# My first garden Train



## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)

I have just stated my first outdoor train around our pond. We never seemed to have the room to set up my old HO trains. I worked on cars for 25 years and had to stop because of my back which also kept me from doing things at the house. Our oldest boy was paralyzed in a car accident last year and lives here in our old living room .The only place we could set up a train. So with no money to spend...I laid out a couple hundred feet of new bright track I picked up at a thrift store for Ten dollars Four years ago .Laid it on top of the fence board that use to be my garbage can enclose until I had to tear it down to build a handicap ramp. .I am now gaveling it with small gravel I found on the side of the road... We bought a scientific toys train with a remote and are buying some extra cars on eBay. All the sites I look at on outdoor trains always look down on people with plastic track and fifty dollar trains. .I would love to have 500 dollar engines but for right now cheap and scrounging is the only way. I would post a picture but I cannot figure how .Any advice would be appreciated. This train takes my 10 year olds and my mind off what we have going on here.


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## bicyclexc (Mar 31, 2010)

Good work keeping everything as inexpensive as possible. I don't see anything wrong with plastic track, more then 50% of my aluminum track is really still plastic anyway cause of the ties. Maybe a little paint and no one will know. Just don't step on it or its probably lights out. 

My best advice is keep it modest and enjoy your hobby with your family and friends. That's where the value is, not in expensive models. 

I've been 'working' at this hobby for almost 5 years now. I have 1 engine, 15 cars and 1 caboose and a 250ft layout, but what I love most is sharing the trains with others, and landscaping the garden with my parents and girlfriend. 

Tackle projects as time and resources permit. Definitely save some dimes for the YORK, PA train show in March (if you're on the east coast, big assumption.) 

GOOD LUCK!


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Open an account on PhotoBucket to host your pictures then copy/paste the links to display here. 

Andrew


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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)

That you for the support .Since our sons accident we have gotten more support from people who don’t know us or did not know usewell .Our so called friends are no were to be found and some came to live with us soon after while my wife was in Fl. With our son .They stole from us. The moral of this that I tell everyone these days .During time of tragedy you will find out who your real friends are


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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/...7c5e39.jpg


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## jwalls110 (Dec 12, 2012)

Very nice!


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Welcome to the site M&A. Do you have a first name you wish to use? 
Yep, I totally agree with you on what you said about finding out about the true nature of people. Life is too short to entertain the fakers. Ditch them!

Now you have a PhotoBucket site... Right Click->Copy Image. (Sometimes you need to click on the magnifier there to fully display the image for that to work)
When you post here click 'Reply' or 'Edit' and Right Click->Paste. ('Quick Reply' wont work, only good for text).
Then they display like below: (I also added width="800" in the 'img' tag via HTML view so to not stretch the page too wide). 

Andrew


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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)

My name is mark my youngest son is Aidan hence M&A


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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)

My name is mark my youngest son is Aidan hence M&A


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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)

My name is mark my youngest son is Aidan hence M&A


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Hello Mark,
The server is a bit slow to respond sometimes and sits there like a stunned mullet. You must have triple clicked!









Andrew


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## JPCaputo (Jul 26, 2009)

Hi, for low price trains, I've gone to thrift shops, goodwill and others, now and then you can pick up cars and engines for a few bucks.


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Mark, Bachmann have a 20% off sale at the moment with the code 'TREAT'. Their 5th generation 4-6-0 chassis with metal rods are only $40 with price reduction. (Careful which one you choose some are plastic rod Big Haulers). They would make an ideal base for a battery set-up. Better than toy locos. 
I have some 2-6-2 Buddy L (Keystone) locos I will put on top of the Bachmann chassis with modification. 

Andrew


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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)

All of our cars have the large two axles even the new bright cars don't kook right but the large wheels help it stay on the track better


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

You've got more track laid down than I have...it looks like a good start to me.


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## catherine yronwode (Oct 9, 2013)

Hey Mark (and Aidan), 

You have more track laid down than i do, either. I am just starting by buying one locomotive, a Bachmann Big Hauler, and some cars for it to pull. I hope to start laying track within the next month. I have no buildings yet, and will add them slowly. 

Good luck with your layout, and keep posting photos!


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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)




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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)

The pond was already there it has seven eight inch gold fish, The lighthouse is hooked into the low voltage lighting and it flashes at night and the windows light up ,.I did that myself.. Low voltage lighting is 12v AC ,it will light 12v DC bulbs (automotive bulbs ).This is how I will light the buildings. It will not run a DC motor unfortunately


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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)




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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)

this was suppose to be a vidio


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## M&A Train Line (Oct 30, 2013)

Well my son and I are still at it .The road bed is looking good and we are now planning to add a passenger train. We want a B&O Bachman big hauler (battery operated because of our plastic track. I have a Ho Athearn B&O diesel with 5 cars but with our situation with our other son we have no place to set it up .We are planning to try to set it up at Christmas under the tree along with my Fathers pre war Lionel and my Tyco Sprit of 76. (I got it new Christmas of75) But most of all we are having fun, we are also scratch building a freight station .I have plenty of cedar .wish us luck.


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

FWIW this is a good time of year to pick up cheap plants to landscape the outdoor layout. Check garden centers and big box stores that sell garden items. EG, I just got a few dwarf arbor vitae (small tree like shrubs) for $2 each at Home Depot. And have fun 

Jerry


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## adir tom (Dec 4, 2011)

Is there a local G scale club you could join? If funds are an issue, I am sure they could accommodate you as an honorary member. They can offer advise, often muscle power for the heavier jobs. Many have rolling stock in need of repair which they may give or sell at a nominial cost. Most of all they are people with common interest which you can share experiences and have fun with.


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## OBB_LGB (Nov 19, 2010)

Wow, this sounds great. Those Big Haulers pop up on craigslist.org for very little money. Here's a brand new set for $80, but in craigslist terms that means they would take $50-60: 

http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/clt/4213873560.html 

Best of luck!


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