Any G scale experts on here??

[hedgefinder]

Just looking for a bit of advice before buying anything.

My son is wanting to move away from 00 gauge railways and we have been
looking at a G scale set up for indoor and outdoor use and want something that can be added to, as and when time/funds allow.

Only trouble is there is such a HUGE array of different manufacturers and track.

I would say that LIVE STEAM is out of the budget until I find out if the interest fades !

Anyone got any advice ...
Powered track , battery powered and/ or remote control whats the best to go with ???
Which type and manufacturers track is best to use ?

[Steve_W]

I don't have anything G scale myself, but my friend is totally into it; he swears by LGB track & rolling stock. Fine if you like German looking rolling stock of course.

I helped him build the garden railway at his last place; now he's moved home he's building a much larger system round the new garden, including using a form of cat flap to allow the trains to run in & out of the purpose built garage extension where they can be safely locked away.

It is quite cool to be sitting in the garden and just pluck a can or bottle off a train as it rumbles past!

His last place was featured in Garden Rail magazine; I expect the new one will be too. Copies usually available in WH Smith's if you haven't seen one - I imagine there are decent links to reviews / suppliers in it?

[Top Banana]

Would also recommend the LGB route - we had quite a lot when my son was younger and he used to set it up both indoors and outdoors. Quality of the stuff was top notch, we bought most of our track and rolling stock secondhand from ebay in the UK and from Germany.

Also there is a great G scale specialist shop near peterborough that we also used

Regards - Tb

[Collectingbrass]

I'd start with watching these programmes

http://www.markfound.com/#!garden-railway---all-ep...

and follow up with this book as well as the Garden Rail magazine mentioned above

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Garden-Railways-Ground-Da...

And pay these guys a visit (but leave the credit card at home...)

http://www.grsuk.com/home

I'm not sure whether LGB are what they were, but they are the "Hornby" of this scale. You may well get lucky and find a chinese made set on ebay or in a garden centre, like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-to-Z-Large-Battery-Ope...

While in no way as accurate as you are used to, if you are a dab hand at kit bashing they would make an ideal starter set

[DavidY]

LGB is the way to go, like many premium products it holds its value very well, so if you buy well second hand you won't loose any money in the long term.

[Mike Brown]

Lgb all the way, had mine for years and always reliable, plenty of choice and many other makes can always be added, Mike

[Mike Brown]

Lgb all the way, had mine for years and always reliable, plenty of choice and many other makes can always be added, Mike

[MBBlat]

LGB track is 45mm gauge - so basically anything with that gauge with that gauge will run on it.

Do you want to model a specific country's railways? LGB is mostly Swiss/German outline, Bachmann is USA or Thomas the tank engine
UK outline has a lot of small cottage industry suppliers, ranging from cheap http://www.rail-roadmodels.co.uk to stupidly expensive https://www.accucraft.uk.com , just make sure you specify 45mm as 32mm is also popular.

Of course there is nothing stopping you mixing and matching to you're hearts content. Just watch out for scale differences as these vary from 1:19 (UK 16mm, Bachmann Spectrum) to 1:22.5 (LGB), all narrow gauge prototypes. 1 Gauge uses the same track spacing but is scale 1:32 mainline.

Power - as per indoors you can use a power pack or DCC, transferred via the rails or since the models are quite large battery/RC. The latter is more expensive to start with, and usually means a bit of modification to the loco, but requires less track maintenance. Again mix & match is feasible, but for UK outline check for insulated wheelsets.

Price-wise, if you are prepared to build and paint a lot of kits UK outline is surprisingly affordable, LGB beyond the basic starter sets can be surprisingly expensive new, and not much cheaper second hand.

[W124Bob]

Pick up a copy of Garden Railways Magazine, any decent sized Smiths should have it, http://grw.trains.com