3 Rail track for outdoor use

Hi Eric,

What about Atlas track - isnt that brass or similar?

MIKE

Hi Ted,

I have this series of articles saved. O Gauge Outside. I found it very informative reading with the knowledge of other outdoor railroaders included. It's in a high heat and temperature change environment, Arizona, so the lessons learned will certainly be solid in your climate.

It's centered on Atlas' nickel-silver product.

There's another forum member that runs trains on an outdoor layout in California. I don't recall which track that they use. It is a stable layout.

Another has a very nice outdoor layout also, but that may be G-scale.

The obvious part of outdoor rails is that they require cleaning before each run session.

If find something useful on those other layouts, I'll post the links.

I am sure you could gain some track/rail knowledge from some of the 2-rail garden layout folks from the UK. At least one is a member here.

Here's Davy Mac in Scotland, an outdoor railway guy. He uses Peco Nickel Silver rails. 2-rail scale.

here's the layout in California. Time tested, Atlas nickel-silver. Video is in the first post. Primo outdoor layout.

read the comments below the video for SYVRR experience with Atlas track over 12 years.

I have an outside layout for running 2-rail and 3-rail 0 gauge and  2-rail 1 gauge. I use Tenmille nickel silver track (http://www.tenmille.com/). The layout has been there for more than 25 year with minimum maintenance. Of course before a running session the rail has to be cleaned for which I use an LGB rail cleaning block.

See pictures here: http://www.dutchhrca.nl/dhrca2015agm-1.htm and http://www.dutchhrca.nl/dhrca2015agm-2.htm

Regards

Fred

mike w posted:

Hi Eric,

What about Atlas track - isnt that brass or similar?

 

MIKE

 

Atlas track is solid nickel silver.

Atlas track is the only one I know of that has UV resistant ties and solid nickel-silver rails. I know Scaletrax also has solid nickel-silver rails, but I don't know about their ties and I am not familiar with their rail joiners? Problems with Atlas switches were addressed long ago and should be just fine if you purchase new ones. I have some of each vintage and you can see the differences. They have made further improvements in the most recent production of their switches.

RTR12 is right.  The second generation of Atlas track is UV-resistant.  Look on the underside of the ties.  There you'll find part numbers and UV-resistant cast into the ties.  Do this if you buy second-hand track.

I would probably replace and switch machines with manual throws or rely on their passive spring action to prevent derails.

Jan

I didn't realize the first generation Atlas track had different ties and were non-UV rated. That's a good thing to know, thanks.   

Also a good point about manual throw switch machines. I don't know of an electric switch machine that is outdoor rated? All the ones I have seen would not be suitable outdoors. There were pneumatic switch machines at one time, but I think they are all long gone now. Makes me wonder what the garden folks use? Or do they all use the manual throws as well?

In preparation for other things - I have about 25 feet of Atlas O set up outdoors. It has been outdoors for almost 3 years now. I used a rail bender to shape three 40" flex sections for a wide corner, with the rest all being straight 40".  The track has held up very well exposed to ice, snow, wind, rain, heat, direct sun, squirrels, and bugs. The track is elevasted so it is not laying on the ground. That said, the sections previously bent are more than a bit "stiff" now - and I highly doubt the ties would endure a re-shaping of the rails. As for the rail connectors, they are in place - albeit a bit weaker than when new.  I did test an engine and had no dropouts across the 25 feet. I found the expansion / contraction dynamic to play havoc on end-to-end connections, so there was a need to slide the pieces closer together before cleaning or running.

Gargraves makes a stainless steel track that some use outside.

A friend with an outdoor G-gauge layout using brass track gave up on it. He said it was too much work trying to keep the track clean enough for reliable electrical contact.

Battery powered remote control trains are often preferred for outdoor operation.

Check out this reference, Garden Railways Magazine GRW.Trains.com, Search Large-scale Track Questions and Answers, I was going to recommend Gargraves 3-Rail Stainless Steel Track with plastic ties, I have not checked if Gargraves switches are available with stainless steel track, I use Gargrave 3-Rail Phantom tinplate track and switches in a basement with a humidifier, no issue with track corrosion in the basemant, for an outside layout I would use brass track, plastic base switches and plastic ties ,if available, alternate would be stainless steel. Also be aware of mechanical connections of dissimiliar metals for galvanic corrosion especially outside. 

Did some additional checking on Garden Railways Nagazine, on this site search O Scale 3-Rail Outside, good discussion on Gargraves stainless steel track being used, as upon checking the Gargraves website , they manufacture their plastic base switches with tin plated rails or stainless steel rails.