When we start out, we intend to make our dream come true. Our piqued imagination and the enthusiasm of fellow modelers are necessary to sustain us through the long construction process. Long-term and second-go-round railroad gardeners have used strong building materials for their walks, retaining walls, railroad and structures. They researched the plants to find […]
Rod Eaton In the August 2013 issue, contributor Eric Schade demonstrates how to make “stone” structures from leftover composite decking material. Download this companion article, originally published in the October 2011 issue, about how to make “stone” bridges easily out of Styrofoam. Click here to download a PDF of the article. […]
What do your buildings have to say for themselves? Each structure evokes a feeling for its purpose, the folks who might live or work there, and a bit about the history that transpired on the premises, as shown in photo 1. How the structure was built and maintained is “written on the walls.” All of […]
Railway at a glance Name: Nepenthes, Gestalt, & Delirium Railway Size of railroad: 40′ x 25′ Scale: Individual trains to various scales Gauges: 45mm & 63.5mm Era: Today Theme: The garden, trains, and the gestalt that results Age: 9 years Motive power: On-board battery, diesel outline; live steam; a little clockwork Length of mainline: 96′ […]
Name: Perry Railroad Name: The Plattsburgh & Poverty Railroad Location: Champlain Valley – Northeast USA Scale: G, 1:29 Description: Here’s a quick peek at a small garden railroad in a back yard that I’ve built over the last number of years. It’s not much here in 2012 but its coming along. I hope you like […]
Got a brown thumb? Need low, rugged groundcover? Here’s a botanical group of succulents with more than 400 varieties—sedums. Common names include “live forever” and “stonecrop” but most gardeners call them sedum (rhymes with “can’t beat ’em”). In this column you’ll see foliage colors that range like a rainbow, from red to purple and even […]
Railway at a glance Name: P&BW RR Size of railroad: 30′ x 40′ Scale: 1:29 and 1:20.3 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Era: Late 1800s to present Theme: Colorado railroading then and now Age: 4 years Motive power: USA Trains diesels, LGB and Bachmann steam locomotives Length of mainline: Lower loop, 106′; upper loop, 146′ Maximum […]
Railway at a glance Name: Baker & Grande Ronde Railroad Size: 60′ x 185′ Theme: 1880s narrow gauge, mining, and logging Age: 9 years Scale: 1:24 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Type of track: Code-250 brass rail handlaid on redwood ties Turnouts: #4 stub, #6 stub, and #4 three-way stub, all scratchbuilt Length of mainline: 560′ […]
In the April and June 2013 issues, Don Parker shows you how to scratchbuild a railroad bunkhouse. Download a free copy of these drawings, full size for 1:24 scale. […]
The February 2013 issue features an article on building an indoor turntable by Nathan Turner. Download an article on building a turntable for outdoor use, originally published in the April 2008 issue. […]
What appear to be small apple trees in bloom are really Mexican false heather, a.k.a. elfin herb (Cuphea hyssopifolia, Zones 8-11). These are easy to grow in full to partial sun and average soil and watering. They flower almost continually with white, pink, red, or purple blossoms, outdoors year round in the south or over-wintered […]
Download the PDF of this project here. This PDF is formatted to print on your home printer. Most pieces are formatted to fit on a 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper. For larger parts of the plan, you will see “break lines.” Line up the break lines to create the larger piece. Please note: […]
