Garden Railway

[emm]

Hi All,

I've been following this forum for years but never posted anything so here goes.

Firstly hello All and any suggestions or pointers or advice is always welcomed.

This could all go horribly wrong as such i would like to appolgise for any time wasted reading this post or future posts.

Due to finally moving to some where that has a garden (In November this year we will move in) and the wife allowing me to have a garden railway I decided I wanted to go for a lego garden railway.

After spending months reasearching plastics and them being outside it appears the lego track should last two seaons with minor repair (but this is only theory not actual testing). The big issue will be the points that from what i can see have a metal part in the switch however will pull one apart to have a look once it arrives.

The planned layout will be as follows

Simple oval with one siding and a passing place.

All trains will be remote controlled due to not wanting to run 9V outside (Also non9V track cheaper to replace than 9V).

All track bar points will be left outside

3 Points - All motorised by way of power functions.

3 Points/motors to be able to be removed so they can be stored away inside

The track is to be build around a raised bed and hopefully (funds permitting over a raised pond).

On the building front the switch houses (hiding the point motors) will come in doors and outdoor everytime i get to play, however i plan to build a test platform and then leave this outside for the entire year. I am debating coating the entire platform in a clear resine to protect it however this might not work.

Some PF track has just arrived so the first thing to do is get one piece and leave one it outsidein my window box until november.

My aim before november is to have the horizon sets build and working, have the motorised points figured out and their switch houses built. I would also like to have the train station built by then but we will see.

Then moving in November so by end of november get all the track mapped out on the ground so i can see how much track I need and what the layout will look like.

Then by end of feb have the raised beds (hopefully pond) constructed.

End of March get the track layed and hopefully bridges installed.

End of April run the trains and then convince the wife why my layout needs to be bigger.

Andy

[JoeKaydear]

Sounds like a good plan! Do you live in a climate where it snows? I've seen outdoors train layouts at Legoland in California, but I'm not sure whether ice expansion on Lego tracks will force the parts apart or not....

[Legogal]

Hubby wants to do this, too.

Is there a way to make it a covered railway to protect the track? I know that this would limit the view and height of the cars, but maybe it would keep most of the ice and sun off the tracks. Not sure which is worse...sun or ice/snow. And dirt and tree junk has to be right up there as our trees shed all kinds of sloppy things that could ruin train tracks. Birds love our yard and seem to poop all over everything, including us when we are outside. Not sure what this would do to your tracks.

Maybe some very kind, extremely kind, heaven bless them person from one of the Parks could share with us how they keep their railroads running most of the year. They may use some kind of industrial grade tracks made out of cement or something else.

Good luck with your plans and thanks for keeping us posted.

[emm]

Hi there,

i live in Cheltenham, uk so not extreme weather. The track however will be in direct sunlight.

i never thought of covering it for when it isn't in use. Will look into that one.

I would also like the over head power cables as well but no idea how to i stall those. Ill be adding that to the list

andy

[JopieK]

Hi Andy,

first of all, welcome to Eurobricks! We would appreciate it if you can also introduce yourself a bit further of course... (There is a special sub forum for that).

Would it be an option to use non-LEGO tracks for it? It will be cheaper I guess and easier to replace!

B.t.w. a good source for LEGO Garden trains are the youtube video's about it: youtube

[kieran]

Will you use lego ir for the remote control? If so have you tested the setup in bright light?

[emm]

Hi All, Cheers for the pointers.

On the track front i did some reasearch on the alterantive track but couldn't find anyone using it in a garden setup so just dismissed it. I will order some up and see how that goes

On the IR in direct sunlight I hadn't even thought about that i'll add that to the list of things to try out.

On a side note i have now put two pieces of track outside. Will take a picture tomorrow.

[Hrw-Amen]

This is something I have also been thinking about for a while and had actually planned to do this year but unfortunately my gardener died. It would be hard for me to do it on my own as I am a cripple and bending is a big problem. We were planning to run it on a raised track bed around the edge of the garden. Then mount the track on flat boards of say five or six track lengths. It was not planned to be anything wonderful, just a loop like you said with a passing place and maybe a siding. The idea of mounting track on boards was that when the winter came or i was not going to use it for a long while it could easily be stacked away in the garden shed and not take up too much room. Also it would not take long to lay out again when I wanted to use it.

I have tried the IR outside. It is not that good. As long as I was in a enclosed space, say a corner with the house on one side and the high wall on another it was fine, but once the train was out in the garden there was no way to stop it. Even though it was no farther away that it would be in the living room, the signal was just lost. I figure that may be an issue for points/switches depending on where you want to put them. I have read posts about this and people in general seem to think the reason it does not work out in the middle of the garden is because it is in the middle of the garden and the signal disperses rather than being bounced off walls and ceilings etc. I guess that means the station would have to be in the shade?

Obviously I do not know what the property is like where you are, but I think you would also need to consider if it would attract unwanted attention from children etc looking over your wall and/or people popping into the garden at night to pilfer bits of track, mini-figures or even your station. Where I am it is not too bad as they would need to be about eight foot tall to see over the wall, but it is also something to think about.

As Jopiek said, there are a number of videos on Youtube but I am not sure that they are for the post part left out for any length of time, the majority look like they are just there for the duration of shooting the video.

Anyway, best of luck and lets see the photos when you have started.

[emm]

Cheers for the advice. I plan to put the track against a wall in a shaded section of the garden.

The points would be connected via one IR reciever to prevent the trains crashing. Do you think something like an IR blaster could be used to extend and boost the signal? If not on the points i will revert to a servo based system. However i am trying to avoid this at all costs as I would like to use nothing but off the shelf lego parts. BUt as you point out this might not be viable.

I had looked at doing a fully removable system but i have been trying to avoid this. There was a post i had read earlier about using covers to cover the rail track when not in use but couldn't decide on how to make it look good.

On security the garden is enlosed from everyside with no rear access. THe station etc i am hopingwill be partly hidden by the flowers but the track will be exposed. My view pointis that anything i leave outside i havetobe prepared that if it gets stolen to get angry. So trains, certain bulding points etc will not be left outside.

I put two pieces of track outside yesterday, it was to dark to take a picture and i forgot to take one this mornign. Will put a pictureup later.

[gifinim]

I remember seeing someone test the pf track outside when it first came out - they left a piece outside over winter and left another piece in a box inside and then compared the two after a few months. A side-by-side photo showed very little difference between the tracks, so leaving them outside shouldn't be a problem. Not sure about the points/crossovers with their moving parts though. I'll try and find the original article.

[dundarach]

Andy,

Love the idea of a garden railway and with space running out in the lego room, I've often thought about this.

However, why not simply take the track in, say October through to March....?

Seriously, it would take minutes to relay the track, especially if you're using RC track.......so you could even bring it out over winter on dry days.

The ground work will be the major bit, laying track on a bed, is quick and easy....

What are you planning for a bed: http://www.gardenrailwayclub.com/railways/flatland-washes-railway/trackbed

Now this looks awesome: http://www.filcris.co.uk/blog/tag/recycled-plastic-garden-rail-products/ prices http://www.filcris.co.uk/products/garden-railway-products/ladder-frame-kits-and-amp-components

Using something like the last one, you could build all the infrastructure, get plants in etc. then come summer, lay track in an hour and you're off....

Chris

Edited August 22, 2013 by dundarach

[emm]

HI again

Gifinam i didn't know that it had been done before if you could find the article i would have a read.

Chris the reason i wanted a permanent layout was for ease but March to October then remove for the colder months makes sense. My only resevation would be how to secure the track down.

On the track laying i have been toying with different ways to create the track bed.

What I decided on was to have a 3 tiered raised bed created out of railway sleepes. The bed itself would be in a big rectangle with soil in the middle then the track would be layed on the outside edge. I did think about laying it directly on the sleeper how i am worried about waterbuild up below the track so will likely put a small spacer between the track and the sleepers to prevent moisture build up and alow air flow.

I really like the last idea of a track bed. it couldbe used to provide support for buildings.

As i could build the track bed using that and then build the raised bed around it, giving it that boxed in feeling. Also those planks would provide a really good base for building a bridge.

Cheers

Andy

Edited August 22, 2013 by emm

[dundarach]

Andy,

I've screwed my 9v track down with tiny screws, however if you're laying a good bed first, why not get the bed done, pre drill holes for track pins, then screw the track down and then....cut off the tops of the screws (obviously remove track first) with a grinder, thus leaving little brass pins in the bed onto which the track could be easily located.....

This way all you have to do is pop it down and lift it up.

However to be honest, with a good bed, will it not be okay just sitting there, can't image wind will shift it...?

Also with this method, you'll have loads of lovely construction to do (which we all know is the fun part....

chris

[edsmith0075]

Greetings,

I too have been toying with this idea for a while. I recently had set lego brand and generic knock off brand PF (non 9V) track outside. The direct sunlight was on it for about 50% of the day. This was sustained for months in the cold and also heat. The track remained formed as it was new with no noticable deteroration. I am confident that the plastic utilized for the Lego brand track can handle the elements. The only issue over time I believe will be color fade. I plan too build a rather large outdoor railroad using Legos myself. The color and U/V damage will be controlled by spraying the track with U/V protectant clear coat paint.

The track will be left outside year round with a staging area inside the house basement, trains will be able to access the outside layout via a tunnel to the outside. I know the track will hold up being outdoors all the time but I do not have the same confidence in leaving the rolling stock outside and subject to the weather.

The only thing I have not tested is the Lego brand switches. Due to the moving compnents of these I have a feeling they may need replacing every few years give or take.

Ed

[Steven L]

I've been following this thread for a while now. I'm not planning on making an outdoor track, nor have I any experience with this. But I like to brainstorm with you.

If you want your track to go inside for the winter, but you don't want to screw it in to place every time, why not make a concrete track bed with 2x8 bricks imbedded in them. At the right spacing, with the nobs above the concrete.

[UrbanErwin]

Intersting Idea, Some others have discussed it before:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=76081

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=54004

I hope you'll find some useful Information there.

[Steven L]

Just watched Youtube video's of garden LEGO trains. Most of them just lay down the LEGO tracks on the footpath or across the lawn. A few had a concrete track bed. I don't think LEGOland uses LEGO tracks but a more durable version.

If you look at the two topics UrbanErwin posted, you bacically hear the same thing over again. Don't use LEGO tracks permanently outside. ABS doesn't like longterm exposure to UV-light, water and heat. Unless it's coated like car bumpers. So for best and longest use, I would only expose it to the outdoors in moderate dry weather.

So I think you've got two options: find a way to easyly set up the tracks or find a way to cover up and protect the permanent mounted tracks.

What about some kind of cover that protects the track from the elements? I'm thinking about something like those tire warmers they use in formula 1 racing. A padded fabric cover, water resistant maybe with electrical heattracing for the winter.

[gifinim]

Sorry for the delay - work got in the way!

Comparison of tracks left outdoors to indoors by OutsideBricks (unfortunately no longer updated by the look of things): http://outsidebricks.blogspot.it/2010/10/october.html

[kieran]

Sorry for the delay - work got in the way!

Comparison of tracks left outdoors to indoors by OutsideBricks (unfortunately no longer updated by the look of things): http://outsidebricks...10/october.html

Just read your blog post, I am sure there are no metal parts in the RF switch tracks, there are however small plastic pieces, they have he lost some of the original spring, alsoyou may find they have collected a loge of gunk that is hampering there ability to switch freely.

[emm]

CHeers, i have ordered up some points and will take a look.

Steven L i found this post of someone else who has a garden railway and left the tracks outside http://outsidebricks.blogspot.co.uk/ They left the track out and the only thing that seem to go wrong was the points becoming stiff.

But that being said you as many others have suggested using some type of cover or removable system for the track. I would prefer a covering option rather than removal. Any ideas would be great.

On a side note my wife has texted and all parts to my lego horizon sets have arrived. I have also found a signal box design i like which i will copy. ALas i did not design it, it was a post from this website. I will put the link up later.

Andy

[emm]

A little update, today all my parts for my lego Horizon turned up. So thought i would post a picture.

I am aiming to have all the buildings and train sbuild prior to the track bed construction. So that i can better map them out.

Edited October 19, 2019 by emm

[galacticslave]

I haven't got a garden at the moment but I've thought about a Lego garden railway for some time. My plans would be to lay a flat p-way bed and leave it empty. I would only lay the tracks when I wanted to run trains (isn't part of the fun of Lego actually building?). I'd take the tracks indoors when trains weren't running therefore minimising wear & tear from the elements. I'd also leave spaces for modular buildings here & there and they could be brought out as & when needed. Power functions on the trains would get rid of the problem of electricity supply outdoors and also metal corrosion on the track if it rained.

[Lazarus]

just so you know, i have to use about 3 motors for my horizon. Two work but it does stress a little on the bends. I will be bumping upto 4 motors soon just so i can run 8cars.

[zephyr1934]

Hi All, Cheers for the pointers.

On the track front i did some reasearch on the alterantive track but couldn't find anyone using it in a garden setup so just dismissed it. I will order some up and see how that goes

On the IR in direct sunlight I hadn't even thought about that i'll add that to the list of things to try out.

On a side note i have now put two pieces of track outside. Will take a picture tomorrow.

One of the more clever designs for non-lego lego track that I've seen is posted in this thread. You might also want to search "garden railways" in the train tech forum, seems to come up every few months and each time with unique new ideas. Post pictures of your progress.

[sioka]

_{Wish that I had a garden that was suitable for a garden railway, also nice to know that there is more than one Lego railfan in sunny Cheltenham}