I live in central Texas and have a non-airconditioned garage layout, where the garage temperatures can exceed 120 degrees F. My cars and engines stored well in non-air-conditioned storage until my retirement as of late. The engines still work VERY well, except for the K-4, which I am working on to get the drive trains to work. (My old Spectrum GP-30 (38?) pulled 23 cars of over 4 ounces each up a 1 percent grade yesterday in a traction test with no faltering!) I can only afford to continue DC at this time, as teacher retirement is not so good in Texas. Should I shut-down in the summer? I could still run the layout in the cooler 5 am hours (two or three hours), or should I remove the locomotives inside? Should I remove all the cars? I do keep the engines lubed well but not over-lubed. Any suggestions are deeply appreciated.
By the way, if my Spectrum K-4 cannot be fixed locally, is there any trade-in option(s) for these wonderful locos or is it now a "static" display case object and should I just consider it a bad investment? Thank you. Ross Litman
It's a good thing Central Texas is a mostly dry-heat area. Electric trains don't run well in saunas, after all.
I, personally, would put the engines in a bin during the middle of the summer days and keep them inside with the livable temperatures. These things do operate on an air-cooled basis, both the powerpacks and engines.
I would have to agree. I have a daughter who lives in a similar area, Copperas Cove, Tx and I remember days when I visited it never got below 75 F. It can get humid at times.
Rich
On the Gulf Coast it can stay above 85 for days on end. With highs in the upper 90's and 100 % humidity. I would never trade that for a northern winter though. The payoff is our avg 60 F snow free winter. Now THATS what people retire to.
I will stay in Western Mass. I have a dry walk in cellar for layout. Humidity control. Snow is not an issue.
Much of the year, bicycle riding on local rail trails in cities where I live. Two cities nearby still have former passenger stations that are now restaurants. One was a Union station. Amtrak runs nearby and has a loading plartform.
Rich
Any snow at all is a problem. Any day below 40 is a problem.
Can you model railroad outside in a covered space year round? That's what I'm talking about. I can. Maybe 10 days in the winter are too cold. With a good strong fan, no day is too hot for it. Our house is too small for anything inside, that's why the covered outdoor air layout.
With the G-scale trains, they actually can push snow off the tracks with a snowplow on the train.