On30 Outdoors?

[John C]

For those of you who read the General Topics I apologize for the duplicate thread.  As I only received two responses, perhaps I should have posted here instead?  I am looking for comments/opinions on operating On30 outdoors.  My normal indoors railroading is done in HO, but I have a good friend in On30 who is encouraging me to switch scales.  He recently purchased one of those 2-4-4 Forneys and I think it is a really nice locomotive.  Anyway, all thoughts on this project would be appreciated.

Regards,

John

[kendoitall]

For those of you who read the General Topics I apologize for the duplicate thread.  As I only received two responses, perhaps I should have posted here instead?  I am looking for comments/opinions on operating On30 outdoors.  My normal indoors railroading is done in HO, but I have a good friend in On30 who is encouraging me to switch scales.  He recently purchased one of those 2-4-4 Forneys and I think it is a really nice locomotive.  Anyway, all thoughts on this project would be appreciated.

Regards,

John

It's been done in the past with O standard, John. And there was even someone who did it with HO once. So no reason why it cannot be done in On30. If you live where the ground freezes, make sure you dig deep enough for support pilings or whatever you intend to get below the frost heave level. Let us know how it goes. It may get me off my butt and outside in the fresh air.

Ken

[dto]

The plastic used in Bachmann's trains is not UV-resistant, but you'd probably wouldn't want to leave them baking under a hot sun all day anyway.  It's the track that may cause problems.  I'm not sure the plastic used for the ties on most HO scale track is UV-resistant, but a coat of spray paint might help for a while.  The roadbed for Bachmann's E-Z Track is definitely NOT UV-resistant, which is somewhat of a pity -- that would be a good means to keep the rails off the bare dirt.

You may have difficulties anchoring HO scale track so it doesn't shift.  I wonder if a roadbed of concrete paving stones or bricks buried nearly flush with the surface might work.  You could then secure the track with liquid nails or similar adhesive.  Keeping dust and dirt from fouling rails and switches will be an ongoing concern.  As for electrical conductivity, I'd check out onboard battery power and radio control.  That might be too large to squeeze into a Connie's tender (let alone a Forney), but an attached boxcar might be roomy enough.

There's also the question of landscaping.  It's sometimes hard to find "scale" plants that won't dwarf the G scale trains.  Looking for decent On30 foilage might be trickier.

Good luck with this project.

[terry2foot]

John,

all Peco track is made from UV resistant/stabilised materials.

You don't specify where you are located, so what are your climate conditions?

and why not think about having a semi-portable layout, laying tracks on boards which brought indoors for the worst of the weather? Like using shelf brackets down a fence?

Terry2foot
(from the UK, with relatively mild climate conditions)

[John C]

Thanks, everyone for your input.  Sorry I didn't mention that I'm living in Calgary, Alberta.  Get's pretty cold here in the winter, sometimes hitting -40.  Only have a few good months to RR outdoors.  Cheers!

[C.P.R.R. Manager]

You might want to look for info from John Teal in the UK, who has an outdoor On30 layout, as well as an indoor layout for the winter months.  He's gone into detail on his layout and construction techniques over on the On30 Conspiracy Group, on Yahoo, and he's also posted a few movies on Youtube. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onbdUiQrV7E

P.S. I've heard that Peco track is the only brand that uses UV-resistant plastic.  That would be critical for a layout that spends any significant time outdoors.

[Ken]

John

  Minimum Radius 30", long siding's, so I can run a Dbl Header with a
16 car coal drag. Looking forward to you getting it done! <BG>.
Give me a call when ready to run.

  Ken
   GWN
   

[dto]

Calgary, Alberta?  Freezing and thawing ground will distort all but the most securely anchored roadbed.  Since you have a somewhat restricted "operating season", temporary roadbed and tracks that can be stored indoors seem more practical.

And if you don't get that many days of intense direct sun in Calgary, perhaps E-Z Track might not be such a bad idea.  It might last a few seasons before the roadbed styrene gets too brittle and the connections snap off.  You might be able to prolong the use of this plastic a bit by spraying Krylon UV-Resistant Clear (clean the rails immediately afterwards to ensure good electrical contact).  See:  http://www.krylon.com/main/product_template.cfm?levelid=5&sub_levelid=8&productid=1818&content=product_details

[John C]

Thanks for the info.  Summertime here can be petty warm, and the fluctuation between daytime & night-time temperatures can be drastic.  80's in the daytime - 60's at night isn't unusual.  We do get a lot of sunny days too (even in the winter), so UV protected track certainly sounds like the way to go.  I also like the concept of setting it up in the spring & taking in down before winter - perhaps laying the track on leveled paving stones?  To make it a permanent layout - I think the footings would have to be set too deep.  Lots to do in the backyard to prepare, so I won't be getting to this until next year.  I know now what I'll be looking for at Xmas though!  I'll "ask Santa" for a Bachmann On30 set, then I'll go to the LHS and get some peco track.  Thanks again to all that responded.

John