Running on grass.

[Gizzy]

I ran on grass while I sorted my marital problems out..........

Better than running on weed....

 

[Elmtree Line]

I ran trains for a while at my parents on grass, doesnt take long to whack some track down, or pull it up after the day or weekend. Kept the grass short otherwise it gets on the track and makes a wet mushy mess. Gave the railway a very old fashioned narrow gauge look.

http://www.youtube.com/music1radio#p/u/92/K0Xd0Xs2jbE < Link To http://www.youtube.com/mu...dio#p/u/92/K0Xd0Xs2jbE

 

[flyingsignalman]

Last year, to keep my spirits up, I put the track down on the lawn when the weather permitted (not very often then:impatient: )

 

[KeithT]

I had the layout on grass for nearly 2yrs but got fed up with lifting the track to mow.
I never managed to get the track back the same. It always ended up a differnt shape!
The most annoying part was cleaning the grassy crud off the drivers caused by the grass stems growing between the sleepers and being crushed by the wheels.

 

[whizzo]

Hi Roland ,Just an idea - i have mixed the ballast with cement - do this dry brush into place then use a watering can -- the flymo wont blow the ballast away - hope this helps Regards Dave

 

[Rhinochugger]

perhaps I might dig a 2 inch channel under the track, build it up with Pea gravel so that the track is at a "general" level with the earth. In theory, I should then be able to mow over the track. Anyone tried it?

In parts (use a bit of geotex under the gravel)

Also - Google for pictures of the Dismal Swamp Railroad (seriously)

 

[playmofire]

My battery powered RC Playmobil line usually runs round three sides of a small pond but when we were recently away for a few days I decided to move the track from around the pond and store it inside. However, as it was a fine, sunny day I decided that in the process I would set out a layout on the lawn to see how the loco ran over an undulating surface. Here are some photos of the trial.

At one end I had a simple terminus with a run around so the loco could be run round from the front to the back of the train for the return journey:

At the other end I had a siding and a loop so that the train automatically ended up ready for the return journey:

So here's the train just after setting off for the run towards the loop end:

And then out in the country:

Here it is on the return journey:

And finally arriving at the terminus with another train:

I was quite pleased with the trial as the lawn was far from level in places. For example, the trucks on the siding at the loop had to have the leading one off the rails to prevent them running down on to the main line. And the unevenness was also lateral with the loco and rolling stock tilting to one side quite noticeably on some sections.

So running on grass even at the budget end of the market (all the stuff is off eBay) works, but levelling does help. (The layout is now indoors, scattered about the place as I experiment with different variations. It can't return to the pond for some time as where it was is now covered with plant pots in places to keep the birds (crows, gulls and a heron) from taking the frogs from the pond.)