FAQ: G Scale and Garden Railways


Lady_Railfan

House Mother, Cheerleader
This post will be updated frequently to contain the latest FAQ information.​



The FAQ draft will "stick" to the top of the G Scale and Garden Railways topic and will be organized and updated as questions are received and answered.

Please click G-Scale Questions? Ask Them Here to post questions YOU would like to see answered in the FAQ.




You will see "editor's note" entries in this draft FAQ. These mean that The Editor (Lady_Railfan) needs to research and verify something.

Please post corrections, contributions and comments in this thread.

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Track

With so many suppliers of G scale track, are they all compatible to one another?
Suppliers (Bachmann, Aristo Craft, Peco (Great Britain) and LGB) all provide track for G Scale trains that measures 45mm between the rails. Variations in track material may cause inconsistencies in electrical conductivity.

Would Aristo Craft track hook up decently with LGB? Users report minor variations in rail joiners between certain brands. (editor's note: Not certain which brands, or whether variations present significant operating difficulties.)

What is the difference in track that has "Euro-ties"? The difference is in the spacing between ties. Aristo Craft provides track with both U.S. and European standards. (editor's note: I have not verified that other manufacturers don't do the same.)


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QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY FORUM MEMBERS:
  • Who makes the best diesels? Is there a best buy as far as quality vs price?
  • The best track?
  • What's the best train control system? G locos are battery powered/radio controlled, correct? Is that only for outdoor use?
  • Why the difference in scales?
  • Who's the best G scale supplier online?
  • How much space is required for the average sized layout?
  • Do all the trains have to come in each night?
PROPOSED TOPIC HEADINGS:

What IS G Scale?
Why are there so many different sizes within G Scale?
What is #1 Scale?
What size track do I need to run G Scale trains?

Manufacturers of G Scale Products

Planning a Layout

How do I lay track?

Power
Track Power
Battery Power

Sources for G Scale Products

Landscaping

G-Scale indoors

G-Scale & Garden Railways Resources and Publications
  • Garden Railways magazine, bi-monthly, Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Here is a link to a list of Garden railways publications. See the Related Categories links below the list for more information.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My opinions on FAQ for G scale

Track-
Rail sizes 0.350 (LGB, USA, Aristo[ brass,stainless steel)
0.250 (Llagas Creek, Sunset Valley RR [aluminum, nickel silver)
0.215 (Same as above)
0.195? I've heard of it but have never seen it.
I personally use code 250 aluminum rail from Llagas Creek, with handlayed ties

USA and Aristo track is the same track that is compatable with each other, both companies track will work with LGB, but like Chris mentioned the railjoiners are slightly different. LGB has better quality turnouts, then USA and Aristo, but the cost is higher too.

Locomotives & Rolling Stock

LGB makes durable rolling stock and locomotives that can handle abuse (ie bigger grab irons, ladders etc), while USA comes in better with detail, at the price of durability.

I have a USA GP9 that I enjoy, but have had to replace parts that have broken after frequent handling. The GP9 will pull 30+ cars up a 4% grade.
While I don't own any LGB diesels I would assume that they would preform quite well.

Power

Track Power or Battery are the two most common. Live steam is a little bit more tricky. I think it depends on what the person wants out of the layout, and how they are going to operate.

Hope this helps

Craig
 
Craig, thank you for your valuable input. I'll notify you when it's been incorporated into the FAQ document so you can review it.
 
LadyRail. I answered this on the other page. Might take a look. The basic size of rail is code 332 not 350. It comes in brass, aluminum, stainless steel, AFAIK. Code 250 comes in aluminum, nickel silver, and stainless steel.

There are several different scales, all using #1 guage track. The reason is that -- unlike other model railroading which has a single scale -- garden railroading has a single track gauge.

LGB use #1 track to represent meter gauge european narrow gauge. Aristocraft uses #1 track to represent about standard gauge. Bachmann uses #1 track to represent about three foot narrow guauge, and so it goes.

If you are using #1 gauge track to represent North American standard gauge, the scale is 1:32 (or about twice S-scale). In fact, #1 gauge track can represent anything from 4'8" to 15" gauge, depending on the needs of the modeller.
 
This is the term modelers use to describe, surprisingly enough, the larger selections. These models come in several different scales. They all, however, operate on what's called Gauge 1 track. This track has 45 mm between rails.

If you walk into a hobby store today, you'd probably discover at least five different scales all clumped together in this larger-scale size.

Many of these trains are used by aficionados who run their systems outdoors, in their backyards. The locomotives chug along, pulling their cars through flower and herb gardens.
 
Run Time

Hello, I want to built a G-Scale ceiling layout in my store. How long can I run the locomotive per day? Are some manufactures better to use for this. I would like to run it 8hrs. per day. Do pm's when I can. Thanks, Joe
 



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