Tunneling through tough times

The author designed her rear-of-the-railway tunnel for viewing from a glider on the front door stoop

Like a grade-school report, “What I did on my spring 2020 vacation,” this story is about optimism in the face of confusion and lack of resources. We had just started a new little garden railway loop in front of our house, but hidden from the street. Having built a gallery along the walkway, we next […]

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Virtual garden railroad visits during quarantine

We’ve kept close to home since quarantine and social distancing guidelines have been issued. Club meetings have been canceled; events and open houses have been put on hold. Our hearts go out to anyone affected by COVID-19. Time at home has spawned creative moments, though. I’ve refurbished structures, maintained locomotives and rolling stock, and looked […]

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Scene and scale lighting options for your garden railroad

Solar powered lighting

Scene lighting allows you to shine a spotlight on your favorite railroad scenes. Again, the idea is to draw the viewer’s eye toward something you want to emphasize, like ridges, waterfalls, and pathways. You can be as creative as you want. You’ll want to hit the landscape lighting section at your local home improvement store. […]

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PIKO America powered re-railer

PIKO America powered re-railer

Open the box and you might be tempted to dismiss the contents as two sections of thin (⅛”) plastic, each measuring 16″ long. Closer inspection reveals the top side of one section includes two 12″ metal plates (slot-and-tab installation) extending two-thirds its length. Probe a bit further to find an end cap, Phillips-head screw, and […]

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Transport case and delivery ramp demo

Transport case and delivery ramp demo

Raymond Parent shows how to build a transport case for large scale locomotives that doubles as a delivery ramp to a layout. Check out this video to see how the ramp works. Also take a look at the article in the Fall 2020 issue of Garden Railways. […]

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Transport case and delivery ramp demo

Transport case and delivery ramp demo

Raymond Parent shows how to build a transport case for large scale locomotives that doubles as a delivery ramp to a layout. Check out this video to see how the ramp works. Also take a look at the article in the Fall 2020 issue of Garden Railways. […]

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MRVP Layout Visit: Howard Zane’s Piermont Division in HO Scale

Howard Zane's Piermont Division model

As featured in the February 2020 issue of Model Railroader, Howard Zane’s Piermont Division, a 60 x 70-foot HO scale (1:87) model railroad masterpiece, comes to life in exclusive video! Howard graciously hosts a walking tour along the 23 scale miles of mainline, highlighted by Northeastern mountain scenery and incredibly detailed locomotives, rolling stock, and structures. For even […]

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MRVP Layout Visit: Howard Zane’s Piermont Division in HO Scale

Howard Zane's Piermont Division model

As featured in the February 2020 issue of Model Railroader, Howard Zane’s Piermont Division, a 60 x 70-foot HO scale (1:87) model railroad masterpiece, comes to life in exclusive video! Howard graciously hosts a walking tour along the 23 scale miles of mainline, highlighted by Northeastern mountain scenery and incredibly detailed locomotives, rolling stock, and structures. For even […]

Read More…