Page 23 - NMRA Roundhouse September October 2020

ROBIN SWAN
REGION PRESIDENT 2010-2012
I model Standard Gauge (Gauge 1) and Narrow Gauge Fn3 (1:20.3). By the way, Fn3 stands for 15 mm to the foot: 3 foot gauge track: suitable for the Denver & Rio Grande, Rio Grand Southern or a logging railroad. Conveniently the track gauge for both is 45 mm.While the surrounding plants are basically accept- able for both, building and other line-side accessories have to be changed. But that is not the problem that you might think, although for example, working signals are best not left permanently outside in the British weather.
My track is laid on real railway sleepers, on building-insulation blocks and set into ballast. None of the track is restrained by nails or glue.The first two have similarities to the way most of us lay
our track: on a solid surface.The track laid in ballast has to be maintained in very similar ways to the real thing: sharp stones (horticultural grit for my railroad) requiring tramping and levelling. If you do not use sharp stone, the stones act as roller bearings — not good.Ask the Bure Valley Railway what happens. In the garden, scale rail will not stand up to the rigour of only being supported, and held in place, by ballast. So 1 use code 330 and not the more correct code 225.
The vegetation beside the track re- quires constant maintenance — to stop ingress and to keep it in “scale”.This
all sounds hard work, but it is fun and part of the realism for me: we look at the same basic concept (modelling a railroad) through slightly different eyes / perspectives. It also has the advantage of encouraging me to do something active in the garden. However, at some point the bending and kneeling may become harder.Then I might have rebuild the railroad so that it is waist high: that is on a wall or on stilts.The alternative will be to abandon the outdoor railway.That will be a sad day, but that is life.And it will be an encouragement to do something with my O, HO and N scale stock.
Motive Power
In the ready-to-run and kit building market there are models of steam and diesel locomotives, passenger cars and freight cars. My motive power is a mix of ready-to-run and kit built.The steam and diesels are two rail electric and radio controlled battery powered. I also have some live steam, some of which are radio controlled.
My garden railroad is a basic circuit (about 35 feet by 20 feet) with a passing loop with a siding off one part of the
loop and sidings on the other side of the circuit — see the photos.The main line run is about 81feet. It evolved into this form from a station with a return loop around two sides of the garden. That was more prototypical perhaps, but of limited operational potential, particularly for any live steam that are not radio controlled. Because the track is at or close to ground level, I built a pit in one corner where I can sit and view the trains at track-height. It is also handy when firing up a live steam engine.
How I operate
When I first built the garden railway, I used a card system to deliver and collect freight cars from the different sidings. Now I tend to set a train in motion and watch it trundle around at scale speed.
I can run two trains making use of the passing loop. On a sunny afternoon train watching, surrounded by the sounds and smells of the garden, takes me back to my childhood.When I run live steam there are also the sounds of a steam engine together with the smell of steam and hot oil. Memories indeed.
Robin Swan
ROUNDHOUSE - September//October 2020 - 75thAnniiversary IIssue
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