Indoor O Gauge to Outdoor G Gauge

Bruce,

It's nice to see an outdoor layout without the 20 ft. curves & 1:20.3 trains.  I like  the Stainz and passenger cars you have.  My favorites are the 0-4-0 locomotives and 1:22.5 & 1:24 rolling stock.

I do have some Large Scale, but it's packed away, in preparation for our move.   

Selling off some of my LS locomotives & rolling stock & some trading has financed my re-entry into O27 & Wind Up's. 

So YES, I have been afflicted with the virus...

Dave

Could just be me but the ground cover and vegetation don't look very realistic? Are you positive that it is recommended for outdoor use?

Actually that is really cool. Must be great on a nice summer evening to just sit back with a cold beverage and enjoy playing with the trains.

Yes, I've been bitten by the large scale bug too.  Living in the deep south I'm able to run almost the whole year.  In fact, I run outside with trains, if it's snowing as we only see it maybe once every other year.  Indoors or out we just enjoy running our trains.  Bruce

I have the track and equipment for a outdoor G layout.....in the to do pile!!

I considered it with our move here. The weather is good almost all year. The problem for me is I can ignore my indoor railroad for weeks if I want. A outdoor road would need work all the time. Things grow amazingly fast and easy. Just cut a small branch from a Plumeria tree, stick it in the ground and it grows. Don

I am a big fan of garden railroading in Large Scale and have been involved with that segment of the hobby for many years.  I still have a whole lot of LS equipment, but only have a small layout in the garage because the homeowners association rules won't permit one outdoors (I can well understand that restriction and it's just a trade-off I had to resign myself to when I bought this place.

When I lived in Don's neck of the woods (Hawaii) I started a Large Scale club there and we had some 48 members on the Island of Oahu.  I also belonged to the Tidewater Big Train Operators club when I lived in the Norfolk are of Virginia (that club is still going strong).  And, some here may know that I wrote and published "Getting Started in Garden Railroading" and I still get requests for that long out-of-print book.

I still buy LS on an occasional basis, and have a pretty decent collection of LGB U.S.-style switchers, all of the LGB U.S.-style trolleys, and other small motive power and rolling stock from Accucraft, HLW, and Bachmann.

Running stuff on the small and as yet unfinished garage layout is fun, but not nearly half as much fun (not to mention good exercise) as building and maintaining a garden layout. 

I have had a permanent G scale layout in my garden for several years now. The only attention that it needs is clearing the winter's debris from the rails each spring, a bit of re-ballasting as required, and a good run with the track cleaning locomotive after the winter, and as needed during the summer. The beauty of the brass track is that it weathers in, and looks more realistic each year. 

The hardest part is in carrying all of the locomotives and coaches/freight cars outside from their storage shelves each time that I wish to run them.

But it is all worthwhile when I can sit on my swing seat, sipping a margarita as the 'Super Chief' thunders past hauled by an A-B-A  set of 'F' units at full volume, as an Alco sits rumbling in the siding with a consist of mixed freight. 

If I remember right, you live pretty close. I live on New Town Road off Providence in the Stonegate subdivision. If you ever need or want extra track or a hand in building it, just send me a PM. 

Bruce

 Hmmm, Ok Alan he asked first so....

Now if I could get enough straights to finish going around the whole yard! Well, as soon as I stop buying everything else.