Budget work train for DIY’ers A budget work train made its way into my life since I needed a project to work on to de-stress from the rigors of graduate school — for a price a grad student can afford. Wrecking crane I wanted my budget work train to center around two main cars, a 250- […]
If you want a structure for your outdoor layout that will hold up to the elements, consider using clay. I’m an art teacher and when I began my outdoor railroad it was my first choice of materials for my buildings. You can buy clay from local sources or online. Most catalogs sell it in 50-pound […]
Electronics/controls Hostler 2100 AC throttle. Six versions (three each for standard use and display operations). Features speed, direction, whistle/horn, and bell controls; light-emitting-diode indicators for power, track, and overload; and electronic overload protection with auto-reset. Speed response contains a fixed momentum. Requires appropriate AC input power. Panel measures 7-1/2” x 4-1/2” x 2” and has […]
By Frederic Williams Rohm and Brian Michelson I grew up in central Pennsylvania where my family had been long-time residents. My garden railroad is based on the Pennsylvania Railroad circa 1900; my grandfather and uncles worked on the PRR. The premier Pennsy passenger train of this era was the Pennsylvania Limited, which began making the […]
Common name: Weeping Norway spruce Latin name: Picea abies ‘Pendula’ Plant type: dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-8 Cultural needs: Moist, well drained, slightly acidic soil; sun to part shade Plant height: 18″ if prostrate; 10-12′ if staked Dark, evergreen needles on drooping soft branches make weeping Norway spruce an attractive specimen tree. Garden railroaders […]
How did you get started in the hobby? I received an HO scale model kit of a steam locomotive for Christmas when I was 14 years old. I had fun following the instructions, then building a railway to run it on. I also liked building outdoor villages with buildings and roads with toy cars and real […]
I love collecting and displaying large-scale trains. I also love showing off my 1956 GMC pick up at car shows, or even at the front of my driveway at home. I decided to combine the two and make a mobile display layout! The layout is an easy build. My truck has slots on the truck […]
Hobbyist Dale van Ingen loves collecting large-scale equipment. He also loves his 1956 GMC pick-up truck. He combined the two to create a traveling display layout! Watch this video of a Halloween-themed display he shares with others. Learn more about how he built the display and see more photos in our photo gallery. […]
Large scale locomotives Austrian Federal Rys. Taurus Railjet locomotive. Digital Command Control sound decoder; molded and separate, factory-applied parts, including lights, windshield wipers, handrails, horn, vents, fans, bumpers, and exhaust stack; hook-and-loop couplers; and can-type ball-bearing motor. $779.99. November 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com Large scale passenger equipment Austrian Federal Rys. Railjet first-class coach. Plastic wheelsets, molded […]
Garden Railways Editor Hal Miller shows step-by-step how to illuminate a PIKO cabin kit with an inexpensive solar-powered path light available from a home improvement store. […]
When I built my outdoor railway – on three sides of my house – I never intended to sell it. I thought I’d be teetering behind a walker at 90, running my live-steam engines over rails I had built to last a lifetime. I like building strong, “permanent” track, which gives me a feeling of […]
Large scale passenger equipment Deutsche Bundesbahn two-axle third-class coach. Separate, factory-applied ladder, handrails, and underbody piping; hook-and-loop couplers; and plastic wheelsets. $164.99. November 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com Deutsche Reichsbahn two-axle luggage wagon. Separate, factory-applied ladder, handrails, and underbody piping; hook-and-loop couplers; and plastic wheelsets. $264.99. November 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com […]
