Whether you are a train hobbyist or just want to build something for the kids or grandkids, building train tracks in the backyard is always a fun idea to tackle.
The main questions people seem to ask about this concept usually pertain to space or money.
Where to start with backyard train tracks
Before you start, you’ll need to plan your backyard railroad.
If the hobby is just for you in your own time, you won’t feel urgency to finish it in a certain time span.
However, if you’re building it for your children or grandchildren, you may want to start with less elaborate plans, so they can enjoy sooner.
And if it’s your first time building, you should probably plan for a simple layout – there is no reason you can’t make it more elaborate down the road.
Many current backyard train enthusiasts have gone through stages in which they start simple and build bigger.
It usually goes something like this:
- Begin the project – construct a track of three to six meters and have a four-wheel cart in use.
- Expand to fifteen meters, add a curve and slight incline, get a second four-wheeled cart.
- Create a mature system with proper landscaping, and a full loop if applicable with the configuration.
Of course, many people never plan to go further than stage 1, but inevitably this hobby is one that takes over!
Gauge choice
You will need to choose a gauge for your track during your design phase.
For those new to backyard railways, the gauge (a dimension measured on the inside edges of the rails) is the distance between the track rails.
It’s worth researching nearby areas to see what backyard railways use as other backyard railways enthusiasts often re-purpose rail, or trains, which you could purchase cheaply.
This is also useful in the event you are planning on joining a club.
Here are some of the more common dimensions (in inches) for backyard trains and track that can haul passengers:
- 1.25/1.75/2.5/3.5 – ideal for elevated viaducts (hence not for children, or for use on the ground)
- 4.75 in the USA (5 in the rest of the world)
- 7.5 in the USA (except Northeast) and Japan – 7.25 in the rest of the world.
- 9.5/10.25 (historical, and not common in New York).
- 12/15 too heavy for younger people.
If you’re going to run a train on train tracks in your back yard, I’d suggest choosing between the 1/12 scale or 1/8 scale (so 4.75-5 inches to 7.25/7.5 inches).
For the purposes of this post, we’ll use 5″ and 7.25″.
Cost
If you’re using a 7.25″ gauge, you’re spending twice the money on materials than you would for 5″ gauge backyard train tracks.
In weight, you’re talking about each item being three times as heavy.
However, if you’re making a lightweight operation (by this we mean the load is mostly passengers and not the train), both gauges will cost about the same amount of money.
That’s because the rails carry the same weight between their sleeper regardless of gauge.
If this is purely based on cost – you probably feel more comfortable with the 5″ gauge as preferred.
Nevertheless, lots of people are now choosing 7.25″ gauge for:
- Heavier adults cannot always ride in 5” wagons.
- Rail, tube, and common bar are 1” and look appropriate in 1/8 scale, but are too tall in 12 scale.
- So many larger, private tracks have 7.25” gauges, as do many club tracks.
- In many places around the world, it is easier to buy 1/8 scale.
- 7.25-inch gauge wagons are quite a usable size to carry produce and garden materials.
No matter what size you decide on, make sure to verify your local gauge measurements before beginning your construction. This can include sizes like 4.75”, 5”, 7.25”, or 7.5”.
Do you scale?
For some toy train enthusiasts scale matters.
They will only select trains or wagons that are made specifically for whatever scale their track is.
Others just ignore that all together and use whatever cars and wagons fit on the tracks, regardless of scale.
When you eliminate scale you can create something useful and fun!
Track construction
Track material possibilities will differ from one track to another and often from one place to another.
Here are just a few of the possibilities.
Profile rail
It’s specifically created and manufactured for smaller railways.
Its cross-section is similar shape-wise to a full-sized track, and it’s usually made from rolled steel or extruded aluminum
It has a wide base to fix to the sleeper easily using standard wide head screws or nails.
ideally: fixings made from galvanized steel or stainless steel, and sleepers from pressure-treated pine. This track is the best type for beginners.
Ladder track
This consists of steel rails that are welded to flat sleepers.
These are then bedded on either timber sleepers or a stone or concrete bed.
This is the cheapest of the types of track, especially if the miniature railway is going to be used heavily and get a lot of wear and tear.
However, this is probably the worst type of track for a beginner to work with unless they are comfortable with welding.
“Groovy” track
The low rail system consists of steel bars that are driven into slots on top of the sleepers.
It is a cheaper system compared to other systems, but if you are cutting the slots yourself it can be very tedious.
In addition to the grooves, when the sleepers have groves they typically do not last as long.
Bar-in-chain track
This style of track utilizes rectangular steel bars or sections fitted into aluminum channels or plastic chairs fixed on the top of the sleeper.
This is a good introduction track system for beginners.
Preparing the ground
If you are constructing a short track as a small hobby, you might want to build it on an existing concrete pathway or even on a lawn.
If you are constructing a longer track, you will have to prepare the ground below it.
For basic rules, your sleepers must be horizontal, and rails must be close to being horizontal.
Your rails can slope up or slope down if these are a small percentage (1%) of their lengths.
You also must not install bends that are too tight. For a 5” gauge, a minimum radius of 1.2 meters on bends is needed.
For a beginner’s lightweight track, you probably do not need ballast.
However, if your sleepers are disappearing into soft ground, you must add some type of reinforcement underneath. This can be paving bricks or ballast.
Decision point – Many people use ballast anyway, as it looks better – and it keeps young children from kicking the ends of the sleepers.
Your rolling stock
If you’re getting started making your own cars or wagons, find a way to get started that is simple.
The first car you will want to build should be able to simply be pushed down the track.
If you are building a flat, 4-wheel car you will need to have the following items:
- Plywood deck
- Timber frame
- Axle sets and wheels
- Bearings
- Bearing housings
- Springs (depending on the size of the wheelbase)
- Screws
- Couplers
- Outdoor paint
If you’re going to make a freight car, you’ll also need:
- Sides (solid pine or plywood)
- Optional roof (PVC sheet, plywood, sheet metal)
- Optional footboards (pine boards)
- Brakes (unless the track is flat)
There are welfare of wheels available in so many places, you are even able to buy them pre made.
When referring to a powered locomotive, it is more convenient to use electric because petrol engines require more maintenance and are noisey!
You need to obtain the following:
- A powered chassis
- A plywood body that’s strong enough for sitting on
- Batteries (two, large ‘deep-cycle’ batteries or 17Ah gel cell batteries for flat track)
- A battery charger
- A controller – ideally, a PWM (pulse width modulated) electronic controller
Materials for cost estimates
In fact, you can build a small backyard train track for as little as $300.
Of course, you can spend thousands on your system – or so I hear – and many hobbyists do!
For a small track (40-foot, or 12 meters), you will need:
- Rails: Acquire four rails measuring 10 feet each, or you may be able to find two 6-meter profile rails.
- Track Screws: For the track screws you will need 100 of them (galvanized or stainless csk), 1″ x 17 gauge, or 35 mm x 10 gauge.
- Sleepers: You will need 24 sleepers (treated pine) that are 3 inches x 2 inches x 13 feet. You can sometimes obtain these for free, usually from surplus timber.
- Wheelsets: You’ll need 4 diecast wheels or 1 pair (4 wheels on axles).
- Bearings: 4 sealed ball races for axles (usually ½”), or 4 pillow block bearings to save the hassle of boring wheels into the bearing housings.
- Wagon Frame: About 10 feet of 3″ x ½” softwood. If you check your local building sites or surplus sales of superficial lumber and off-cuts, you may be able to get these materials for free.
- Wagon Deck: For a wagon deck of 2’6″ (750 mm x 500), use decking timber to suit your design, or use scrap marine ply.
- Paint: Outdoor gloss acrylic.
How to put your railway together
The ballast layer
The easiest and fastest train tracks to make are ground level or near ground level.
You will need a solid base for your train tracks and many hobbyists like to lay their track in ballast like real train tracks.
It looks great too.
You will have two layers in ballast – the rack ballast layer is the first layer that is tamped down. After the track is put in position, you will use a fixing or decorative ballast.
Just a reminder – the scale doesn’t matter (unless you are doing everything to scale of course, then the stone size may matter to you).
Although size does not matter, many hobbyists will choose their ballast according to its visual appeal.
You are looking for something to blend your ballast in with the surroundings. Just remember ballast can also change color as well as age.
Laying your tracks
Now that you have applied your ballast down, you are ready to lay your track sections out and position them.
I would lay them all out before fixing any into position so that you can adjust the ballast as required.
You will need a spirit level and you will have to infill shallow areas or remove bumps as necessary when you are fixing your tracks into position.
When your tracks are all laid in position, you can use the decorative ballast.
Check clearances
Once you’re laid track and installed the decorative last layer of ballast, make sure your rolling stock clears all of the ballast.
If you think there’s a chance the ballast can be disturbed from wildlife, strimming, or leaf blowing, you can spray it with a PVA solution (diluted).
This will help stabilize your ballast. Again, ensuring nothing goes higher than the bottom of the rail.
Backyard train tracks FAQs
Do backyard train tracks need lots of maintenance?
If you’re excited enough to create a backyard train track, you’re probably going to want to play with it once it’s done!
Once backyard train tracks are installed, you will probably occasionally want to adjust something like ballast or change a screw here and there but, generally, it isn’t a huge maintenance issue.
Is it worth joining a club?
This is a personal preferences of choice.
Some people join a club so that they could go develop their own track and see what other lessons others are incorporating into their tracks. Others join a club afterwards or opt to not join at all. It is generally a personal choice.
Can I lay backyard train tracks on soft ground?
Certainly. A lot of people choose to lay their track on their lawn.
However, if you’re looking to create a lasting permanent feature, ballast or a hard base is best.
How much does it cost to lay backyard train tracks?
You could spend about a few hundred dollars or potentially thousands of dollars.
It all depends on the setup you wish to have. If you are reclaiming wood and materials, you can keep the expense quite low!
Final Thoughts
Putting train tracks in your yard or garden is every train lover’s dream – and all your children (as well as the adults in the family) will have plenty of fun too.
Choosing to put train tracks in your yard is going to need a high level of planning, more than most outdoor projects!
This is not the type of activity you can do in one afternoon, for sure!
If you want to get the finished product to look great, you need to be particular and patient – and I am sure you will have a few aches and pains from working on the ground for so long!