outside? If you make all the structures removable and don't have any John Allen-style mountains, you could store several of them in the spot where your current 4x6 is located, if you lay them vertically.

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for responding.

First to Biggie Smalls, I have considered all of your suggestions and here is the following results.

Suggestion 1: Adding On.

I do not own the house, But I am permitted to use the garden area As I see fit.

Suggegstion 2: Kiking someone out of the computer room.

Its a one bedroom house. Computer desk is built into layout benchwork.

Suggestion 3: Telling Wife I am "Da Man.

I am not married, but my present girlfriend comes from a family who firmly believes in the family matriarch.

Suggestion 4: Crying to Mom and Dad.

I did. They made me tear my layout down because I complained to much and thats how I ended up where I am at.

But thank you for briniging up these very valid points.

As for Mr. Larsen.

The thoght of Modules had not occured to me. I will take it under consideration, However I see the lengthy set up time that will likely result as a big disadvantage.

Thank you all again.

James.