Things that affect an outdoor layout..

PhilP

PhilP

G Scale, 7/8th's, Electronics
TRADER
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Beginning to get serious about starting to put track down permanently..
Been following a thread on catenary, and mused about problems with damage from the elements, animals, things people have done which just didn't work..
SO...
What doesn't work / needs lots of TLC / gets damaged (by what) / just isn't a good idea?

Thinking lamps/posts/catenary damaged by animals..
Loose ballast. - Washed away / cats toilet / pigeons eating..
Wrong materials for roadbed. - rotted in no time / warped, or thermal problems..

Basically, anything you are prepared to admit has 'bit you on the b*m', and caused problems.
Thanks in advance, PhilP.
 
Originally laid my track on 5 mm sharp shingle. (Never use pea shingle as it doesn't lock together.) Kept within concrete edging, exterior walls or paving slabs. Occasionally topped up the shingle for the first few years until it 'bedded in', or settled, possibly due to frost heave. I would recommend a weed membrane under the shingle, although you will still get the odd weed growing in it. Didn't need a great deal of maintenance. Easy too, to make changes to track formations.

Didn't seem to attract cats, slugs or pidgeons....
 
The first mistake I made was to use pea gravel, it doesn't hold the track in place.
Avoid brown wiring, the birds think it is worms.
Do not use bark chippings as ground cover, the birds toss it about looking for bugs.

Whilst pets & wildlife may do damage they are part of the garden and should be enjoyed. Just remember the hazards and allow for them.
 
5 things I have learned the hard way:
* find a way to keep ballast away from the moving parts of points, bearing in mind that heavy rain bounces even bits of stone grit a long way; I would also recommend having a firm surface under points ie a baseboard or solid block etc
* build in electrical redundancy ie multiple track connections to the power and even doubling up cable runs so that mice can't stop everything with a single nibble
* don't put platforms on a curve unless you are a masochist!
* rain and sun are manageable but wind is your enemy - fix everything down and glaze buildings with thick material well stuck in
* avoid putting track under deciduous shrubbery
 
It's all down to the Five P's. Planning prevents piss poor performance. Whatever you do, take time to think it through, plan it out and then construct it using the best materials you v=can afford to use and treat those material with the necessary pain or preservative before installing.

Most situations can be allowed for at the planning stage, but a gaeden railway does indeed take quite a bit of tLC, especially as you prepare to put it into hibernation for the winter and then bring it back to life in the spring. Other than that, it's not any worse than anything else in the garden. It needs maintenance on weeds and overgrown foliage, tree or large bush roots may be an issue if lots of those are present. I use a lot of timber, but keep it up off the ground on stakes. Keeping it painted every couple of years has given me 12 years life out of it so far and no sign of extreme rot or anything like that. Take time to do the maintenance and it will last for a good lifespan.
 
Survey the area you intend to lay your track and then lay it on similar lines to the 1:1 railways. A firm base - blocks, concrete or timber. Put timber edging along the formation to ballast edge: this will keep the ballast in place to a large degree. Taking care with track formation will pay dividends I have found. Less derailments, wrecks whatever. ;) I would only suggest fixing in areas critical to movement, such as bridge, low walls etc. The ballast should keep most track in place

That is how I did mine and it has been in place for over ten years. Yes, maintenance is needed regularly but that is all part of running a railway. Seedlings love ballast. It is ideal for germination so avoid prolific seeding plants close to the ROW. However they are easily pricked out - it depends how long you like to be kneeling. ;D

Wintertime - weather permitting (cold or rain) - is usually a period of less caual maintenance but can be a time for more major works. One thing most will mention is that nothing in garden railroading is static. Extensions, re-alignments etc are always in the offing. However remember that you will age as does your railway, just try and curb too much enthusiasm.
 
Thanks, this is all good..
I have been *thinking* about it w-a-y too long.. The only thing stopping me is funding really.. Though perennial weeds and bramble might have a say in it..

I guess the 'scorched earth policy is best for under/around the construction?

I am in Staffordshire, fairly heavy clay, not far down.. This means I can get a lot of 'heave' as the ground changes water content. - Clay also holds the water against wood-work sunk into it.

I am thinking recycled plastics for posts (won't rot), possibly decking timber for the roadbed (less thermal expansion than plastics), with felt, an edging (possibly plastic for longevity), and Cornish Granite grit as ballast..
A large proportion of my (at least second-hand) track is Aristocraft, so am thinking new joiners, and cleaned-up track ends, then let the track float on / in the ballast.

There is a shed 'half-way' down the garden, with a substantial mains feed to it, so am thinking of feeding out from there..
Garden hose, or flexi-conduit for cables to allow for changes / replacement.. 1.5mm2 two-core mains for feed(s) to track, and another circuit with DCC controlled points etc. on it.. Substantial multi-core for signalling / control / what-have-you.. External Cat5e for POE cameras, and any computer-related stuff.. 19V laptop supply 'ring-main' for lighting, and general low-voltage 'bits'..
If funds allow, the main part of the system will be R3 minimum. - Points are frighteningly expensive though!!

Keep it mainly on the level. Off the ground. Take some of the tatty big shrubs out, and be prepared for the odd 'bombing' from the (cordon) fruit-trees.. There is an established Lilac which does not seem to growing in girth particularly quickly, and a younger Oak which is!
If I am off the ground, and 'fly' the boards around these (decent clearance) I hope to avoid too much subsidence..

Then plant to hide the raised boards, and have wider areas for buildings and cameos.

The first part must be to get on top of the bramble, and perennial weeds, I guess??
 
*Apply a dab of LGB graphite paste or "Coppergrease"and such like to all track joints and and exposed electrical connections. Make sure they are clean and bright before you do this. Will help to minimise the risk of poor electrical conductivity and resulting voltage dropouts over time.
*Otherwise - bond (soldered wire "jumpers") on all the track joints and outside electrical connections - Bombproof but time consuming and a bit overt the top (IMHO) and limiting in the initial development of a layout.
*A regular spray of WD40 on bearing surfaces and pivots of moving components like point blades.
*Use railclamps on complex junctions and on curves, especially if you have a downhill gradient
*Avoid reverse (S) curves, especially if you plan to have long trains with bogie stock.
*When buying plants check the 10 year growth/spread information.

I did not check the growth/spread info`. The tree is now 15` tall after 9 years. I still love it.

tree growth 004.JPG

All from bitter experience.
 
Oh, and.......Always have fun ! Max.
 
Work out how many cables you need for lights, signals, track feeds etc, double it, & lay in twice as many. You will probably have almost enough then.
 
Tend to agree with a lot of what has been posted here.

My layout began using our long concrete path as a base, this was reasonably level and smooth, but once the track was down the run off of water left a little to be desired. Once I started venturing off the path, I found that a ballasted formation drained better.

I agree with the comments on ballast too. I am using crushed green Swithland stone for my formation, which is chunky, but can be levelled well and holds the track nicely. This can be adjusted and tamped just like real ballast but is too large to get into point blades.

My construction method is too dig a shallow trench, get all the roots etc out. Put down a membrane and then some sand. Mostly I use brick edging, but recently I didn't, just to see how it works out!

The swithland stone goes on next to complete the formation. I have used a tonne and half here so far and will probably need more to strengthen formations and make adjustments. It cheaper by the tonne and they even deliver it for you!

Connecting Wires - Never had any animal issues here - I use a lot of distributors for Automation - These are housed in adapted small clip lid food containers. These keep the moisture out well, but don't really like too much UV and eventually become brittle. They will probably need replacing every three or four years.

My lighting system uses ring tags on terminals on home made hard wooden distributors based on the idea of the old LGB 5070 and is probably in need of some love right now, as three years on from installation, the weather is taking it's toll on these.

Breakages - I did once have some catenary masts broken when they were installed on a layout in someone else's garden. I was told that a badger had done it, but I have always wondered if the only Badger involved was possibly Badger Beer. The only animal to break any masts other than that has been humans, and usually me!

Final tip - Conductive paste is a must in the rail joints. Also ensure these are tight and sound. I use some specially shaped pliers that someone gave me to tweak my joints before track laying. You can use Graphite Grease in the joints if you like, but Halford's copper grease has done me proud.

James

PS: Forgot to mention Excrement! My railway is not called the Guano Corner Railway for nothing. Until I extended it was a seasonal thing and affected only a small area, but the station on my new 50' extension is in an area I have now called Bomb Alley and every running session begins with scraping Guano off the rails and restoring a useful surface. Today I gave the station building a much needed wash and brush up with some soapy warm water!
 
Pigeons.
Some LGB point motors have steel screws in steel holes, go rusty, and are then impossible to re-wire, so bring them in for the winter.
Some people have said that graphite paste only lasts about 5 years; I swear by LGB track and Massoth-type rail joiners. I get them a few at a time to spread the cost.
Don't have a magnolia in the middle of your layout; they have 4 separate "falls" per year!
Build in some scope for adjustment/improvement/extension. In a year or two you may discover your mistakes/miscalculations/changed preferences/more imagination - possibly even more funds!
I built on stone walls - boy, does that take some stone, concrete blocks, gravel, cement, ballast, bricks - and the layout is only 28 feet long!
 
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