# Starting my 1st Garden Railroad [Tips&Help Required][Pictures Included]



## thequietdutchman (Jun 30, 2014)

(THIS POST IS NOT FULLY FINISHED, YET)

Greetings everyone, 

My Name is Dean from the Netherlands and i am starting my first Garden Railroad.. 
Now i am not really to advanced in starting it for the first time and i have done a Little bit of reasearch on how to construct one, 
now i have found this Forum and was hoping maybe some others can give me advice or tips how to do this great.


Things i Need help with:
- Something to plan my track.
- An easy way to construct Trestle bridges myself, or what Wood i should use/how to make it be able to handle rain/thunder that it does not float away or anything like that.
- Wirering/Electrical for lights. (Use PVC pipes?)
- Right now i use an LGB where i can make only 1 Train run with, Now how can i make it that i can run multiple Trains on the track without constantly changing the amount of power i add to the track.
- I want to make steep hills/cliffs like this: http://puu.sh/9SNfN/716d8dd63e.jpg
http://puu.sh/9SNiL/38e3930d17.jpg
http://puu.sh/9SNov/90792609ec.jpg
( How can i construct those things?, without having it break after years of either Floating away..)
- How could i raise my track? Use dirt or anything? I have a around 150/250 square bricks i can also use.

Features i would like to Add:
- Waterfall
- River leading next to a small raised track, you can look at this Image to see what i mean: (http://puu.sh/9SMFw/bb95c04fc1.jpg)
- Bridges (Wooden Trestle's or any other recommendations)
- Train Yard, (Idea/Tips required)
- Turning Table
- Tunnels
- Usefull storage System / Compact storage system
- Use of plants and Detail!

Garden Images:
(Image Below) In the Corner where you see the metal pole, There will be a large shed where i will be storing my Trains, 
I will be making a hole in the side with the size of me being able to let 2 tracks run trough the hole, 
i was thinking about making 2 wooden trestle bridges run towards the inner Loop and the outer loop


























The White bricks that lay around the grass, it basicly goes all around the grass in our garden, now i was thinking about running track where the White bricks are located, 
now i also wanted to raise the track around so it Looks alot better, now i am not sure on how to make it raise there, Any tips or ideas? (I wanted to make this the inner Loop)


















(Image Below) The Three threes in the back and the crappy old hut/wierd constructed shed will be removed once our Construction in the backyard is done, then my Garden Railway Project can start.










My Rolling Stock:


















































At last:
I hope this was Abit enough Information for you guys to give me some ideas on how i could run my track and also add additional Details, 
Links to Websites for me to order some good products that are not to expensive to have them shipped from the United States to the Netherlands (Europe),
Shipments from the United Kingdom are also fine.

Contact:
You are welcome to contact me for tips and links to Website by Messaging me just by posting on this thread,,

Email: [email protected]
Skype: lotus.1


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## White Deer RR (May 15, 2009)

Welcome Dean! There are plenty of design issues to contemplate for sure. There are some very talented people who post here and I won't give advice on stuff I have not done, hopefully some of them can weigh in.

But I too live in a generally wet, cool climate (Pacific Northwest) and I tried to take into account how my property naturally drains, and planned for bridges and culverts, just like the real railroads. This will help a lot with keeping things from floating away. Also, plan your water features so ground water cannot get into it.

I've been researching trestles and I decided to use this as my template:

http://www.riograndesouthern.com/RGSTechPages/_bdwhite/rgstec1.htm

I am still in the beginning stages of my trestles, but the way most people seem to put them together in the US is by making a jig and using Western Red Cedar, wire nails or brads and outdoor wood glue. Unfortunately I am unfamiliar with European lumber supplies.

A lot of people have written favorably of Smith Pond Junction, which sells scale lumber and kits. The do appear to ship internationally:

http://www.spjrr.com/sp/index.php

Best wishes.


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

Welcome! Looks like you've got a nice space there.

For track planning I use Scarm, a free software. I find it works better with sectional track, but it's easy enough to use sectional track in the planning software, even if you'll be using flex to build your actual railway (to, for instance, make sure you hold to a certain minimum radius or maximum gradient.) It's not hard to draw by hand - many of us probably did for years.

With your trestle bridges, do you propose to build your entire railway this way, or just some sections? I built a few bents (uprights) with the intent of constructing a portion of a modular elevated railway - but that is intended for indoor, portable use, and I made no effort to build for long term use outdoors. I used prototypical construction, copied from photographs on the internet, and assembled with bolts and nuts. I haven't completed this, though; it's just a bunch of bents at this stage.

Your railway needs to be anchored to the ground or heavy enough to avoid wind. I planned to use mine indoors, so didn't worry. Wood should be a species suitable for use outdoors. Redwood seems to be popular, or cedar. I'd just pick something available locally. Outdoors, you will maintain your railway! 

I use solar lights outdoors, bought from the home supply store. If I wanted switched accept or structure lighting on a railway, I'd still buy lights intended for garden / landscape application. They're made for it, and produced in much larger quantity so the scale economies are there.

To run multiple trains on one track, it sounds like you need either battery or a DCC system. I haven't yet bought either in large scale (I'm used to DCC in HO), but I'm strongly leaning toward non-powered track. (I just ordered my first steamer, so steam + battery for any electric I wish to run outdoors seems like how I will go.) DCC gives convenient control of many trains, sounds and light effects, and accessories like switches and signals. But, you have to buy the system, a decoder for each piece of equipment, and clean the track. 

I'll leave it at that for now. You've asked a lot of questions, so I'm sure there'll be many answers!


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

I would leave the three trees to block off the view of the neighbors and make the track snake around them to the shed. Having everything run straight along the edges is boring. Trains look best as they go around various corners as the prototypes do in undulating terrain. 
A generous curve in the square corner by repositioning the white bricks will give a small garden space for some miniature spruces etc. in the foreground which will be more in scale with the trains.

Andrew


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

What a beautiful "canvas" (property) to begin with. Thanks for explaining your objectives, I'll be following your journey in this.

With regard to your steep mountainside interest, I've been going through a project that may be of relevance. You'll see some amazing things that others have done.

http://forums.mylargescale.com/17-gardening-landscaping/35106-new-mountain.html

Warmest welcomes --

===>Cliffy


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## thequietdutchman (Jun 30, 2014)

@Garratt 
The three trees are Abit in my way, i was thinking about making a main raised floor ( maybe 60cm or anything raises as a main base. And from there on make hills or anything like that. )

@BigRedOne 
I will give this program Scarm a try and see how it turns out, i will upload a photo later if it works out good.
I also noticed that i cannot use the 30* degree turn, it was to small and my large locomotives allready derailed, so i wll be getting some larger turns, for the trestle Bridge i wanted ot make one striaght trestle Bridge, and a trestle Bridge that leads to the storage shed will go downwards and in a small curve that goes slightly left and right.

@White Deer RR
I started thinking of constructing my own trestle bridges since i did notice the site you linked i have spotted it before, He charges a large amount for just that Piece of Wood. i rather assemble them myself. it could not be that hard could it be? I have found this Video wich i think is pretty usefull?: 




Thankyou for all of your fasts responds.!
-Dean


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

I was wondering if it was being raised or not considering it was going into the shed.
Some fine clipped English box etc. under the raised track in some sections will give an embankment look without having to use earth.
Lovely green back yard. 

Andrew


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## White Deer RR (May 15, 2009)

@ThequietDutchman---

If you have a table saw or access to one, it's certainly a huge savings to cut your own wood. My neighbor and I just ripped eight 5/8th" by 6 feet fence pickets in about two hours, including the time it took to move all the stuff in his garage to get to the table saw. Some mistakes were made, but I'm saving those scraps for cribbing and anything else that comes to mind. 

I just assembled a smaller version of a jig, because my bents aren't very tall, and it's definitely worth it. You can use your first bent to assist you in building the jig. Personally I will never again leave any connection to glue alone, everything will be glue and stainless wire nails for me.

At the suggestion of someone on this board, I am experimenting with a wood preservative called Copper Green, brown color. (Confusing name, huh?) I like the way it looks, just not sure if I like working with it. But everything is going to be stained at the very least, and I plan on painting some scraps of pressure treated lumber gray for use as a ground contact footing.

I hadn't given wind affecting the trestle much thought. Mine is going to be screwed to wooden abutments at either end, but I guess some "garden staples" might not hurt. BTW, the abutments are pressure treated lumber for ground contact, with 1/2 inch "timbers" screwed to the face and stained walnut color.


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## FlagstaffLGB (Jul 15, 2012)

I lived in Germany for more than ten years. I know that LGB had a network of outdoor train buffs that would often open their home (or back yard) to you for viewing their operation. Most were very impressive. You might also look into local clubs. Wood was always difficult in Germany and expensive....I'm sure you'll find the same is true. Good luck with your project.


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## thequietdutchman (Jun 30, 2014)

So yea, dont mind my painting skills i didnt really quite figure out how to use this program.. However, this is what i got sofar.. i will probably be adding a few more things like a Yard but im not sure where.


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## thequietdutchman (Jun 30, 2014)

And also, like i announced earlier that i was thinking about removing those three trees, it will probably only be the Center/middle one that i will remove and make the track Loop around it.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

There are several books about starting a garden railroad. Google Books has them online:
https://www.google.com/search?q=get...ng&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&tbm=bks

And I think Mr K has one on the Kalmbach website?
http://www.kalmbachstore.com/12415.html


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

I also used a table saw for my bents. In addition, I had a zero-clearance insert (important for making small lumber), precision mitre fence (quickly and accurately gives angled cuts) with stop (repeatedly cuts to the same length), and a mitre saw (good for angled ends.)

I did not use, but should have, a drill press. I drilled freehand, and consequently the pieces are not interchangeable. That's really only relevant if one piece needed replacing, though.

Clamps are just to see how everything fits; assembly is by nuts and bolts.


Trestle bent-2 by BigRedOne45mm, on Flickr


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## thequietdutchman (Jun 30, 2014)

This Weekend i will be starting construction and i will upload a few Pictures.


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