# New Guy- Few Questions



## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

Hello Group- My name is Eric, new to the group, and I live in Central Minnesota. I'm going to be building my first garden railroad this spring, which all of us here hope spring arrives soon. My wife and I own some acreage and are looking at building on it in a 3-5 year window. In the mean time I figure this is a good time to learn some of the basics. 
I've been model railroading HO scale for 25+ years and have been using DCC for 13 or so years. Started with small HO layouts first, then built larger. Figure this will help in the garden aspect too. 
As for the garden I'll be using Aristocraft and USA brass track. I plan on using my Digitrax system for train control. I've already installed QSI Titan Magnum 10 amp decoders in the engines. 
Some of my questions are: 
- Here in Minnesota temps range from -40 below zero windchill in winter to 100+ heat index in summer. Being this is a temporary layout I'm thinking of ideas that are best for the roadbed. 1) Putting the track on crushed rock and letting it free float. 2) Putting green treated posts in the ground and using 2x6 green treated boards on top of the posts for the roadbed. Screw the tracks to that and cover with crushed rock. Suggestions? 
- I'd like to have a passing siding. I've looked at the Aristocraft and USA #6 switches. Do I use a piece of flex track to line the diverging track so it runs parallel next to the main track? Guess I can't see how using sectional track will allow this to work. 
- Any ideas for a weatherproof building for storing the control system? I plan on taking the Digitrax command booster in when the layout is not in use. It's just that sometimes in summer one can get caught off guard by a rain shower. 
- I've heard of some people using tent anchors for holding buildings down. Again, depending on the weather and for sure winter storage, I'd bring the buildings inside. Just thinking for those days the wind picks up to 20-30 mph. Thanks in advance for any tips!


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Just free float it on crushed rock, that's what the railroads do. Especially with it being temporary. Some guys just lay down shingles or rolled roofing also. You put poles down in the ground you have to go below the frost line or they will heave up. 

I use code 250 SVRR flex track and their switches. Code 250 looks LOTS better with the trains than the larger code 332 of Aristo/USA/LGB. Plus it is less material, so costs less. Get two sections of each and you'll see how they compare. 

SVRR switches are known for their reliability, can't say that of the other brands.

I'd keep all electronics inside, mine are in the garage, just have a line running out to the track, my remote hooks okay to inside.

For anchoring buildings I use the u shape landscape spikes. I attach small L brackets to the building and poke them down through the holes. Heavier buildings I don't have any problems with.

later, JErry


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

Jerry-

What kind of rail are you using? Everything I've read, so far, is brass is the way to go outside if using DC/DCC. It has the best conductivity and you can soldier it. Looking at SVRR website and I see they have Ni-Silver and Stainless.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

If Nickel Silver is an option, I'd be tempted to go with that for no other reason than aesthetics. It's got the conductivity and solderability attributes of brass, but a more prototypical color to the tops of the rails when compared to brass (which is why it has virtually eliminated brass rail in the smaller scales). Outdoors, it will weather naturally to a nice blackish-brown color on the sides so there's no reason to have to paint it as you would with stainless steel for a prototypical appearance to the track. 

Brass would be my next choice. Easy to work with and like NS, weathers naturally to a reasonable blackish-brown color. Yeah, the tops of the rails are going to be yellowish-gold instead of silver. 

I have nothing against stainless steel. Many who use it swear by it, saying it has so many advantages over brass track to where they'll never go back. For my money, the fact that I'd have to paint the rail in order to give it a prototypical appearance is a dealbreaker for me. There are enough folks who run brass rail very successfully outdoors (including the club railroad I frequently operate on) to where the electrical benefits of using stainless steel aren't--to my thinking--enough to _necessitate_ the expense. Use it if you want--certainly not having to clean the rails as often as brass is attractive, but don't feel you have to in order to get reliable electrical operation outdoors.

Know that outdoors--even if you use stainless steel track--you're going to have to clean the track to get the dirt and dust off of it--especially if you have a sprinkler system or live in a rainy climate where ballast is frequently splashed around. At the museum where I run, we use drywall sanders with 250-grit sandpaper or green scotchbrite pads attached to them. It cleans off the dust and polishes the top of the rail nicely. 

(I'm battery powered on the home railroad, so I don't worry about conductivity issues there. I use brass because that's the only material AMS (Accucraft) offered at the time.)

Later,

K


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I have NS, but they do have brass listed. If you are doing DCC, I'd go stainless. The NS cleans of easily with a track cleaning car, but the stainless just needs a wipe, I guess. I've never seen it, only heard about it. You can't go wrong with SVRR.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Eric:

Welcome and thanks for a nice introduction to your interests and location.

Many first time posters neglect to mention where they live. Many of the answers to their questions depends on where they are located.

I have been running outside since the early 80s on crushed rock as ballast. I like it. It is easy to change your track plan if needed. I have had garden railroads in Colorado (1983-1993) and Virginia (since 1993). 

Make contact with fellow Garden Railroaders in Minnesota. Learn from their experience. I was able to run year round in Denver and in Virginia, a luxury you may not have where you live. Any fixed roadbed support will be subjected to frost action. 

What works in warmer climates may not work for you.

I have been using brass track, LGB and Aristo, for 30+ years and I am happy with it. It needs to be cleaned and polished frequently. I use a dry wall sander and a green scotchbright pad. It take me a minute or two to clean the track.

The weakness for outdoor track power, DCC or straight DC, is the rail joiners. I use rail clamps and two types of screws through the track to secure the connections.

Chuck


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

We are in central Iowa running DCC on NS track. I believe my biggest problem with track power here is a mature canopy of trees, sap, leaves, twigs. I keep all electronics inside and use a wireless remote. Jerry is right with SVRR, they have a great selection. We handle his products as well as others. AML code 332 brass is at about $5 a foot. SS is generally considered the best for track power.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I live in Massachusetts and all of my receivers and power supplies are outdoors in a water proof metal cabinet. Been working for over 10 years and I never bring them indoors. I use the Aristocraft/Crest 27mhz system with the added 55475 switch controllers for my LGB Epl drives.
I do keep my transmitters indoors (batteries will freeze) as well as my engines (batteries for sound will freeze).


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

chuck n said:


> I have been using brass track, LGB and Aristo, for 30+ years and I am happy with it. It needs to be cleaned and polished frequently. I use a dry wall sander and a green scotchbright pad. It take me a minute or two to clean the track.
> 
> Chuck


Chuck-

I assume you have switches, any passing sidings? I'd like to use Aristo or USA #6 switches, but how do you get the diverging (passing ) track to run parallel to the main. In HO scale I use flex track, bending the flex track to line things up.


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

Treeman said:


> We are in central Iowa running DCC on NS track. I believe my biggest problem with track power here is a mature canopy of trees, sap, leaves, twigs. I keep all electronics inside and use a wireless remote. Jerry is right with SVRR, they have a great selection. We handle his products as well as others. AML code 332 brass is at about $5 a foot. SS is generally considered the best for track power.


Mike-

I've looked at your website before. I think I figured its about a 4-5 hour drive from where I am. Might have to plan a road trip this spring, plus I could railfan the UP along part of the way.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Eric:

On my two layouts I have two passing sidings on each. On the permanent layout in Virginia I use LGB 18000 series switches and 18000 curves. The diameter of the curves on the track and switches is about 15' The curves match the switch in length and diameter, so it is very easy to get the track parallel.

Pictures of the Virginia layout passing sidings.




















I have a temporary winter layout on the patio in Arizona when we are there. On this layout I use LGB 16000 switches and curves (8' diameter).










Chuck

PS: All my mainline curves, both layouts, are Aristo wide radius (10' diameter, 5' radius). If LGB had the 18000 series curves in the market when I build the Virginia layout I would have used them instead. No room for them on the Patio. Everything runs through the 10' d curves, but the overhang of the USAt streamliners is a little bothersome, visually. I have some long locomotives, USAt's GG-1 and SD70Mac. They will pull freight cars with truck mounted couplers off the track entering the curves. No problem with body mounted Kadees ("G").


On the VA layout I have an LGB 1015U at each end of the two sidings and on the mainline. At one end of each siding I have a plug across the gap. I can energize or disconnect the siding with the plug.

In AZ I also use the 1015Us, but I have a diode across the gap instead of the plug. This allows me to reverse the polarity on the track and stop train "A" and start train "B" in the opposite direction.


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## Don5 (Nov 25, 2009)

Central Minnesota? Have you looked at the Minnesota Garden Railroad Society ( www.mgrs.org/ )? Also, have you seen their member garden track layouts on YouTube? www.youtube.com/user/MGRSClub


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

Don5 said:


> Central Minnesota? Have you looked at the Minnesota Garden Railroad Society ( www.mgrs.org/ )? Also, have you seen their member garden track layouts on YouTube? www.youtube.com/user/MGRSClub


Don I have seen MGRS. Visited their club railroad at the Wayzata Depot last summer. Of coarse I always think of questions after. Trying to get a game plan together as spring is coming. Hope to start construction after everything is thawed and dried out.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

ewarhol said:


> Mike-
> 
> I've looked at your website before. I think I figured its about a 4-5 hour drive from where I am. Might have to plan a road trip this spring, plus I could railfan the UP along part of the way.



We will be gone a few days to the ECLSTS and away for the National in Tampa. Other that those dates we look forward to seeing you.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

ewarhol said:


> Chuck-
> 
> I assume you have switches, any passing sidings? I'd like to use Aristo or USA #6 switches, but how do you get the diverging (passing ) track to run parallel to the main. In HO scale I use flex track, bending the flex track to line things up.



A numbered switch is not sectional so there isn't a section of track to match the reverse curve needed to parallel, you will need to bend flex, but then you get a more natural bend as you can add the easement spiral.
Welcome aboard.
You will encounter compromises for smaller gardens and tighter curves, but all in all, it's a Grand Scale

John


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

We have Aristocraft parallel adapters for #6 switches.


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## Robby D (Oct 15, 2009)

Aristo Craft made pieces of track that will make the #6 switch run parallel with your mainline. I have several of them in stock.


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