# G Gauge Power Requirements, etc…



## Matison (12 mo ago)

I am slowly transitioning from an indoor N layout to G Gauge Garden Railway. I may keep the N going so that I’ll have something to run this winter. My eyes aren’t doing as well as I had hoped, and It will be easier for me to maintain a G layout than an N one in the long run. I thought about selling some things, but the prices of used equipment are not so good at this time. it may be better to hold onto them for the time being. 
Because of the expenses, I am very slowly working toward my goal of running the G layout in the Spring of 2023.
I have over 100’ of LGB Track, and also have some freight cars. I’ll be saving for a locomotive (either Diesel or coal-fired), and I also need to get enough power to be able to run a locomotive that can be as far as 55’ from the station. I am planning to elevate over 90% of my railway due to a featureless, flat clay yard that has a hard time growing anything. I am starting to make the bents for a raised trestle railway. I will need well over 100 of them, as well as connecting bracing. I’m also trying to figure out how to get the riding lawnmower around the track. Maybe I’ll elevate one section to 6 feet or so, to get under it, but most of the trestles will be at a height of 24”. 

Does anyone have suggestions on the type and brand of power supply that I’ll need for my G Garden Railway? Will I need to run wires through the trestles in order to attach feeds along the route, or will power at the station sufficiently travel through the whole track?
-Matt


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

I used the MRC Power G 10 Amp for my G scale layout which was three loops and it ran three trains at the same time with no problem. Aristocraft at the time made rail clamps that you could attach wires from one loop to the next for powering each loop but they are out of business. I did not need additional feeders for power along the way. .


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## Matison (12 mo ago)

Thanks for the information, gramps. I read about Aristocraft going under. It’s sad to me when any of the model train companies go out of business, yet on the other side of the coin, because I am not very well-off on in my retirement after becoming I’ll, I usually cannot help the companies that I wish to support. I’m part of the problem….


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

Just to clarify, I didn't mean for it to seem like the MRC Power G is an Aristocraft product. They are not related at all. On another note, don't consider yourself part of a problem, enjoy what you can in the hobby.


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## dbat77 (2 mo ago)

Matison said:


> I am slowly transitioning from an indoor N layout to G Gauge Garden Railway. I may keep the N going so that I’ll have something to run this winter. My eyes aren’t doing as well as I had hoped, and It will be easier for me to maintain a G layout than an N one in the long run. I thought about selling some things, but the prices of used equipment are not so good at this time. it may be better to hold onto them for the time being.
> Because of the expenses, I am very slowly working toward my goal of running the G layout in the Spring of 2023.
> I have over 100’ of LGB Track, and also have some freight cars. I’ll be saving for a locomotive (either Diesel or coal-fired), and I also need to get enough power to be able to run a locomotive that can be as far as 55’ from the station. I am planning to elevate over 90% of my railway due to a featureless, flat clay yard that has a hard time growing anything. I am starting to make the bents for a raised trestle railway. I will need well over 100 of them, as well as connecting bracing. I’m also trying to figure out how to get the riding lawnmower around the track. Maybe I’ll elevate one section to 6 feet or so, to get under it, but most of the trestles will be at a height of 24”.
> 
> ...


I am bit late for this posting, but I will put in my 2 cents worth. I had a G scale Garden railroad a few years back and I will share what I did and what I should have done! I built my roadbed with treated 2x6 lumber supported by 4x4 treated lumber. That worked well for me and I did not have to construct bents. Now a big mistake I made was having the height only 12 inches. This was quite problematic when I needed to place rolling stock on the track, and cleaning debris off of the track. Getting down on my knees was a major PITA. I sold all of my LGB track and rolling stock about 2 years later. Oh one more point, birds pooped on the track more frequently than I ever thought they would. Lol.


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