Backyard Railroad: Laying 7.5" Gauge Train Track (Kids for Life!)

[@majorkursk780]

How wonderful to have the large backyard to build this project and to watch excitement it brings to everyone.

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Hey, thanks!

[@williamschaeffer9675]

Really appreciate you doing this video. It’s very helpful to get an understanding, based upon experience, on how to build a 7 1/2” rail system.

[@rogerhuber3133]

I'm just in the thinking stage of going to 7 1/2" gauge trains. Your video supplied a lot of information I have been looking for. Many thanks! Looks like you have 2 pretty good helpers too.

[@Miertreg1]

Cool train 👍👍👍👌🙋🏻‍♂️. Greetings Gert🙋🏻‍♂️

[@michaelboyko5024]

That's a real built, man! Envy you greatly! Your little son will have the best recollections about his childhood, father and grandfather for having granted this railroad!

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Hey, thanks for the nice comment!

[@TheLocutus70]

Good thing your little helper is there to keep you on track.

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Yup! I for sure can't keep MYSELF on track alone! Our team is very intentional!

[@stevearnold2304]

Great update Erik. I’m jealous. Your yard also looks awesome with the Fall colors. Best wishes from Southwest Oregon. Steve A.

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Thanks, Steve A.! Yeah, those fall colors really popped out and I also noticed, like you, especially when doing the video edit! Thanks!

[@Shawn666Hellion]

Always wanted a train ride when I was a kid

[@agwinston]

Not sure which kid had the most fun with this project 🤔 Looks like it all was so much fun. Great job to all of you!

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

@@agwinston Thanks!

[@mysticrailroad]

if i ever build a backyard RR, you'll get alotta watch time outa me as i go back and watch this entire series! you guys are doing an excellent job.

[@Shoptalk321]

coming along great keep up the great work. Coming this spring to Kalispell Montana Pratt & Stockdale Railways. I'll let you when we start our Railroad.

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

P&S RR! Cool! Yeah, keep us in the loop!

[@vettebecker1]

Looking good

[@garysteffens5468]

Looking great! I keep waiting for you to play "I've Been Working On The Railroad"

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Oh, I’ve thought about it 😂 Don’t count it out!

[@tristanzayn830]

i dont mean to be so offtopic but does anyone know a trick to get back into an instagram account..? I somehow forgot the account password. I appreciate any tips you can offer me!

[@kasenasa2271]

@Tristan Zayn Instablaster :)

[@tristanzayn830]

@Kasen Asa I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@tristanzayn830]

@Kasen Asa it worked and I now got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D Thank you so much, you saved my ass!

[@seansonscaletrains3048]

Making good progress!

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Thanks, O&N! Yup! We're feeling good! We will have a ballasting video hopefully by tomorrow night!

[@TheLawlessReaper]

Love this, just found you and haven't watched anymore of your vids yet, I am planning a track that goes round my house for a little 0-4-0 steamer that I want to build.

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Cool! That will be fun!!

[@StanFerris]

Great job!

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Thanks! Yeah, it just might work!

[@ALAIN5000]

Pas mal!

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Merci

[@daveellis5100]

Recorded horizontally:)

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

??

[@robertkosar7420]

Just ordered rail myself

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

@@robertkosar7420 Excellent!!

[@conejobike]

woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow

[@dalemettee1147]

I noticed that on the joiner plates, the bolts going into the Nylok nuts are too short. In order for those nuts to stay tight, the bolts ,have to go thru the nylon inserts. BTW, those Nylok nuts are one time users only.

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

They grab just right and 3 years into this project, no issues 👍 Thanks though!

[@MoosesWorkshop]

How tight are your curves? Mine are 22foot radius and that causes squeaking when driving.

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

20’ 😬

[@War1109]

That's just gonna happen no matter what with what little play the track width gives

[@MoosesWorkshop]

@@War1109 bees wax worked.

[@michaelmorgan7893]

Where can this rail be purchased? Also, is there a way to build turnouts (switch tracks) and diamonds?

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Be sure to check the links etc. in all our videos! Lots of info! Here’s our entire playlist for our backyard railroad adventures! Thanks for checking us out 👍 kzbin.info/aero/PLn4tsoI7jYMQXBtzgiCSis7myAN8cnmNt&si=QtzdVzlOmvXPl_Wf

[@JJinspo124]

Hi I am looking to get into the 7 1/2 hobby and was looking at those rails and was wondering if they come in smaller sections or what shipping they use or even the cost of it

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Hi! Welcome! We’re new too but we’ve been documenting our journey. We raise some good questions and even answer some of them in our videos. I say check out our playlist and be sure to check our descriptions for more leads and of course check the comments because a lot of very experienced people have chimed in! I’ll post the link in this next comment! Thanks!

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Here’s our 7.5” backyard railroad playlist with lots more to come: kzbin.info/aero/PLn4tsoI7jYMQXBtzgiCSis7myAN8cnmNt

[@thiruraj3866]

Is the track powered or are the locos that are going to run on it being RC??? Btw great video

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Well, my dad on our future flat car rolling along was due to gravity. Otherwise, we will be building an 24 volt electric locomotive for our motive power.

[@glennfoster2423]

I'm late I guess, but once you tighten the bolts on the angle bars (rail joiners) why back the nuts off? Weather, temp changes, operation will loosen bolts anyway.

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Yeah, we ended up keeping them tight all said and done. 👍

[@crestlinerflyingcrest8694]

What type of steel are you using for the rails? Angel iron?

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

I wish I was able to use steel. But it’s aluminum rail from Midwest Scale Rail.

[@edwinmoore4560]

Where did you buy the tracks from

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Hi! Check out our playlist and be sure to read descriptions for links and more info. In our case, we got rail from Midwest Scale Rail. kzbin.info/aero/PLn4tsoI7jYMQXBtzgiCSis7myAN8cnmNt&si=IQEKRtLWhHvXnmAx

[@dwightatnorthernstar1820]

How about frost heaves? Not a criticism. Leaves?

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

What do you mean? Please say more!

[@dwightatnorthernstar1820]

@@minnesotaeerailroad8471 ground heaving from freezing and thawing, and leaves on the track...

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

I guess we’ll just have to deal. Freezing and thawing are inevitable up here in Minnesota. A guy recently said to me, “Building a railroad is easy, it’s MAINTAINING a railroad that is difficult!” I think that’s about the best answer I have for you. We’ll see what we have to do come Spring etc. for maintenance 😬

[@WHJeffB]

I just asked this of Moosesworkshop, who is also building a 7.5" gauge railway... If you don't mind me asking, what is the size of your house lot. I hope to do something similar in another 3-4yrs when we retire down south (NC). The lot sizes in the area we're looking to settle in are between 1/4 and 1/2 an acre. Wondering how small I can go (aside from needing space on each side of the house to get from the back yard to the front yard) in lot size, before it's not practical to do something like you've done. I like the idea of synthetic ties... One of the conditions of doing this through the front yard (set forth by my wife) is that I bury the track in the front yard in the grass, which means soil over the ties. I wouldn't want do do this with wood ties...

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

Fun to hear you’re planning ahead! We hope our videos give you ideas! ...Our backyard size: I just went out and stepped off approximately 63’ wide fence to fence. The depth of our city lot yard is abnormally deep at about twice the width (126’ deep, house to back of yard). But we only have permission 😊 to use the back half so we’re working with about 63’x63’ of area. This is arguably tight but we’re gonna make it work 😊👍

[@WHJeffB]

@@minnesotaeerailroad8471 Thanks so much for the prompt reply! Useful info there... We'll have to see what we come up with for a lot. Some lots in the new developments we're tending to favor are listed in square feet rather than a fraction of an acre, which tells you it is a small lot! Then there's the potential conflicts that might arise with the HOA in the development. I don't intend to ever have an actual steam locomotive, or even a gas powered "diesel", but you never know. The neighbors might object to the trains/tracks in the yard regardless of what I run on them. Just crossing my fingers that everything falls into place. Thankfully money won't be too much of an issue (we're very fortunate), just have to get the lot I need and have a flexible HOA! Thanks again for the info...

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

@@WHJeffB Cool! Good luck! ...Yeah, we are planning electric for motive power being in a neighborhood. So we understand that making the neighbors happy!

[@rebuilditdad5787]

where did you get the plastic tie ?

[@minnesotaeerailroad8471]

In this video, we got the ties from Midwest Scale Rail. As you shop around, you might check out Accu-Tie Rail System. …Here’s our playlist of our evolution. Be sure to check the descriptions for links etc. kzbin.info/aero/PLn4tsoI7jYMQXBtzgiCSis7myAN8cnmNt Thanks 👍

[@09ironman1]

Need a train?