Summer Heat

[KB5JCX]

I live in central Texas and have a non-airconditioned garage layout, where the garage temperatures can exceed 120 degrees F.  My cars and engines stored well in non-air-conditioned storage until my retirement as of late.  The engines still work VERY well, except for the K-4, which I am working on to get the drive trains to work.  (My old Spectrum GP-30 (38?) pulled 23 cars of over 4 ounces each up a 1 percent grade yesterday in a traction test with no faltering!)  I can only afford to continue DC at this time, as teacher retirement is not so good in Texas.  Should I shut-down in the summer? I could still run the layout in the cooler 5 am hours (two or three hours), or should I remove the locomotives inside?  Should I remove all the cars?  I do keep the engines lubed well but not over-lubed.  Any suggestions are deeply appreciated.

By the way, if my Spectrum K-4 cannot be fixed locally, is there any trade-in option(s) for these wonderful locos or is it now a "static" display case object and should I just consider it a bad investment?  Thank you.  Ross Litman

[bbmiroku]

It's a good thing Central Texas is a mostly dry-heat area.  Electric trains don't run well in saunas, after all.

I, personally, would put the engines in a bin during the middle of the summer days and keep them inside with the livable temperatures.  These things do operate on an air-cooled basis, both the powerpacks and engines.

[rich1998]

I would have to agree. I have a daughter who lives in a similar area, Copperas Cove, Tx and I remember days when I visited it never got below 75 F. It can get humid at times.

Rich

[Trainman203]

On the Gulf Coast it can stay above 85 for days on end.  With highs in the upper 90's and 100 % humidity.  I would never trade that for a northern winter though.  The payoff is our avg 60 F snow free winter.  Now THATS what people retire to.

[rich1998]

I will stay in Western Mass. I have a dry walk in cellar for layout. Humidity control. Snow is not an issue.
Much of the year, bicycle riding on local rail trails in cities where I live. Two cities nearby still have former passenger stations that are now restaurants. One was a Union station. Amtrak runs nearby and has a loading plartform.

Rich

[Trainman203]

Any snow at all is a problem.  Any day below 40 is a problem.

Can you model railroad outside in a covered space year round?  That's what I'm talking about.  I can.  Maybe 10 days in the winter are too cold.  With a good strong fan, no day is too hot for it.  Our house is too small for anything inside, that's why the covered outdoor air layout.

[bbmiroku]

With the G-scale trains, they actually can push snow off the tracks with a snowplow on the train.