Outdoor Use FAQs
Can I use my LGB trains outside?
Yes. LGB tracks, as well as most cars, locomotives and accessories are engineered for outdoor use. You can run your LGB trains in the sun, in the rain, and even in the snow.
For safe operation, any device that uses house current, like a transformer or power pack, must be kept indoors (or in a dry, sheltered housing). That`s why the LGB program includes separate transformers and controls.
Faq No: 1106
Can my LGB trains be immersed in water?
LGB trains are engineered for indoor and outdoor use with weather-resistant materials and designs. However, LGB products should not be immersed or constantly exposed to water. For example, LGB switch drives and MTS switch decoders should not be installed in places where water collects. Do not expose the speakers in LGB sound locos to water.
Faq No: 1122
What is the best way to install track outdoors?
There are dozens of different methods suited to different people and different situations. You can even just lay your track on the grass and run your train right on the lawn. For long-term installations, however, we recommend these techniques:
- The "floating" method. The track floats in a bed of gravel, called "ballast," just like real railroad track. Pour a roadbed of coarse gravel where you want to put your track. Then set the track into the ballast, level it and pour a bit more ballast on top. That`s it. (If you want to get fancy, you can dig a shallow trench to hold the ballast in place.) Rainwater and snow melt will drain away from the track, and the track can move when it contracts in the winter and expands in the summer.
Faq No: 1053
What kind of gravel should I use for ballast?
Different materials are available in different parts of the country. Look for gravel about 1/4 inch in diameter. In many areas of the U.S., farm supply stores sell gravel in this size as "turkey grit" or "chicken grit." (In Germany, look for gravel, called "vierer Kornung," about 4 mm in diameter.)
Faq No: 1054
What kind of power supply do I need for an outdoor layout?
For safe operation, any device that uses house current, like a transformer or power pack, must be kept indoors (or in a dry, sheltered housing). That`s why the LGB program includes separate transformers and controls. For example, you can install an LGB transformer indoors and connect it to a 52120 "Signalman`s Hut" speed control outdoors.
Faq No: 1064
