John,
I think you should feel good about your use of the Gargraves track. Gives others some ideas and may use it, due to it’s lower cost. I thought what you did looked great. The short ties don’t bother me at all, or any other details. If you are happy, that is all you need. Keep posting, I’m sure others and me will like to see your progress and how you conquer the bad switches! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)
I looks fine to me. BTW I just bent some 3 rail O Gargraves down to 11"R (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
The OP asked:
“please, tell me how you really think my yard is looking and what I might do to improve the appearance of the track.”
I am very distracted by the track not being ballasted, and it makes it hard to answer second question above.
For the first question, I think it is going well, there are a few places where the track does not “flow” in smooth curves, but it may be that you cannot bend the track. The buildings and layout look very nice.
I’d really like to see it ballasted.
Greg
Older and somewhat opinionated … Here’s mine again… No Ballast!
There are other examples besides what our younger members know… by cracky!
Your mainline track on the right earns ballast, but yards, branch lines and spurs are often naked! There may have been ballast at one time, but cinders and coal dust ‘paints it black’.
Typically the railroad won’t replace ties until they have to and on branches that were marginal it was easier to issue slow orders.
Another example are branchline routes, if they drain ok ballast might have been omitted:
Grow some moss and let it encroach between the ties…
This can be seen along the right a way…
Paint those ties into faded old ties that match the dirt…
The only time I see black ties are when they are new and nature soon tempers the view.
John
What is a transfer table? My guess is the rails in the photo support a transverse “track bridge” much like on a turn table. So the “track bridge” enables the locos to cross over these support rails through an opening into the loco barn or shop.
Am I correct?
Thanks,
Wendell
Yes, out of the building or from a yard lead and onto the bridge (table), the table moves transversely, so a loco or car, can get on the table and be moved to a new bay on either side.
John
Did they really do that to locos. For some reason, and I don’t know why, I always thought transfer tables were only for cars.
Just a few quick google finds for a nattering nabob…
Thinking again… tsk tsk.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
John
No actually I am not thinking this time. No transfer table for me.
Devon Sinsley said:
No actually I am not thinking this time. No transfer table for me.
This implies that at some time in the past you have thought. Is this actually possible?
Steve Featherkile said:
Devon Sinsley said:
No actually I am not thinking this time. No transfer table for me.
This implies that at some time in the past you have thought. Is this actually possible?
Oh ouch!!! well I have things that resemble thought, but after all I am just a jar head we are not allowed to think or have independent thought. If the Marine Corp wanted me to have a thought they would have issued it to me.
I tell my customers that I don’t make decisions, I just turn screws.
MORE TRACK QUESTIONS…
Gargraves, in my memory, is cheaper than the USA/LGB/PIKO/B’mann offerings - is this still correct and if so by how much?
Is the durability outside a problem considering it is tubular steel - not stainless, I think.
Personally, I have handled and shaped Gargraves but was hesitant installing outside from word-of-mouth cautions.
I think we will all appreciate your assessment of durability and efforts to maintain rail surfaces for those of us still using (blush) track power.
Many thanks,
Wendell
Wendell Hanks said:
MORE TRACK QUESTIONS…
Gargraves, in my memory, is cheaper than the USA/LGB/PIKO/B’mann offerings - is this still correct and if so by how much?
Is the durability outside a problem considering it is tubular steel - not stainless, I think.
Personally, I have handled and shaped Gargraves but was hesitant installing outside from word-of-mouth cautions.
I think we will all appreciate your assessment of durability and efforts to maintain rail surfaces for those of us still using (blush) track power.
Many thanks,
Wendell
Hiya Wendell…much cheaper yes, including switches which they make to order (or did when I bought them) and I’m getting to like the look more and more the more I work with it.
I use onboard power so I’m not an expert there, but I seriously doubt that the switches at least would be reliable or easy to use with track power. I think the track itself would be fine and if you are adept at fiddling with electricity and switches maybe you could make it work.
Outdoors on the ground? No no no, oh no. You’ll crush it sooner or later. Outdoors on an elevated track, probably okay as far as the rail goes but I seriously doubt the light wood ties would hold up very long. Not to mention the swelling and contracting that would occur as the ties got wet and dried and froze and heated.
All in all, I think it’s a good solution for my raised layout under the back porch, or for indoor use, but I can’t see this track working outdoors.
That’s my experience and judgement anyway for what it’s worth.
p.s. I edited this to read onboard power instead of battery power because it make me feel more like an adult railroader and less toy-like! Ha!
John Passaro said:
p.s. I edited this to read onboard power instead of battery power because it make me feel more like an adult railroader and less toy-like! Ha!
Thanks for the laugh, I stick with battery power I don’t want to be an adult yet.
Devon, oh heck yea. Adults are grumpy people who are always worrying about something that usually never happens. Even if it does happen, its not as bad as they thought it was going to be, when they were worrying about it. Besides, my first childhood sucked so bad, that I am darn well going to enjoy my second one as long as I can.
I thought the Gar Graves track did come in stainless now.
David Maynard said:
Devon, oh heck yea. Adults are grumpy people who are always worrying about something that usually never happens. Even if it does happen, its not as bad as they thought it was going to be, when they were worrying about it. Besides, my first childhood sucked so bad, that I am darn well going to enjoy my second one as long as I can.
I thought the Gar Graves track did come in stainless now.
From their website they do list stainless and plastic ties. Though I don’t think the plastic is UV resistant.
Devon, a good coat of paint can help with that.
Wendell Hanks said:
MORE TRACK QUESTIONS…
Gargraves, in my memory, is cheaper than the USA/LGB/PIKO/B’mann offerings - is this still correct and if so by how much?
Is the durability outside a problem considering it is tubular steel - not stainless, I think.
Personally, I have handled and shaped Gargraves but was hesitant installing outside from word-of-mouth cautions.
I think we will all appreciate your assessment of durability and efforts to maintain rail surfaces for those of us still using (blush) track power.
Many thanks,
Wendell
Yeah DON’T use it outdoors, the three rail stuff I have is basically the same thing as Bachmann tin track, it would probably rust away if it doesn’t get crushed first. It’s indoors strictly. As for costs, I just bought three 36" long sections of Gauge 1 Flex-track off Fleabay. They were less than $10 apiece. Once I receive it I’ll post some opinions about it.
Umm… are we forgetting the stainless stuff in some of these posts?
From their web site, you can get the track in either tinplate or stainless… so I think we should mention the material in posts.
To wit: Victor, did you buy tinplate or stainless flex track?
Greg
