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Semi-outdoor HO layout

2K views 19 replies 13 participants last post by  BMEGT691 
#1 ·
I am designing a new layout after a 25 year absence. When I dismantled my old layout, I converted my basement to a workshop and want to keep it that way.

I live in central Texas where we have long stretches of nice weather during the spring, summer and fall. I am thinking about a 30’ dog-bone layout built in sections that I can connect together easily in my back yard when I want to run my trains. Maybe I could cover the area with tarps overnight or in a bad stretch of weather. I have an indoor storage area where the sections could be stored when I am in to other things, which is about half the time.

I am not interested in scenery and just want to run long consists on level plain plywood with #6 turnouts and wide radius. I also want to give my grand daughters some good memories.

Everything I have ever read said this is a stupid idea. Can anyone encourage me?

Bill
 
#14 ·
I didn't realize how big G-scale trains were till I actually saw them running.


Damn impressive.
 
#5 ·
I love the idea! I have never done scenery, either. I really just love watching the engines rolling around, and making them better than when they were new. I will try scenery, whether I'm good at it or not, but it's okay with me just to watch them go on a piece of wood for now.
 
#6 ·
Sasha,
And that's what makes this hobby so much fun!
I personally seldom run my trains around their tracks. My "hot button" is scenery, lighting, and animation.
My 10X10 layout is a big salad bar of different scenes. From a campground, to a cemetery, to an Army base, an oil refinery, a downtown main street, a forest and tunnel, a lake and a river, and every thing in-between.
IMHO, watching trains to 'round and 'round is fun, but I much prefer creating "fantasy and atmosphere".
Enjoy the hobby and have fun,
Bob
 
#7 ·
Morning Mr. Bill and good to have you with us. I don't think your idea is bad at all except for one thing, setting up and taking down. I think you'll find that having to go set up the trains will be a lot of extra work whenever you want to run them. If you can build the layout so that the trains can run inside when your not using them (Into your storage area)
that would be great. Then you could just throw a cover over the outside part and not have to worry about taking it all apart and then putting it all together again. That's the only drawback I can see. Pete
 
#8 ·
Welcome to the forum.

Many, many people do out door rail roads in G scale and many do it with Lionel. I've never seen anyone do an outdoor layout in HO before. But it is something that I wanted to do as well so I took a couple lengths of Atlas flex track, nailed it to a piece of plywood, and stuck it outside where it got full sun all year to see how it held up. After a year and a half or so of mid-west sun and snow, the track was fine but the plywood was in poor shape.

I'm convinced that if you use proper wood for the track support, and code 100 track (maybe even paint the ties) that it will last a couple years before needing any serious maintenance. Of course you'll need to clean the rails on a regular basis but that should be expected.

That being said, if you can find a way to cover the switches during the winter months (always read they get damaged first) I see no problem with building a HO scale garden railway and not having to worry about set up or tear down.

I do agree with Norgale in that you should have a spur track that runs inside somewhere, or a spur track that allows you to run trains into a transport of some kind to make setting up your trains easier as you do not want to leave those out unless you're actively running them.

Or you could go with Lionel and there is a wealth of info out there about doing Lionel in the garden. And it's easier to see from across the yard.

Let us know what you decide.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for the feedback. I am a realist and realize this probably won’t work. Even if my idea survived the weather, dust would do me in and is more than I want to deal with. I am not going to give up on the idea. My equipment has been stored for 15 years. I am going to start with a 44” circle on a 4’ x 4’ module in my existing workshop and take my time and get my engines and equipment in working order. As I progress, I will make more modules and either put them up on my workshop when I want to run trains or move them outside when the weather is going to be good for a spell and when the grandchildren are coming for a visit. It is time to make memories.
 
#12 ·
I imagine there hardly any humidity in Texas. It;s the worst thing for model trains including extreme heat and extreme cold. I would say build a shed or buy one and seal, insulate and use a window unit. HO just would never suceed outdoors like G.
 
#13 ·
Tyco, I live in the Hill Country of Texas, and humidity is next to nothing much like Arizona or New Mexico. Most winter days are nice, and you can play golf in the summer until 1 or 2 PM. We average 20 inches of rain per year, often all in one day. There is a fine dust in the air that settles on things.
 
#15 ·
I live in Florida. My layout is in my garage. I designed it with two turnouts that head out the garage door, at the correct height to connect to my modular group's layout. A couple of times a year, when good weather is forecast, we connect the modular layout (outside) to my layout (in the garage) and run. We have left it up for more than a week, covering it with light plastic drop cloths which we clamp down.

Only problem we have ever had is condensation on the back side of the drop cloths so we have to be a little careful when we remove them to run.
 

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#20 ·
Bill,

All of the track on the modules is code 100, on cork, with ballast and scenery. The picture showed it during a setup. The buildings, vehicles, etc. had not been put on yet. These are the same modules we set up at shows, etc. Only the two special modules used to connect the inside with the outside have no scenery but the track is on cork roadbed.

Because the sun can be pretty hot here we usually open patio umbrellas or hang a very large tarp from the side of my house to posts outside the layout thus covering it from the sun. We do not count on this for rain protection. Usually we only set up if the forecast calls for 0%-10% chance of rain for several days in a row. Of course in Florida you are always taking a risk.

I am about to move and the new layout will have the same capability of connecting the inside to the outside.

One other thing. While the modules are all 2 x 4 standard, the connecting modules are 6' and are only clamped to the inside layout and the first outside modules. Thus they are pretty light. While I would not want to put up or take down the outside modules frequently, it is really not that much trouble with the help of the modular group. It would be more difficult for you as an individual, so build the sections as light as possible.

As for sound, the cork deadens any track sounds. Unfortunately the open space also dampens sound engines as there is no reverberation like in a closed room or garage. Close to the engine is OK, further away it is harder to hear.
 
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