November plow patrol

snowy scene on garden railway

Name: Ray Wheeler Railroad Name: Jericho & Mt Zion Railway Location: Lynnwood, WA Scale: G scale Theme: Tourist railroad with freight operations in the modern era.Description: “November Plow Patrol” – Ride along on J&MtZ plow car #628 with Engine # 20 and Caboose 02 make a snow patrol run on the main track. Music from […]

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Conrail diesels in large scale

blue model diesel engines with figure on garden railway

Conrail diesels in large scale: Mark Bottrill’s Bishopstown Subdivision is designed to summon up memories of Conrail’s heyday in the Northeast, but it’s located in the Buckinghamshire county in the south of England! The railroad has a 600-foot double-track mainline, and features a number of rail-served industries, including a steel recycling facility and a large […]

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Permanent garden railroads you can visit

Closeup of large-scale steam locomotive passing by a village and florals.

From simple elevated loops to railroading empires through a floral oasis, consider these permanent large-scale displays and garden railroads you can visit: Both across the United States and around the world. Please note that the status of any location can change, which is why it’s recommended to contact prior to a planned visit. If you […]

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Meet Randy Mower

Meet Randy Mower: two model steam engines on track

Meet Randy Mower   In a paragraph, how did you get started in the hobby? I started my garden railway 30 years ago after attending a National Garden Railway Convention in Washington D.C. My father lived in Chicago at the time and had a small LGB garden railway, so I was somewhat familiar with it, […]

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Freelance Colorado narrow-gauge branch line

Freelance Colorado narrow-gauge branch line: model steam train approaches buildings

Freelance Colorado narrow-gauge branch line The railway at a glance Name: Miller Creek & Moss Rock Railway Size of railroad: 30′ x 40′, approximately Scale: 1:24 Gauge: 45mm (no. 1) Era: Pre-WWII Theme: Freelance Colorado narrow-gauge branch line Age: 6 years Motive power: NiMH-battery-operated Delton Consolidation Length of mainline: 130′, (approximately) Maximum gradient: 3.5% Type […]

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How do you evaluate the price of model trains?

Ask Trains logo

Cody answers this question in this video of Ask Trains. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or do you have questions about full-size trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular video feature of Trains.com for magazine subscribers and Trains.com members, where editors answer the questions readers […]

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Mainline railroading in the 1950s

yellow model diesel locomotive on garden railway

Mainline railroading in the 1950s Railway at a glance Name: Spring Creek Railroad Size of railroad: Roughly 24′ x 62′ Scale: 1:29, 1:20.3, and 1:32 Gauge: 45mm Era: Circa 1950s Theme: Mainline railroading, mostly passenger and freight; some narrow gauge and branch/trolley line on the inner loop Age: 14 years Motive power: Live steam, track […]

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Repel deer and rabbits from your garden railway

Bag of blood meal, bag of bone meal, and kitchen spices

There are as many suggested ways to repel deer and rabbits as there are baby bunnies in my neighborhood. Physical barriers (fences) are probably the only sure-fire way to keep critters out of your railroad, but are expensive, often impractical, and usually unsightly. Next in order of effectiveness is to use plants that are less […]

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Rolling by on the hill

Rolling by on the hill--steam locomotive on garden railway

Name: Ray Wheeler Railroad Name: Jericho & Mt Zion Railway Location: Lynnwood, WA Scale: large scale Theme: Tourist railroad with freight operations in the modern era. Description: “Rollin’ By on the Hill” – J&MtZ trains rolling by on the 3% grade at Laurel Jct. Music from YouTube Sound, “Everything Where It Needs To Be” by […]

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Top Point white cedar

two trees on a garden railroad

Top Point white cedar tree Common name: Top Point white cedar Latin name: Chamaecyparis thyoides ‘Top Point’ Plant type: dwarf conifer Plant size: 4-5′ at maturity USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 Cultural needs: Moist or average, slightly acidic soil; full sun Classics among railway forest trees are the many, dwarf varieties of Chamaecyparis thyoides, the native […]

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