Model Railway Forum

Hello I have a Digitrax control system I use to have a 10 x 12 foot shed but I've moved and my new garden can't take a shed that size, so what I'm thinking is 4x8 foot shed for the electrics start the layout in side the she then go round the garden with it . Does anyone know if it's been done before with dcc .
Thank you .

I apologise that I am not a garden layout expert but seeing as nobody has replied so far just thought I could point out a few places you may get answers.

Firstly, there are magazines that specialise in garden railways so that maybe a start plus a google out there might reveal some forums.

Secondly, you say you have a Digitrax system and that suggests an OO layout which I have seen in gardens but in the main garden layouts tend to be in the larger scales. Those OO layouts I have seen I cannot confirm are DCC.

Thirdly, you might want to look at Massoth who seem to be the premier suppliers of garden rail DCC control systems which presumably means they are designed to withstand the harsh environment of a garden which Digitrax may not. Again their aim is larger scales but it may well be worth looking at their site for answers, I believe they do have a forum.

https://www.massoth.de/en/category/news

Sorry I cannot be of any real help

Richard

Yes I have seen other garden railways done like that in fact most seem to start inside a garage or outbuilding. The Best way to do it I would think especially with our weather. Also, you will be able to run trains in winter in the warm. I am not aware of anyone on here with an outside layout. There probably is but I have not been on this Forum long.

Thank you both I did find 2 00 gauge one by Jennifer Kirk I think it was dcc the seem to run well. One thing I did notice she soldiered wires either side of the fish plates so do I still need the bus wire or can I use the rails what do you think .

Hi
I would still run a large wire sized bus pair around outside, as copper is a far better conductor than rail whether Nickel Silver or Brass for outside use.
You will need many droppers from bus to rails.
Regular rail cleaning will be challenging too.

Not sure if these two videos are of any help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e01rxqBI9ZU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI2fr7cY0iM

Not sure if this thread is still relevant but I just found this:

https://www.oogardenrailway.co.uk/index ... n-railway/

Its 70+ pages covering 8 years but well worth reading

Mike

While I don't use DCC, I do model out of doors and have done for quite a long time.

There is no reason you can't do DCC outside... I've stuck with DC for the time being, and used in on previous layouts mostly due to the cost of locos and decoders.

in general, you'll need to carefully consider how you are planning to present your railway, and make sure that you provide the adequate weather protection, both for the railway, and the support structures you use.

miffy wrote: ↑Fri May 22, 2020 12:17 pm Not sure if this thread is still relevant but I just found this:

https://www.oogardenrailway.co.uk/index ... n-railway/

Its 70+ pages covering 8 years but well worth reading

Mike

Being a garden modeller, I'm a member of that forum, and Worsely Dale is a wonder! I've gone through that entire thread in the past, and it's well worth the read. The forum is a very friendly bunch too... just like here.

Have a look at this OO gauge garden layout ,inspirational.
https://youtu.be/QWtx-xTlCe4