Garden Layout

[wartsilaone]

Here's the first phase of my garden layout. This part of the railway will be a city scene, maybe with a station but I'm not sure yet.

The awnings will continue along the fence and will shade the track in the hottest part of the day. They can be folded back for an unobstructed view. The railway will carry on along the other fence, through a tunnel and back over the waterfall where the more scenic part of the garden is. For now I'm working on making the woodwork water proof and doing a bit of Viaduct construction.

One view from the conservatory, the other from back of the garden.

 

More pictures to follow.

Alastair

[Blobby]

What gauge are you using?

[Matteo_IT]

A garden layout in N... WOW!

I think only N is too much delicate for wheater conditions...

[kvp]

You might have to uv protect the tracks somehow as the abs plastic is prone to yellowing and decomposing if exposed to natual uv light for prolonged periods. Also too high and too low temperatures tend to cause cracks in them and water (or high humidity) will cause the rails to rust which is not good for conductivity.

 

ps: It's not a surprise that you can actually buy indoor only and outdoor weather proof tracks in 0 and 1 scales.

[velotrain]

You likely know this, but the plastic in the viaduct base, the track itself, and any structures you put out there will not be UV resistant.  Everything the G-scale guys use is designed-intended for outdoor use.  

 

An alternative might be to build "modules", and only bring them outside on a temporary basis for running.

[velotrain]

GMTA

[Densha]

I fear a lot of problems like moist getting stuck in parts of well... practically everything I think. That means a huge chance of short circuits and maybe metal corrossion of the tracks which means that you will get more and more power problems as time progresses. Furthermore, if the layout is not completely dried before usage, moisture can get into the motors of your model trains. All other kinds of stuff that you find outside will probably make its way into your models too. And that's not even mentioning the UV thing that's written about above me. As everyone already said, I really don't think this is that good an idea if you want to enjoy your models for a long time.

[wartsilaone]

I will replace the Kato viaduct track with plywood, only Peco track will be left. Much of the track is on a level underneath the other and the rest is shaded by the blinds. There is a tree at the bottom of the garden which sheds leafs throughout the year so the top level will run under a plastic sheet. City scene will lift off and be put in storage for the winter. The tracks can be covered too. In the summer the garden is dry as a bone. I expect the woodwork will rot before the tracks break down. We'll have to see.

I have experience with garden railways but N gauge brings unique challenges which most wouldn't dare to consider but you'll never know if it work if you don't try it.

 

I dare say there will be remedial action needed here and there but so far so good.

 

I'll keep you posted

Alastair

[katoftw]

Seems like a great project.  It does have the flaws the others had mentioned.  But if you are happy to put in the time and effort to overcome these, then go for it.  Please keep us updated when you can.

[Spaceman Spiff]

N scale outside?? Who would have known? I hope it works out for you. Look forward to your progress.

 

Spiff

[Bernard]

Alastair - the photos were a surprise.....I was wondering how you were going to set up an N scale train outside.....I have the materials to build a Garden layout using LGB trains and track but once I researched what was involved I put the project on the "back burner".....so I congratulate you on starting your garden layout!

[POMU]

Alastair

  N scale garden layouts are rare, but not impossible.  Plug in "N Scale Garden Layouts" in your browser and you will find a lot of info.  However, you might want to build your layout in an outside shed, to avoid a lot of problems.

Good Luck and I hope this works out for you.

POMU

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Very nice start. Good choice going with the flex track.

 

Even a bit of UV will change color of plastic and heat will expand the flex track. So, compensate with slight gaps at the rail joiners and don't butt the rail ends together.

 

Offset them just like the real railroads do it. https://youtu.be/GKPB_-eFLEw

 

Just like laying bricks.

 

Using a liquid type track cleaner such as the CMX with a track oil may help prevent corrosion. Experiment first on some scrap track.

[wartsilaone]

Phase one of the railway is really taking shape even started on some scenery.

 

Alastair

[velotrain]

 However, you might want to build your layout in an outside shed, to avoid a lot of problems.

 

Wouldn't that be a shed layout, vs. a garden layout?

[kvp]

Actually a shed layout is problematic as well. One of the biggest problems is keeping the layout dry and temperature controlled. Large temperature swings and humidity can pretty much make the tracks (especially the turnouts) unusable very fast.

[Bernard]

Alastair - looking at the first photo (the train in the tunnel), does your layout start from inside and then goes outside to the garden area?

[wartsilaone]

Bernard, The railway goes through some previously installed shoji screens that partially hide a small area at the bottom of the garden. This is phase two of the railway, which I'm now completing is just beyond the tunnel and involves having the track run  under a clear plastic sheet to protect it from falling leafs.

In the future there maybe scope to route the railway through a shed which would give me room for sidings to store the trains when not in use. For now it's completely outside.  

[Oz_Paul]

Actually a shed layout is problematic as well. One of the biggest problems is keeping the layout dry and temperature controlled. Large temperature swings and humidity can pretty much make the tracks (especially the turnouts) unusable very fast.

Tell me about it!

 

Relocated from the toolshed within 3 weeks due to the above reasons along with the consequential loss of a cross-over and 3-point turnout!

 

More details to follow....

[velotrain]

Here's another take on small-scale garden railways.

 

This is a HOn30 garden layout I built for the 2007 National Narrow Gauge Convention micro layout contest (it won).

 

It was just temporary, and a major drawback was that I hadn't allowed for the track to be removed, so I had some major clean-up after spritzing the plants.  However, as I recall, I was able to keep it running pretty much continuously when the contest room was open.

 

 

If I did it again, I would use a moisture-proof sub-roadbed to define where the track goes, and only add the roadbed + track when actively running trains.  If you built it in a terrarium-like structure with a clear glass or plastic cover, I don't see why something like this couldn't be permanent.

 

The green "German" engine is from Yoshiya Kobayashi's Garage Models of Ginza Light Railways Club.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cteno4]

Very fun!

 

Jeff

[wartsilaone]

Hi guys, I finished work nice and early this morning and it was a really nice day so I got a bit more done in the garden. The banners arrived so I hung them up and spent the rest of the day under the tree,  This area of the garden is a nice place to sit on hot days as the tree give plenty of shade, However it constantly drops leafs and as a temporary measure I've enclosed the track in clear plastic.  

[kvp]

Is it a correct assumption that currently you have a dogbone double track layout without turnouts? I'm asking, because i can't find any photographs of the far end of your layout. Also i would like to ask about the power packs and the electric connections that you use to run the trains.

[wartsilaone]

Yes you are correct Kvp, though it's not finished yet.

Track has yet to travel along the other fence through a tunnel under the rockery, turn and go ever the waterfall before returning. The Kato power packs are inside. Both tracks have multiple feeds running from a main bus cable. I'm using 'Cheese block' connector strips While I build and test the track.  

[Kiha_120]

Here's the first phase of my garden layout. This part of the railway will be a city scene, maybe with a station but I'm not sure yet.

The awnings will continue along the fence and will shade the track in the hottest part of the day. They can be folded back for an unobstructed view. The railway will carry on along the other fence, through a tunnel and back over the waterfall where the more scenic part of the garden is. For now I'm working on making the woodwork water proof and doing a bit of Viaduct construction.

One view from the conservatory, the other from back of the garden.

 

More pictures to follow.

Alastair

 

Very brave using 'N' outdoors.  I wouldn't contemplate it personally - too small.  It's bad enough for OO/HO and even worse when running most of it actually at ground level itself (and even BELOW  in one or two places ) I also run trains (when the track isn't covered by clumps of moss that nesting birds haven't chucked about as they scavenge for insects etc ! ) in rain and snow - nothing has 'died' from getting wet so far and this railway has been in place for over 4 years, you might be pleased at the longevity of your trains especially as your lines are off the deck so to speak,  and provided you use nickel silver track,  rust won't even be an afterthought, although it WILL look 'rusty' if left unused for months, but the 'rust' coating comes off so easily.

You have done a very neat and tidy job, it looks great even now - looking forward to more updates.