# Do your buildings stay out or come in?



## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

The super says she would let me finally build my garden railroad, which involves tearing out some of her posies, if my collection of buildings stayed out along with the track (locos and cars would be allowed to come indoors). Now I have a few Korber kits that I wouldn't worry about leaving out in the elements--moderate sunlight, fine dust, not much rain, cool temps--but my pride and joy like my 1:20.3 station with the scratch-built windows would be a deal breaker as it is my showpiece. I suggested making covers--like giant teapot cozies--out of plastic or something, to cover the structures when I'm not train-ing. But the super says that would look ugly. So...

My question(s):

Do your buildings stay out?

Are they finescale or just boxes with a roof?

Where do you live (coast, desert, Buffalo, Elmira)?

Do you try to protect them from the elements?

P.S. The super has read and approves of this post (whew!).


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I have many buildings with my railroad that stay outside 12 months/year. They do suffer from that though. I have slowly learned that plastic holds up better than wood buildings. I have a lot of Piko buildings, some Aristo buildings, and some "other". Many of them have a lot of detail, but no question about it, they do weather and suffer over time, just like our 1:1 buildings!!

Ed


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

No, they _don't_ stay out! I have too much time and money invested in them to let them rot away in only a couple of years! Now, before any of you get your feathers ruffled, I absolutely have NO problem if somebody else wants to keep their buildings outside! This is just a personal preference of mine...


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## sbaxters4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Buildings and track are out year round.... only lost one building to weather damage and that was a bridge that was buried under a 6 foot snow drift. Too much weight even for the brass threaded rod, it snapped most of that off.....


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Joe, 
You know where I live and at this point the few structure kits I have are just that, still kits. Mostly due to a lack of storage space for assembled kits. The one exception would be the Aunty Em's house I ordered from the KCS show website after the show. I still need to order the figures for it though. It is currently residing in the living room on the entry table by the front door. 

At this point my plan is that they will all stay outside once placed at least most of the year. OF course I have yet to build contest quality...well... anything. I plan on a certain amount of rolling stock to stay outside too. 

Chas


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I'm in Southern California. My buildings stay out from the beginning of May to the end of September. I bring them in because of the Santa Ana winds (easy 60+ mph) that would scatter them throughout the neighborhood. When they are out, many get watered twice daily.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I have some POLA buildings that have been outside since I build my first garden railroad, about 1985. For about 8 years, they got a lot of sun in Denver, but here in Virginia (since 1993) they are mostly in the shade. They are left out year round. I've had to re-glue several of them. Some of the smaller pieces (stair rails, roof trim, chimneys, ladders, etc.) have fallen off or broken over the years. But they still look OK if you don't get too close. It is enough trouble to bring the cars and engines in to worry about the buildings. Besides, I don't have space for them inside.



Nancy and I do have some wood buildings that only go out for special events. 


Chuck


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I understand the reasoning for those who don't want to leave their buildings out all the time. My problem though is that I have the buildings for ME, and since I run my trains almost every day, 12 months a year, I don't know how to bring them in without hauling them in and out all of the time. When we get a hurricane warning, I'll bring them until that passes, but that is about it. I have roughly 35 buildings, and that is a lot of hauling! So I guess part of the reason I leave mine out is so I can enjoy them, and because I'm LAZY!

Ed


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

I live on Cape Cod and most of my buildings stay out. I have few that are boxes with roofs, a few that I put alot of work into but are too big to come inside and a few kits like an Aristo station that moves under the Xmas tree when it is time. I also leave out a handfull of rolling stock that I acquired for little dough. I like to look out a window onto the layout and see cars spotted next to buildings on a siding. When we get snow it is fun to see the roofs slowly emerge from it when it melts. The structures that I built are made out of wood. I know their life is limited in the harsh outside and I build them as tough as possible but they do look a bit more authentic as they begin to break down. You could build covers for your buildings but beware of bugs moving into them if they are left to sit and moisture could be more of an issue under a cover. I would say bring in the station you built and leave the rest out.


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## Dean Whipple (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm lucky to live in Southern California and all my buildings stay out all year long, some have been outside for ten years, some wood but mostly plastic, the plastic buildings do work better outside although they do need to occasionally need some TLC (re-gluing parts, and painting, etc)...









This water tank is made of wood and has been outside for about 10 years. The plastic hand car shed next to it has also been outside for 10 years, and as you can see it needs a little TLC, it actually gives me more trouble then the water tower....


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for your comments (keep 'em coming, though). Just so you know, everything I build is made of styrene, mostly 1/8 inch, except for things like windows, decking, trim. It's all painted with either Ceramcoat hobby paints or model railroad paints. Our climate here in coastal Southern California is pretty benign--mostly on the cool side except when there's a Santa Ana, which is rare. Winter, our rainy season, is a tossup. The last couple of years were dry, but this year we had record rains (for us) that caused some concern, though not in our hunk of suburbia, which is on higher ground. So, as I said, not much to harm things. We do, however, get this fine dust, from the beach sand which gets blown the half-mile to our house by the prevailing winds. Not harmful, but the stuff does build up. Of course, if I iinstall sprinklers, as opposed to drip irrigation, the water will wash of the dirt, ha, ha! 

To be honest, I've been hankering to move outdoors just to have more running room. I can easily do a 35 x 10 foot loop, folded dogbone, or whatever, and already have the Aristo track, which I bought before San-Val closed up shop and had one of their Screw-the-Big-Train-Show sales. BTW, me and the super had another chat today, but you already know how she feels. So I'm thinking. And thinking. And thinking...


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

Mine stay out 24/7 in the Colorado weather (hot and cold). I don't have many buildings, and nothing fancy. Just got some hail damage this year, but other than that I just need to repaint every few years (Note that I said I need to, not that is ever gets done







) 

If I had really high quality buildings, I would probably bring them in. The problem there is space. Where do you put them? I can see storing a few (3 or 4), but more than that, no way.


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## Russell Miller (Jan 3, 2008)

Joe,
If leaving them out gives you clearance to start building your railroad...*LEAVE THEM OUT!* Start building the railroad and enjoy the process and stop worrying about it. See how your buildings weather; I think you'll be surprised at how well they hold up. I'm a little worried about your choice in paints though, I usually tell people that good old house paints are going to hold up the longest outdoors. A lot of the model paints are not really UV-stable. Jack Verducci leaves most of his buildings out, he only brings in his contest winning models that have highly detailed interiors. Of course, some of his original 25 year old wooden ones need replacing...










Russ


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I have about 15 buildings All say inside right now as I am not ready to put buildings out

I will probably bring the plastic buildings inside due to the summer heat.

I plan on duplecatting all my platic buildings in Steel Then I can leave them out all year around.

I am having some reliability isues with my pasma cutter so my steel buildings are on hold.

JJ


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

All my structures are scratch-built, highly detailed and stay outdoors 24/7. I have no place to store them even if I wanted to, so they have to stay out.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Ray, I was wondering what you in particular do with your buildings, because I know that they are highly and beautifully detailed. Of course, you're a little drier out there--kinda east of SD, right? Our problem is moisture. Even in our garage, which admittedly isn't that tightly sealed (there's somewhat of a gap around the overhead garage door), stuff rusts. Plus we have had another crappy Spring/Summer with day after day of June Gloom, which becomes No Sky July and then Foggest August. Mornings are overcast, with the sun coming out between say, 10 a.m. and noon. Or not at all. Of course, when LA is sweltering we're in the 70s, so I guess I should be thankful. Anyway, no problem with the sun melting anything. 

Russ, what do you mean that you are worried about my choice in paints? Are you saying Badger or Polly Scale model railroad acrylics won't withstand UV rays? House paint, available in hundreds of hues, would certainly be cheaper. But could I spray it on? I'm not sure I could get the fine detail I like, slopping Behr on with a brush. This afternoon, I airbrushed all the window frames and sash of my small hotel with some Badger reefer white and despite what looked like puddles where I dumped on too much at once, the stuff came out looking great after it dried and looks as smooth as silk. Of course, it took me a while to clean my airbrush and I still have paint all over my fingers. Still, after painting 18 windows and two door frames, plus some trim, I barely used an ounce of paint and didn't send overspray flying around the garage (my painting area), which is what happens when I use a rattle can.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Actually I'm on the north end of San Diego, below Del Mar and just west of Miramar MCAS. 

It is pretty dry here but I still don't use much wood. I've only used it on the trestles and some mine structures (headframes and ore bins). When I do use wood it is all Western red cedar. 

For my buildings I try to use material that will hold up outdoors. Some are stone and mortar. Many are styrene, which itself is not UV safe but the paint seems to help. They're also protected with Krylon UV-resistant clear coat. I've found that Apple Barrel flat, craft acrylics are fairly good outdoors. In some cases I also use exterior grade latex house paint.


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## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Joe- As a former Buffalonian, you know what happens here during the "other" season- you know ... that season where the nasty white demon comes and takes all of the fun away..... a time when that dreadful white blanket of frozen tundra lays waste to all living creatures in its path....... that painful time of year when we're not sure if its worse to shovel more snow or watch the Bills lose another nail biter in overtime....... Well, when that season comes I'm bringing all of my stuff in (and I'll still waste another Sunday afternoon watching the Bills!). 


-Kevin.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Ah, Kevin, the Bills. My wife, aka The Super, is the real football fan, even if she's not from Bflo. She bleeds blue & red all over the place and even tried to rally the troops during Summer Camp in Pittsford a couple of years ago. But it's sad and we blame Ralph, who's a cheap ass and won't pay for good players or keep the great ones we get (ever notice how many former Bills go on the greatness with other teams)? But back to trains. Sorry you have all that white stuff to contend with. Builds character, though. BTW, one day while I was gardening in the front yard, I struck up a conversation with a neighbor who is not only from Buffalo's East Side, but was best friends with my across-the-street neighbor, living near Humbodlt Park. Talk about yer small world.


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Mine only come in during major hurricanes such as Rita and Ike. All my buildings are anchored to the ground so they won't blow away, but during a hurricane there is too much debris blowing around that would destroy them.


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