ho trains out side

[uscgtanker]

My brother and I have been working on running our HO trains out side. I already have a loop of G scale track and were going to run the ho on the G ties. using peco track would that eventually rust or tarnish. We won't keep the trains out side but the track will stay. Figuring we don't have the space to run long trains indoors with a 4x6 layout, and I have 38 feet of track out side. We figured after finding several OO layout in England that are outdoors we would try the same but in Wisconsin.

[electrical whiz kid]

Any HO scale track that I have run across wasn't intended for outdoor operation; that isn't saying it won't work...
Yes, you will be faced with a consistent challenge as far as tarnish goes (don't use steel rail).  The plastic tie system largely found on HO track would probably stand up to the weather-but for how long?  Wood, which is what is mostly found on outdoor layouts, should hold up longer (nothing is forever).  Why not look around for any large-scale modellers in the area?  They would be better to help you out.

SGT C.

[Len]

The plastic used in LS track ties, and some O-gauge, is "UV Safe", meaning sunlight will not cause it to break down. I would check with whoever's track you plan to use to find out if it's "UV Safe" before using it outdoors.

The other problem you might have, depending on where you live, is squirrels trying to hitch a ride. Don't laugh, I had a friend who had squirrels riding his LS trains all the time.

Len

[ACY]

Unfortunately doing this is not feasible because the plastic in HO ties is not UV safe. You would need to handlay the track on wooden ties. Additionally maintaing sufficient conductivity in the rails would be next to impossible to do outside. You can probably run ho trains with radio control with battery power rather than track power if youare really determined to run them outside.

[electrical whiz kid]

Len;
Sunlight might not break it down, but being outside, that plastic may-probably- not hold up in the WINTER-which, besides cheese, Wisconsin is noted for.  Depending upon the length of track would be your conductivity; DCC may work, as it's main component is 14VAC-certainly not recommend 12VDC, and, like ACY said, batteries and RC may be the way you have to go...  But WHY are you going through this aggravation and hassle when you have LG there anyway?  Why not just focus on the large scale, instead of beating your head against a stone wall?

[Trainman203]

I tried out a little layout on a covered porch 3 blocks from the Gulf in Mississippi.  I used EZ track.  The track needed a total scour every couple of days and chemical treatment after a week or so. With all of that attention it worked a couple of years but then wholesale electrical failure set in, particularly where the switch point rails pivoted on a little plate and depended on that molecular contact point.

Outdoor HO might work in very stable temperate climates like San Diego or Santa Fe but not in the Deep South and probably not in snow country either.

[uscgtanker]

My g scale track is just a loop for testing scratch built cars and engines. Squirrels aren't a problem since the nearest tree is 80' away and the track is on a hill. I also have the track raised with stepping stones. To protect the rails and ties you can paint with uv protective paint. Electrical still might be a problem later but being in the cheese state, we will remove the HO track before winter.

[Ken Clark]

    Using PECO track should not be a problem as the ties are UV resistant. rail cleaning will be necessary and likely power to each section of track. An article in the Feb 2012 Continental
Modeller mag featured a 15 year old HO outdoor layout which operates 80 to 100+ car trains.


       Ken Clark
         GWN

[Trainman203]

Where is that layout Ken?  I can certainly be assured it is very far from salt water and in a low humidity environment.