New garden layout

Davy, nice benchwork!  Keep us informed.  You just may wish to round out the front edge angle a tad for a big sweeping 0 scale curve. 

A lot of g scale stuff can turn in smaller circles than 0.  I made the same move twenty years ago and was shocked to find out my "big" G curve right of way would not be a good enough base for my 0 scale curves. tt

Davy,

Keep us posted on your progress. I find this 2 rail O scale outdoor layout very interesting.

Looking good there buddy, keep the pictures coming.

Chuck

Hi Guys, Tom, I will be making the curves as generous as I can .I was hoping that a minimum inside radious of 6ft would suffice. However I'm not too worried as I have options to make the curves bigger if need be. The longest rigid wheelbased locomotive I have and probably will be the only one is my Sunset  B&O Big Six 2-10-2,so if I make the curves big enough for it hopefully everything else I have ,pacifics, 2-8-2s etc,should handle the curves. ??? Certainly I am open to advice. I will lay the straight run first then feel my way with the curves and check out how the locos run as I go kinda thing. Thanks for your interest guys. heres a couple of pics of the old G layout from a few years back   

Hi again guys to give you some perspective between the old and the new compare this photo showing the house next doors' patio door.(also shown above) The G scale trains used to run at ground level behind the flowerbox wall. That area  has now been filled in and re landscaped.

What size area is available for this RR?

Hi Tom ,a fair old bit. I'll get round to getting over-all pictures made and post them soon.  Cheers  DAVY

Looks like a good start with a definite plan in mind, much more organized than yours truly.Keep us posted. One thing I do enjoy is being able to work on the "layout" outside in decent weather rather than cooped up in the guest bedroom with the "other" O stuff..kinda is a nice break from that claustrophobic summertime a.c environment here in NC..Do you direct bury your connections or run them in pipe? One final question..what do you use for power? I just had a PH Hobbies transformer that lost some of it's functions..

Hi there,

          With the G scale I used Aristocraft radio to track control via gaugemaster powerpacks.Don't know yet what to do this time round. I might go for DCC this time round??,  not at that stage yet. I won't be having too many switches so I will control them manually. Cheers DAVY

What type of O scale track are you planning on using? I live in New England USA with harsh winters.

Hey, George, where do you live in NH? I live in Dover. 

Hi Paul,

Stratham.. Dover a mere stones throw. You look familiar, I know-- that Durham TV station, serioiusly one of my favorites.

Yes, that's me. I used to work at NHPTV years ago as a producer.  I still do volunteer on-air spots for them, trying to keep public television alive. Been exec producing Ciao Italia for 20-odd years now for PBS.

http://www.ciaoitalia.com/

Great Italian food!

Ok. Espisto.   I grew up in Durham Oyster River etc. I think I have also seen you on Create channel PBS doing a promo for Ciao Italia and or the Digital 11 channel too.

I am currently in the planning stages of 3 rail hi rail layout. I am still not used to the huge curves. I migragted from the smaller scales a few years back 7'+ diameter curves or larger is a big change.

George,

Write me at plally@ciaoitalia.com...

Hi Guys,

          I'll be using Peco Nickel silver track. I used Peco nickel silver  on my G scale layout and I found it to be way better than LGB or Aristo brass or stainless steel.

So I'll stick with Peco.  Cheers DAVY 

Ok, I did not realize Peco made G track. Good stuff/ high qualty in the smaller scales.

Hi Guys,strated laying the first trackbed today. I use what we call "tile-batten" timbers.(Usually used for putting under roof tiles here in Scotland). Anyway methods simple enough. Hammer some nails half-in to the sides of the timber and bend them downwards. Lay them in a bed of coarse cement ,level and let set. Once the cement has set the track can be pinned to the timbers then finally an application of fine grey rock ballast will finish it off,but I aion't quite there yet !  Just put down this old bit of of  track loose with a B&O coach to give you an idea. I've used this method time and again and its bullet proof.  Cheers  DAVY 

Davy,

Couple of questions which may help us better understand the application:

Specifictly what grade of what wood do you use?  Actual size?

Describe your annual climate?  Temp, wind, humidity, rainfall, frost depth?

Thanks, tt

Davy,

great project. Thanks for sharing with us your experiences, expertise and progress.

Have you thought about installing a large electrical bus for feeding the rails and all future DCC accessories along your tracks, in the cement?

Tom,

Davy lives in Scotland. Weather is as we all know the opposite of the californian weather to say the least. Wind, rain and frost are in abundance.

Yves

Hi Guys ,

          The timber I'm using is just pressure treated bog standard soft-wood,probably scots pine ,larch or spruce. As you can see from these two attached pics the marks of the old G scale sleepers or "ties" as you guys call them can be seen.

 I'm re-using the timber from the G scale layout.Its been in the ground in cement for years and its still sound. Size wise its about 1 and 1/4 " by 3/4". These two pics were taken at the end of todays efforts. Was sunny all afternoon,now the rain's on. As for weather,we get all sorts but even though we are well north the gulf stream keeps our temperatures reasonably moderate. I believe a bit comparable to the Vancouver area in Canada or so I'm told. Plenty rain and totally unpredictable...ha ha !!

 As for putting piping in Yves,na , nothing fancy in that department. Any sound effects or whatever will be on board the locos.     

Bog Standard you say?  Hummm.......

Davy     Are you using Peco code 143 or Bull Nose rail, and have you considered possibly Aristo Crafts Revelation, Im still considering using this with MTH's DCS.

Stephen from Down Under        (cTr...Choose the Right)

Hi Stephen I'll probably go with Bullhead rail. Just been out working on laying timbers to take the curves. Beautifull morning then turned to rain,however I got on not too bad. I'm goin to make a single track Y coming off one side of the mainline and into the shed alongside the house this will let me turn locomotives or whole trains . You can see roughly where I'm goin with it. And boy is it rough at present !!  ha ha . However watch this space .It'll look the part once the track and ballasting and landscaping's done. (I hope !) As for train control,I haven't a clue as yet. 1st thing is gettin the track down then I'll get my head round the electronics. Cheers  DAVY 

Hi Guys , as for this construction method,we can get quite severe frosts here in Scotland but nothing like some parts of the USA/Canada etc. So you'd need to consider that. However ,we've had some hard frosts the last couple of years and the G scale track on its timbers bedded in a layer of cement was absolutely fine. Also if you keep your track well drained, naturally where water can't gather the effect of it when it freezes is much less. I remember discussing this with a couple of Canadian G scalers years ago who live in severe cold weather areas and thats their rule of thumb, keep water away you keep the effects of frost away. That was their advice and it makes sense. There is more work involved in this method ,but when its down its down. I tried most of the suggested methods in books and magazines by the so called "experts" for laying track in gardens, small trenches with gravel and all the rest and to be honest most of them I found to be totally useless,maintenance iontensive and a pain in the butt. I also found that Peco nickel silver flexi track was miles better than anything by LGB or Aristocraft ,brass or stainless steel. Anyway guys thats what's been my experience to date with G ,so I don't expect O scale to be any more problematic.  DAVY

Hi Guys, here's yours truly doing some scenery on the layout . A wee bit heavier than indoor stuff !!  The area I'm workin on was previously the old G scale engine facility.

My first batch of Peco track arrived today from England ,so i'm hopin to get some down later today. Cheers  DAVY   

Following this with interest. Thanks

Hi George, just started to lay some track when on came the rain,so thats all for today.!  Managed to lay out a few yards but it isn't straightened out or pinned down yet. Once thats done I'll get it ballasted. Cheers  DAVY

Can't wait for more updates!

Coupla of questions if I may:

What do bull head rail joiners look like??

In your track selection did you consider Lenz products?

Have you tested Peco flange / frog issues with your equipment? tt

A while back I was considering O scale in my back yard but I've thought it may be a bit too difficult.  Your post is encouraging.

Also do you do anything extra to the ties for UV protection? What about problems with the sun heating up the rail and melting the plastic ties? I have a Radio Controlled o scale engine and was also thinking of running my trains outdoors but on a raised area approximately a meter high.

 Hey looking good there Davy. I mentioned taking out all my "G" scale track the other day to my wife and almost got killed. I'll have to wait until you get alittle further along before I approach that subject again. Anyway keep up the great work.

Chuck

Hi Guys,

          heres some pictures of the Peco O scale Bullhead track. (As for Lenz or anything German,generally I won't touch it with a bargepole primarily down to cost.Anything from Germany usually costs an arm and a leg and frankly in my opinion  is usually over-rated. I was also into N gauge for years and found Japanese KATO and Micro-Ace etc., to be way superior to German stuff and about half the price. I  have also just bought some japanese Z scale steam locos and rolling stock by Tenshodo running on the new Rokuhan track and again the detail and operation leaves German Z scale well in 2nd division. And to be very honest in G scale I found LGB/Aristo/USA trains track to be crude compared to Peco. As far as I'm aware Peco O gauge track has the same UV/weather resistant qualities as their G scale stuff.

 My hard experience in G scale was to stay well away from all brass track by any manufacturer. Its a nightmare when dirty. Trains struggling on brass always took off when they hit nickel silver track ,seemed to conduct better and also the rails take on a pleasing dark colour as they weather. Anyway guys,heres some pics. The rail joiners are exactly as in HO or N gauge. Simple push on fish-plates. Come in packs of 24.

 The switch shown is the basic one, 6ft radius 8degree turnout. Also meant to say,I tried a "Golden Gate" B&O heavyweight coach with 6wheel trucks thru the switches today,went as smooth as a swiss watch.     Cheers  DAVY  

Davy,

years ago I was this close to building an O scale layout out in the garden, and was going to use the stone dust (crusher fines) in the trench method to avoid frost heaving. seeing your plank-in-the-mud (cement) method seems qute inviting to try. we do get pretty hard freezes here, for weeks on end. proper drainage away from the ROW would be very important.

I am enjoying your progress quite a bit. have at it!

Hi Chris,

         For sure,I can only vouch for my experience with our local climate. Real deep-hard frost as in Northern states /Canada etc., like I said earlier I was advised that the secret is keeping water well away from the right-of-Way. Note that most of my track this time round is being laid on top of timber faced walling which was previously retaining walls with flowerboxing on top, and even where the track is still going to be nearer ground level its laid on a cement base laid on broken rubble/bricks etc . So its up out of the water. The ballasting of the track is goin to be an experiment for me this time round. When I ballasted the G scale track I simply brushed 6mm crushed rock chips between the(sleepers) "ties" on top of the cement. However 6mm chips this time round I think will look too big against O scale.So I am going to try brushing a dry mix of cement and grey stone ("quarry-stoor" as we call it in Scotland),ie quarry "dust" in English ! It has the consistency of heavy sand. I watched a guy on a Garden railway television programme from England use this method and it looked superb. The dry ballast/cement powder mix is applied and shaped with a brush then either left for overnight dampness to set the cement or in very dry weather give it a spray with a fine atomizer water spray like hairdressers use. It is a wee bit time consuming but really does look good. Anway,we'll see soon enough.BUT tomorrow its to rain here BIG TIME so there'll be no ballasting tomorrow by the looks of it !

 Anyway,upwards and onwards as and when eh ?... cheers  DAVY   

Also meant to say guys, using a waterproofing agent in all cement work is a good idea too.   DAVY

Tom ,you asked what the rail joiners look like.just exactly like HO or N gauge joiners.Took this pic for you.

Davy not to get off subject but why did you dismantle your awesome G scale B&O layout seen in the previous pictures? That seemed to be quite a layout, why the foray into 2 rail O scale outdoors?