G: Let's see your G gauge photos!

Oh boy.  I've wanted to participate in an LGB G gauge thread here for some time now.  I'll start out with a video featuring some rare (for the US anyways) custom painted LGB, Kiss, and Train Li equipment.  The sound is by Zimo, recorded from the real engines!  All prototypes are meter gauge and operate in the Canton of Graubunden in southern Switzerland.

 

 

That is a fantastic sounding engine. Thanks for Posting it.

Pat

WWW.PATSTRAINS.COM

Here's a G question for you...do you secure your track to the ground? If so, how? 

A couple quick shots of my G scale loop around the pond.

 

 

my night light shelf display.

Gary,

I do not secure my track to the ground. I've found that as long as I run on carpeted floors with rail clips the track tends to stay secure from the weight of the trains. What you see in my video is just tracks on the floor and that all it is.  I've been doing it for decades.

However.  I'm sure the outdoors operators here use ballast.  Like real trains, g gauge in the garden requires support and drainage.

I don't have much G except for an LGB 2-4-0, passenger cars and a coal hopper. All in pretty rough shape and they haven't run in years. I did have an Eggliner for a few years but again, never ran it except for once and that was it. I think when I ran the LGB train around the Christmas tree and the 2-4-0 was acting "funny" one year, I purchased the Eggliner in a pinch. 

 

I've always wanted an LGB Stainz but with no place to run it, I don't really want to spend big $$$ on a shelf ornament. One day (sound familiar?) I'd like to do an LGB/G Gauge Euro layout

Lionel Grandpa, that's an excellent suggestion to preface non-O gauge posts in this sub forum with the gauge and a colon as you have.  It will make it very easy to scan the right-hand recent posts column and pick out the gauges and messages of interest and skip the others.  I hope that others adopt this. (I use a very similar technique at work to preidentify and manage tons of support emails and it's caught on there; it would be useful here, too.)  Thanks for the suggestion.

 

And, GREAT pics, by the way.

 

Tomlinson Run Railroad

Superior Stone and Gravel #1, an LGB 2015D I Americanized way back in the late 1980's:

 

Rusty

Somewhat Americanized, but those oval windows scream European to me Rusty.

 

 I picked up the old Lionel Gold Rush a few years ago(there are 2 G "Gold Rush sets. An early and a modern one, completely different trains). Its the quietest train I've ever heard

 Knowing the reputation for that track to rust, it stays inside.

 

 

 

 

Outside I use the cheap plastic stuff, track and all.

50% New Bright, 50% Lionel Scientific.

 

 I'm doing my own UV and Michigan weather tests on the track.

2 winters, and this will be its third summer outside.

 Its faded a little, but the dogs and moles have done more damage than snow and ice.

 

Its in the garden now. No roadbed. Just sitting on pea gravel. Ballasted with....

 

Yep, more pea gravel. 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't run this UP much.

Its just outside soaking in the UV.

They all stay outside rain or shine. 

I wonder if the smoke unit is full of water yet(it does have one)

 

 

 Last but not least...Did you ever buy mislabeled Testors paint?

The label said flat.

After that, I was so mad, I had no problem at all with sparkle paper and cheap lettering

 

 

 

 

 

 I like the way this runs so I put batteries & lights it the passenger car and caboose.

 

Originally a 2-6-2, I removed the pilot truck too.

I tried many fixes, but it just derailed over and over.

 

 

I could hog up pages with pics. I'll just put some random ones in for now. I hope they don't get mad!

Great pic's everyone! 

New this year and loving it. 

 

can not figure out why video is showing up sideways and distorted ???

Will retry later

This one's a little more 'Merican...

 

A first generation Bachmann "Big Hauler" 2-4-2:

I replaced the silly-putty handrails and piping with Plastruct rod, raised the coal bunker 1/4", added embossed sides to the firebox, threw on some detail parts and because it had lousy power pickup, I added LGB sprung pickups behind the drivers.

 

Rusty

MY LGB/Aster "Frank S" Live Steam Dampflok:

 

 

Absolutely gorgeous Rigatoni.  

Here's a little video shot at my club layout.

 

Here are some photos of a BRAWA Swiss RhB G gauge train:

 

 

Regards

Fred

Very nice everyone. I'm really enjoying the great pictures and it's given me a lot of ideas!!! Thank you, Terry

Utilizing those tight LGB switches for the under the stairs storage yard.



The freight yard.

Fred,

How does that brawa g4/5 run. I've heard the drive train had issues.  In general nice stuff though.  Too bad they gave up on g.

Question for G-Scale Model Railroaders

I have been thinking about doing something with Garden Railroading, but at this time I have no objectives. Just window shopping.

• I would like to stay with an American Style Locomotive.

• If possible, battery powered, & if it is battery powered, would need some kind of radio controlled system.

• If you would like to leave a suggestion, please leave a link to a vender or manufacture.

Thanks - Gary

Cheers from The

Glenn,

 

The version I have is the simple analog DC version (no sound). It runs well, but has some noise as you can hear in the video. I did not put it to the serious test and  run it only with the short Brawa train and encountered no problems. Brawa is not as robust as LGB but I think it looks better. I also like their h0 and 0 gauge trains.

 

 

Regards

Fred

 

Gary, the system I'm using in my O scale engines will work, Tony Walsham has a good variety of kits specifically made for G scale trains:

 

http://www.rcs-rc.com/

 

I have a G scale 4-6-0 "Annie" and will most likely add one of his kits to it.  I presently use an old Aristo-Craft Train Engineer handheld/base and a power supply from an old laptop to power it.

MTH One-Gauge trains battery powered & running via DCS.

 

Myself I like USA Trains converted to PS2/3.

 

http://www.rayman4449.com/

just playing around on a summer day

USA Trains (Charles Ro) is having a good sale for me. I got some stuff. I can't pass up on a good.....deal!

 

 

My Dad left me his LGB trains collection.He loved running these trains.I enjoy running them too.

Dan

I've been off line for a few months and just today made my first visit to the forum and discovered this new sub-forum.

Always happy to share photo's of some of my Large Scale Trains....

1 - Bachann - Heisler Bash

2 - Delton Track Inspection Truck

3 - Lionel/LGB Heisler Bash

4 - LGB - Darjeeling Express Bash

5 - 13 Ton Climax Bash

 

These are just a few of my LS locomotives that I have photo's of on my computer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my LGB layout, finished in 1991, still alot of fun. i have been building an o gauge layout in the cellar for three or four years.

Nice LGB layout.  Looks like it could be in a showroom.

Dabbled a little bit with G gauge.

 

I did not know you had Garden Railway Layout.

Hi Tim,

I really wouldn't call it a layout, essentially it is like a dogbone loop. Currently it is not running, after a tree limb fell causing some significant damage I was in the process of refurbishing & repairing the damage when my newer heart issues resulted in a work stoppage. Hopefully this fall I'll be able to start on it again, providing the gophers haven't carried everything off.

P.S. I won't be there Saturday for the "Kid's Club".

 I'm getting there! I'm trying to build a large consist. First, the engines wouldn't get along. So I adjusted the tach readers to get their speeds to match. Next, some wiring issues causes power loss and poor signal. Finally when I'm getting close, I'm snapping couplers! So next, off with any stock couplers and install all KD's. Soon I'll be ready.

 

In the 3rd photo how many engines?

"some wiring issues causes power loss"

 

Joe, how often do you provide a power tap (how many feet between)? That's a pretty large layout and it seems like you must have quite a few to run trains without power loss. 

Hmmm, looks like 12? Some are in the shed. I was showing off the MTH Dash 8s for another forum.

 

I divided the loops into quarters. So the runs are about 75'. They were good but the signal and power is dropping. I thing the joints degrade with weather and dirt entering. So I may remove everything, clean, and then make the blocks 50' roughly? I'll see how they do after some cleaning. I have to remove all the screws from the rails that bond them to the ties. It won't allow them to float in the hot summer sun. When the sun goes down, the rails shrink big time! I installed the special short pieces of track now that allow for this. Hopefully my joints will stop from falling apart and letting dirt in.

 This outdoor stuff has a steep learning curve for me. I just happen to go with multiple TIUs for the first time, and the software has bugs. Makes me want to fly radio planes and boats instead.

 Anybody in the future, will probably go with battery to save all this hastle. When I started batteries were expensive, heavy, and would only last a year.

Anybody in the future, will probably go with battery to save all this hastle. When I started batteries were expensive, heavy, and would only last a year.

 

Joe,  I was going to start a new topic until I saw this in my search.

 

I recently converted all my 3-rail steam to BPRC (Battery-Power, Remote-Control) using the RC system from Tony Walsham of RCS: http://www.rcs-rc.com/pages/home in Australia.  I'm using both NiMh and LiPo batteries, cost is usually less than $20/battery.  I also have a Bachmann G scale 4-6-0 and Tony offers a kit for the Annie.

 

I've been thinking about installing the kit in my Ten-Wheeler, but wanted to see if anyone here has used the RCS system.  I think it retains the original Bachmann sound system but they also offer the "My Locosounds" system.

 

I've been getting excellent run time on my O scale engines, the Williams brass N&W J weighs 14 pounds, with 4 passenger cars it goes up to 22 lbs!!!.  The Bachmann engine doesn't weigh nearly that much so I figure the RCS system and either type of 12v battery would/should work fine.

 

Oh, I'm currently using a laptop power supply and my old Aristo-Craft Train Engineer I bought last century for my HO layout.

 

Any thoughts?

Finally dug some of my locos out 

 

 

Bob, if you're still out there? I just saw this.

Only thing I could comment on is I like to run big trains and use smoke. I think that I'd need some big battery power and I hope they would last if I invested in battery.

 I think I may just try a pair of Aristo Dash 9s to start with battery. They struggle the most with dirt so battery should fix that.

 The economy for me with track power, comes when the number of engines gets up there. I'd have to have many Airwire boards, sound boards, the controller, and batteries.

Joe,

 

Being that you're running multiple engines on 1 train, I'm not sure if the system I'm using could handle them as easily as DCS or DCC.  I run at most 2 engines at one time and they're independent of one another, usually 1 mainline freight and 1 switcher.

 

These big trains sure are impressive though, your yard looks very well kept.  I don't know a plant from a weed and ending up pulling everything out that doesn't look right, plus I've got too many pine trees to deal with for a backyard layout.  It's all I can do to keep the indoor O layout going!

I just love this Santa Fe ALCo by Aristo Craft.

German BR 18 Cab#201

Here is a you tube video of this engine actually running a few years ago (completely restored).  Hope you can understand German.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnmfXj8cYpI

 

Engine was converted to DCC with Zimo Sound by Train-LI and only has been test run by the installer.  It's a passenger engine which seems bigger to me than 1:32 scale of a couple of Euro freight engines that I have.  Is "Euro" the correct designation for engines form Germany?

Here's our MTH Virginian Triplex and an Aristo Southern Alco with a Santa Fe PA.

 

Joe, your backyard layout looks great and your using DCS.? How large is the track plan and what brand of track are you using ?  I also hear that MTH is coming out with a large scale Big Boy by the end of this year, rehashed from a few years ago. I want one if those large scale Big Boys!

It's a build as I go track plan. Originally it was a loop around two old trees that I removed. It had 10' curves and was maybe like 50' long. Now it goes around the entire yard and there's sidings and yards to be built.  The backyard is 65' wide x 100?

 The track is mainly Aristo with some brass and nickle as a test.

 It's all connected to my new shed building with Bridgewerks power and DCS control.

 I too ordered a BB with Ray M but I need to send him some money! I really need to stop buying trains!!!

Only thing I could comment on is I like to run big trains and use smoke. I think that I'd need some big battery power and I hope they would last if I invested in battery.

 

You know as well as I that Dennis Sirrine runs big trains via battery power

 

Big LiPo batteries are fairly reasonable. Say like a 22.2V 10,000mah only cost $109.99 shipped from the 'bay...and they only weigh like 5.5 lbs.

 

Theoretically one could take the new Airwire Convertr which is actually a mini DCC command center/ booster/ rf receiver and graft it onto a PS3 equipped loco. Disconnect the power pickups and hook up a battery pack and control it by either a Airwire throttle or NCE G Wire throttle.   

I wonder what Dennis Sirrine's yearly train budget is?

I bet I could give him a run this past year!!

Boy I don't know but he does sell other scales on the bay. I've often wondered what his basement has for layouts?

When I was in AZ, there were very few basements. Some builders came down from the NE sections of the country and offered them. The development near us sold a few and then the builder left.

 I would bet he doesn't have one. Of course if he had wanted one, then he does!

Interesting as I never thought about not having a basement in the desert.

 

I know in emails he's stated that his Christmas Open House outdoor layout tours have attracted 20,000 - 25,000 people or more annually. Just the logistics of drinks, porta-potties & security is quite time consuming!

Here are some shots of my outdoor garden railway, built when you could actualy get this stuff at a reasonable price or at all.  Track is 100% LGB, trains have been a mix of LGB and Aristo/REA.  Right now I run an Aristo Alco FA-1 in Canadian Pacific colors, converted to onboard battery power, pulling a couple of USA beer reefers and the 2 cars from my Lionel Gold Rush set.  I have the 0-6-0 from that set awaiting someone to turn the flange off the middle driver so she wont bind going around tight curves.  It has also been converted to onboard battery power. Indoors we have a loop overhead in our living room.  I do have the means to run track power on it when necessary as I do repair work for a couple hobby shops.  Cheers  Mike and Michele T

Like the LGB/Aster engines.  Are they still be being made?  I mean the electric versions?

Aster only made the one run of the Frank S.  LGB on thier own brought out a plastic electric version with motors in both the engine and tender a few years later.  Its been produced in a blue scheme as the Nicki+Frank S and in black/red as a DR engine.   Mike