Large Scale Central

On30 outdoors?

Hi all,
I’ve posted in a similar thread about Gn15 in the General Forum, but wanted to see if anyone running On30 was working outdoors? If you are running On30 outdoors (or know someone who is) I’m looking for information on how to install suitable roadbed and other such basic questions.

Thanks in advance for your help!

–dan

Well first of all…you have to realize that most HO track is NOT UV stable…this means that the ties are gonna disintegrate over time unless you paint it very heavily with a UV proofing type of paint…I beleive I read that PECO products were UV stabilized, but they tend to be pricey and hard to come by. Then again…with prices of flex track and its relative availibility you could prolly relistically replace all your track sytematically every few years as it failed…

Then you have track cleaning to worry about, dirt and debris don’t scale very well…neither do squirrles, birds, pets, children…and you are almost certainly confined to track power. Which I’m not saying it wouldn’t work, but theres gonna be a lot of maintenance involved. RC Battery for Oscale/On30 has pretty much been killed off by the DCC movement. I finally relented and purchaed a DCC system to install on my layout.

If I were to do it, I’d do it much the same way I’m building my Large Scale System. Fixing the track to pressure treated 2x materials adequately supported. Anything smaller just doesn’t provided a stable roadbed, then dress it up from there.

Hmm over all though…if you weren’t doing…a large complicated system, it might be manageable…

Bart Salmons said:
...I beleive I read that PECO products were UV stabilized, but they tend to be pricey and hard to come by. Then again...with prices of flex track and its relative availibility you could prolly relistically replace all your track sytematically every few years as it failed......
OK, here's the word on PECO track. My BIL has had my PECO 16.5mm track, ten years old when I gave it to him, down in his backyard since 1982.

It is the ordinary NS stuff too.

It has withstood everything that the British North-Walian weather can throw at it, and it’s still good.

Buy PECO track with confidence.

tac

Terry, thanks for the info. I’ve heard nothing but good about Peco track, and at approx. $2 foot it seems like a worthwhile investment!

Quick question, how does your Brother in Law “support” the track?

Ballast, mounted to a plank, laid on paving stones, etc.?

I am currently planning to build much of my outside On30 layout above my normal G scale track, winding it’s way across several trusses. The thing that has me stumped is what to do when it comes down to ground level?!

Dan Sherman said:
Terry, thanks for the info. I've heard nothing but good about Peco track, and at approx. $2 foot it seems like a worthwhile investment!

Quick question, how does your Brother in Law “support” the track?

Ballast, mounted to a plank, laid on paving stones, etc.?

I am currently planning to build much of my outside On30 layout above my normal G scale track, winding it’s way across several trusses. The thing that has me stumped is what to do when it comes down to ground level?!


BIL’s track is laid directly down onto cellular concrete blocks, part of a rockery retaining wall. They have been in position since Noah was learning to row and won’t be going anywhere soon. The track section are held in place by long thin pins, called dressmaking pins, I bleeve. He does not have any other surface to run over or on.

Please note that there was an article in GR a few years ago about building an 0n30 layout in two large box-sections in the open - if you get the magazine it might be worthwhile backscanning to find it.

tac

Terry,

“The track section are held in place by long thin pins, called dressmaking pins, I believe. He does not have any other surface to run over or on.”

These long thin pins, does he put them down in the seams between the blocks?

Ric Golding said:
Terry,

“The track section are held in place by long thin pins, called dressmaking pins, I believe. He does not have any other surface to run over or on.”

These long thin pins, does he put them down in the seams between the blocks?


Nossir - they is drivved dreckly into the material of the block. Seems to work, too, they have been there for years…

tac

I must have the wrong impression of the dressmaking pins or the consistancy of the concrete blocks. Somehow, with what I’m thinking, the pins would either bend or break.

Considering I can bend them just putting them into styrofoam…Theres obviously something being lost in translation…

BTW I HATE THIS THREAD!!! (Its giving me lots of very bad ideas!)

Bart, that’s my problem too! The last thing I NEED to be doing is building a railroad within a railroad, but if this works it will be so COOL!
I’m in the process of building a “tree house” for my train to travel through/with/on totally freelance fantasy, sort of like a logging oil rig, but on a hilltop.

Anyway, it’s a “proof of concept” before I go out and invest a fortune in track and trains.

Ric Golding said:
I must have the wrong impression of the dressmaking pins or the consistancy of the concrete blocks. Somehow, with what I'm thinking, the pins would either bend or break.
These concete blocks are made of FOAMED concrete and are very light in weight - I have not seen them on your side of the water, but they are very common here in Yoorup.

They are probably banned in the USA as the Surgeon General has probably determined that consuming 300 a day might be injurious to your health, particularly in Kalifornia where they have long been know to be carcinogenic if inhaled or smoked in large amounts.

tac

I know that a lot of large buildings (particularly in the rural south) are made from styrofoam coated with a thin layer of concrete. (It’s how they build mega churches, new malls, etc.)

Wonder if you could make your own version out of the blue styrofoam they sell at home improvement stores for insulation?

Terry, do you have any photos of your Brother in Law’s pike? I’d love to see what it looks like!

Terry A de C Foley said:
Ric Golding said:
I must have the wrong impression of the dressmaking pins or the consistancy of the concrete blocks. Somehow, with what I'm thinking, the pins would either bend or break.
These concete blocks are made of FOAMED concrete and are very light in weight - I have not seen them on your side of the water, but they are very common here in Yoorup.

They are probably banned in the USA as the Surgeon General has probably determined that consuming 300 a day might be injurious to your health, particularly in Kalifornia where they have long been know to be carcinogenic if inhaled or smoked in large amounts.

tac
www.ovgrs.org


C’mon, Terry, back off a notch or two. :smiley:

Our gummint is just looking out for us, 'cause we’re too stupid to look out for ourselves.

Sigh.

What does carcinogenic mean? I’ll bet it’s dirty, isn’t it. Don’t hold out on us!!!

madwolf

There is a styrofoamfoam/block construction system for house foundations that is gaining in popularity with contractors. They use foam blocks that look like conventional cement blocks but in sections that are 4’ long and interlock with each other. These are laid on a standard concrete footer and can be made as high as required. I saw a homebuilding show where the entire foundation of a large home with a 10’ high celler was build with this system. Re-bar is inserted in the cavities of the foam and then they are filled with cement. You end up with a wall that is mostly styrofoam with a conctete steel reinforced interior for strength and support. Something like this could be used and the track could be easily fastened to the styrofoam. I think they even have curved sections of this foam block material. Check it out.

big john

Steve Featherkile said:
What does carcinogenic mean? I'll bet it's dirty, isn't it. Don't hold out on us!!! madwolf
Carcinogenic means that it causes cancer.

tac

Terry,

Yes, we do have “concerns” for the people from California. They usually find any object that is new to them and immediately try to smoke it, inject it into their blood stream or breed with it. So that is why the rest of us have to live with some strange laws. That is also why California is the home of so many fruits and nuts, while we live far away in Illinois, the home of corrupt politics. Illinois now has the distinct honor of having two former residents, now candidates, running for President and the largest number of past Governors in our Federal Prison Retirement Program.

So with these blocks, you are able to push the pins through the thin coating of concrete and into the styrofoam? That makes sense. For years styrofoam has been used to make boats, when coated with plastic for small boats, and with fiberglass or epoxy reinforced plastic for larger boats.

Thank you for the clarification.

‘So with these blocks, you are able to push the pins through the thin coating of concrete and into the styrofoam? That makes sense. For years styrofoam has been used to make boats, when coated with plastic for small boats, and with fiberglass or epoxy reinforced plastic for larger boats.’

Ah, something lost in translation here - the blocks are not concrete over foam - they are foamed concrete blocks - see -

http://www.bpindex.co.uk/manf.html?id=7773

Extremely lightweight but very stable and long-lasting…and ‘economical’ to buy if you are stingy like we is.

tac

Wow! Never seen anything like that. We use concrete blocks to build tornado shelters, do you think these would work. :wink:

Ric Golding said:
Wow! Never seen anything like that. We use concrete blocks to build tornado shelters, do you think these would work. ;-)
Probably be too light, Ric. The tornado would just suck them up into the cone.

Actually, I have no idea. I’m just trying to be a Delta Hotel. How’m I doin’?

Steve Featherkile said:
Ric Golding said:
Wow! Never seen anything like that. We use concrete blocks to build tornado shelters, do you think these would work. ;-)
Probably be too light, Ric. The tornado would just suck them up into the cone.

Actually, I have no idea. I’m just trying to be a Delta Hotel. How’m I doin’?


Hey, son - you doin’ good. :wink:

tac