Subject:
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Re: Is it possible to run lego trains outdoors?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Sat, 14 Jul 2007 03:09:48 GMT
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Viewed:
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4653 times
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In lugnet.trains, Doug Dropeskey wrote:
> After moving 4 times in 4 years, I find myself with a house. Unfortunately,
> there is not enough room in the house or garage for a lego train setup. But
> I do have a large, fenced in back yard with lots of trees. So then, is it
> possible to weatherize a lego train and run it outdoors? That is, can I a
> lay a track and leave it outside? I am in northern California and do not
> have to contend with snow, but it rains quite a bit in the winter.
Absolutely. It's called "building an addition on your house". Seriously,
though, it is entirely possible to run LEGO trains outside (our club has been
involved in three separate outdoor displays that I know of, two of which I've
participated in...but all of them were done under canopies). Rain, however,
will be a huge problem, even if snow won't. I don't know for sure that the
track will rust, but it certainly does develop corrosion of some type. The
motor bogey wheels will have similar issues, should you leave the trains
themselves outside, and you'd really need to strip the regulators and maybe even
the 9V track leads when you're not using it. And more importantly, there's the
issue of the pigments in ABS not being 100% UV-resistant unless it's black (and
I'm sure you'd like at least a few other colors in your layout, especially since
they don't make black 9V track). Every other color will fade over time if left
in the sun (if you've been to LEGOLAND, CA in the last few years, you'll
understand), and even the plastic itself will degrade and become more
susceptible to cracks or the plastic equivalent of dryrot (where the surface
plastic will literally crumble away into dust if you rub your finger on it).
And of course, even with a fenced yard, there's always the possibility that
people will sneak into your yard and mess with the layout (I'm sure the
squirrels will, and birds will probably take a few bombing runs).
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | Re: Is it possible to run lego trains outdoors?
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| (...) This is absolutely correct (I actually work for one of the major companies that has supplied LEGO their ABS). ABS is not good outdoors. In most outdoor weatherable applications where ABS is present, it is extruded in sheet form and used as a (...) (17 years ago, 14-Jul-07, to lugnet.trains)
| | | Re: Is it possible to run lego trains outdoors?
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| (...) And that is despite the fact that all models in miniland have been given a healthy coat of UV protection. One of the model builders told me that the structures in miniland must be replaced every 5-7 years. Bill V. could comment more (...) (17 years ago, 14-Jul-07, to lugnet.trains, FTX)
| | | Re: Is it possible to run lego trains outdoors?
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| (...) I had not considered the effect of sunlight on the bricks. That's a show stopper for me, as I would like to leave structures in place, even if the trains come indoors after each use. Thank you to everyone for the suggestions and information. (...) (17 years ago, 18-Jul-07, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Is it possible to run lego trains outdoors?
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| After moving 4 times in 4 years, I find myself with a house. Unfortunately, there is not enough room in the house or garage for a lego train setup. But I do have a large, fenced in back yard with lots of trees. So then, is it possible to weatherize (...) (17 years ago, 14-Jul-07, to lugnet.trains)
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