Common name: Trailing spikemoss, golden clubmoss Latin name: Selaginella kraussiana ‘Aurea’ Plant type: Groundcover Plant size: Moist, acidic soil; part or full shade USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-9 Cultural needs: Mounding as high as 6″, spreading to 24″ Spikemoss, with its seaweed-like jointed stems, has an other-world appearance, as do the liverworts, when you get […]
The railway at a glance Name of railroad: Virginia & DACS Railroad Size of railroad: Approximately 14′ x 36′ Scale: 1:22.5 and 1:20.3 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Theme: Pre-diesel, western countryside Era: 1930s-40s Motive power: LGB and Bachmann steam-outline engines Length of mainline: Outer loop, 90′; inner figure-eight with spur, 120′ Maximum gradient: 3.5% Minimum […]
A garden railroad MI Jack Crane: Something unique, something different, that’s what I needed to endure the long winter of the Midwest when outdoor railroading comes to a dead stop! A building project. If you are thinking about railroading in the period 2020, you must recognize the dramatic change to containerized shipping. What better way […]
How did you get started in the hobby? My love of trains started when I was six years old, watching steam engines on a branch line of the Union Pacific in the late 40’s. I recall being swept away with the sounds and power of the Consolidation (2-8-0) locomotives that stopped in my Dad’s hometown. […]
I like to spend my Saturday mornings going to garage sales. Occasionally I find something I can use for my large-scale railroad. At one sale, I found a damaged Christmas Workshop sold by USA Trains. I paid the dollar asking price and brought my prize home. I had recently kitbashed a yardmaster’s office from […]
I bought a second-hand Bachmann rail truck at a good price and wanted to convert it to battery power and radio control. I needed access to an on-off switch, fuse holder, charging plug, volume control, and programming jack. The truck is small and limited as to places to add these items, so I decided […]
Polka dot plant introduction Common name: Polka-dot plant, Freckle face Latin name: Hypoestes phyllostachya Plant type: Annual USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11 Cultural needs: Moist, well drained, slightly acidic soil; sun to part shade Plant size: 12-18″ (species), 6″ (hybrids) Who gets to decide how large a leaf is okay for a garden railway? The gardeners […]
A solar-powered garden railroad building is a fairly easy project for most do-it-yourselfers. But one day while shopping at a home-improvement store, I stumbled on to a solar pathway light similar in shape to an HO scale model I liked. I thought the size would work well in my garden railroad as a structure. I […]
Durable roadbed for garden railroads, as a topic, developed for me after retirement. For many years, I was an “armchair” garden railroad enthusiast. With plenty of time on my hands I began focusing on building the railroad. Having more time did not make things easier because, being a rookie, I agonized over which method should […]
Common name: String of beans Latin name: Senecio radicans Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 8-10 Cultural needs: Sandy, well-drained soil, in sun or part shade Plant size: 1″ high trailing to 2′ or longer String of beans’ succulent bead-like leaves grow from stringy stems and present a unique opportunity for railroad gardeners. The designers, […]
Organizers of this year’s International Small Scale Steam Up in Diamondhead Miss. are excited to welcome you to their 2022 event. The annual show, which started in 1993, features a vendor room, flea market, operating live-steam tracks, and plenty of time for camaraderie and conversation with fellow enthusiasts. The event welcomes newcomers and experienced hobbyists […]
How did you get started in the hobby? My earlier memories of model trains go back to first grade. On my way to school, we would pass by the front window of a store that would set up a layout during Christmas time. Later I learned that it was an HO train set, but at […]
