Change of temputure in garage?

Steve,

 

Seems like I had to clean my track more often in my old garage layout.

 

I have a 24x24 garage and had an approx. 8x16 walled-in room for the layout.  I even had a small AC and an oil-filled heater (looks like a radiator in an old house) in the room.

 

Whenever I wanted to run trains I'd go about 30 minutes prior and turn one of the units on.  By the time I got in there it was comfortable for me, but I don't know what effect the up and down temps had on the trains and track.

 

I do have a Railking RS3 that when it got below 50 degrees in the garage room it would not change directions until it heated up (about 30 minutes of run time).  I have sinve moved the layout into an upstairs room which stays around 70-72 all year.  So far the RS3 has given me no problems.

My layout is out in the garage. Just a little more cleaning is necessary. I do keep all my engines inside.

Thanks guys 

The delicate electronics in today's locomotives can certainly be affected by extremes in temperature, and the relative humidity (especially if it's too high) can have an even more pronounced affect.

 

Remember that things expand--at different rates--when there are extreme temperature changes as well.  That can affect track joints and the like.

 

I have a layout in my garage, which also houses my car, but it is Large Scale...especially designed for outdoor use.

My layout is in my attic in SC. In the summer it gets to 108 degrees and in winter as low as 38 degrees, though those are the extremes. Within one day the temperature swing is about 20-25 degrees.

 

I haven't had any problems with track joints. I use Gargraves and purposely did not push the sections completely over the track pins to a flush joint. I left about 1/8 inch gaps to allow for expansion. My scenery is almost all styrofoam (lightness is the priority here). I have avoided using plaster so I don't get expansion/contraction cracking. I have a lift-out section which requires a tiny adjustment (thicker shims) in the winter months.

 

I only have one command locomotive (TMCC) and have run it in both winter and summer. A through the wall A/C cools the room in summer and I have two small electric heaters to warm it in winter. My proto 1 locomotive has run fine as well. Like the previous poster, I run the A/C or heat for about 1/2 hour to cool or heat the room as needed.

 

Overall, I'd say that you won't have any issues with conventional equipment. I don't have enough experience with command equipment to know what the effects might be.

 

I would watch the humidity. The heat, humidity and salt air (only 8 miles inland from the ocean) accelerate rust. I wish I could store my trains inside the house, but there just isn't any room.

 

 

 

 

Im going to qoute Allan Miller:

 

"Remember that things expand--at different rates--when there are extreme temperature changes as well"

 

and the reason i re-emphasized Allan's point is because I use to have a garage layout

and because of the "things expanding" I stripped a drive gear in a postwar Lionel locomotive. At the time I was new to the hobby and had a devil of a time trying to find and replace that gear.

Now 20 some years later, I have many parts guys and replacing parts on postwar locos has become 2nd nature. BUT!

if you can put your trains in an atmosphere and avoid unecessary repairs I highly recommend it.

 

Happy Railroading!!

I think the tempeature extremes, as well as the summertime humidity, have definitely come into play with my garage layout.  It seems to me that one section of my plywood surface has bowed upward....I imagine that the wood has expanded and contracted with the changes of season over the last few years, to the point where one section of straightaway track has a slight "rise," almost like a very, very modest speed bump.

 

With everything scenicked and ballasted, it's a little tough for the naked eye to see.  But when a train runs over that section of straight track you can see it rise and fall to a slight degree.  I just hope the "expanding wood phenomenon" has stopped!!

 

- Mike

Probably the most important thing is to put a dehumidifier in the garage to keep the summer humidity below 50%.  Also, running your engines in extreme heat, you will be laboring them some.  Just be careful not to overheat them.

.....

Dennis

I have a small finished room in my garage that houses my layout.  It is insulated and temperature controlled so I can enjoy my trains year round.  If you do go this route a drop ceiling will vastly cut down on any dust on your layout and trains. 

 

But if your garage isn't insulated, won't running a dehumidifer have about as much effect as placing a dehumidifier out on your patio?  I mean, isn't it basically like runnning it out in the great outdoors??  

 

- Mike

I have had my layout in the garage for the past 5 years and have found no ill effects. I live in the NE so temps do change. I do have portable heat and AC I turn on when in the garage. All my trains are also stored there and again no problems. Btw I have all modern scale engines. 

The thing that bothered me the most about having mine in the garage was, I had to make an effort to go out there.

 

We have a detached garage so walking out in the cold/heat was part of the fun

Before that I had it in a 12x16 shed BEHIND the garage, even a longer walk, in the dark, not to mention the squirrels taking it over (that's why I moved into the garage).

 

Sounds lazy, but it really was a hassle.  If you have an attached garage then there's no reason not to use it.  With mine now upstairs in the house all I have to do is lug myself up/down the stairs to run trains