John, Thanks and I am working on the principle of starting slow and small and building on it from there.
Say Tony,
Sounds like it might just work!
Trussrod, I'm hoping so. I think once the better half see's that it is going to be apart of our "BBQ" area and not just a model layout she will accept it and enjoy it. The big thing is it is going to be outside, so NOT inside mess to deal with
you will always be in trouble for something, might as well be for something good.
Outdoor G-Scale layouts offer the additional benefits of gardening and landscaping. I thoroughly enjoyed my days of outdoor railroading, although maintaining my Koi pond was another story...
Good Luck!
AyTrane, thanks and that is an aspect of it I really didn't think about all that much. I knew it was going to involve landscaping and "scenery" (aka plants etc) but didn't think of it as gardening. That is a definite bonus!
"so if I inexplicably disappear again, you'll know why"
So you're saying there might be a small mound in that 20' x 40' space?
I got into G with a small starter set and grew from there.
Still no layout but the land is staked out. I used the same reasoning as you,miss good to be outside plus now gardening is involved so SWMBO is happy!
Rico, could be a good chance of that mound appearing! My wife has a saying for people she doesn't want around the house ... "your more than welcome, IF you want to become a lawn ornament". Never considered that might apply to me though
I am adopting the same thought process as you, start small and build on that over time. I don't want this to become anything overly complex, but do want it to be interesting. I know it is going to be a learning curve and will have it's own, unique, problems and that is what I am looking forward to - I like to be challenged and to be pushed to make things work.
Despite having a 20' X 40' area, the whole thing will run around the edges, a bit like my HO layout with the main area being down one end. The rest of the area is going to be a BBQ area and grassed. The area I want to use has been "laid out since last year, boxed and ready for top soil etc so the perimeters are already in place. Until I saw the layout in Erie, I never thought about an outside layout/railway.
Make sure that you have plenty of hoppers, for when you're on garden duty, you know.....tidying up flower beds etc., etc., you'll need something to ship all that soil, dirt or whatyacallit in...
* And flatbeds with cylinder bucks to hold refreshment canisters from the refrigerated depot out to the track gang.
Guys, that is a great idea - use it as a "tool" for the garden! Will a G Scale train pull buckets of dirt etc though?
You might try to convince your wife to try bonsai trees. It will involve her in the process and give her something to do and make her feel part of the process.
Good luck if that doesn't work.
Joe
Joe, funnily enough, my wife likes those small (I think you could call them Bonsai) cacti - this could be an opportunity to incorporate a Cacti Garden. Thanks for the idea.
Ok, if you are really going to do this it might be good to get terminology correct. There is really no such thing as G-Scale, it is G-Gauge (Even NMRA gave up trying to Scaleify it and calls it collectively Large Scale or LS). This is because that size track (45mm) is used for several scales. My G-gauge stuff is Fn3 Scale (1:20.3). It uses the G-gauge track to represent USA 3 feet narrow gauge. There are also three scales that use the 45mm track for North American standard gauge 4' 8.5" I don't know if they have scale designations, but they are 1:32 (also called "standard gauge"), 1:29, 1:25, and 1:24. Then there is the LGB that uses the same track for European Narrow Gauge (don't know what real size) but the scale is 1:22.5. To further confuse things, LGB does make other equipment for the North American market in the other sizes, so just because it says LGB does not mean it is 1:22.5. You need to read the boxes. Likewise Bachmann makes two sizes, 1:20.3 and one of the others.
So if one isn't careful they can end up with some really screwy looking (no ... ridiculous looking) train & layout.
Have you already purchased some equipment that will determine the scale your new venture is here?
Horseman, that is one thing that has been confusing me and making decisions a little harder than simply buying track, engine and rolling stock. I have read the Wikipedia explanation and you confirm what was said there. What I concluded was I would need to pick a manufacturer (ie LGB) of track and stick with that manufacturer for compatibility sake. I also understood that the scale does not effect the truck size in terms of width as all track is 45 mm between the rails.
I think I am starting to understand the "scaling though" and that seems to apply more to engines, rolling stock and scenery. I agree if you were to have a 1:32nd scale engine with 1:22nd scale rolling stock it would look ridiculous. I suppose my theory concerning track will also apply to engines and rolling stock - pick a manufacturer and stick with them.
As a "start" I have purchased two lengths of LGB 10610 straight track, some Split Jaw Track Power Clamps and a bag of Split Jaw Over the Rail Clamps and a USA GP38-2 loco which is 1:29th scale. That is it for the time being.
Any insight with regards makes - most popular (available) scale etc would be greatly appreciated though.
