Model a “burning” building: I loved the idea of having a “burning” building on a large scale layout. Here was a feature that would be active and easy to set up. Plenty of 1:24 scale fire fighting equipment is readily available and reasonably priced. I bought Pola kit No. 33101 a number of years ago […]
Many of us started our love affair with model trains after getting Lionel or American Flyer items, perhaps to circle a Christmas tree. We might have gotten a toy plastic or metal station with people printed on the sides and some fake evergreen trees. It was all the excitement and the reality we needed. I […]
I had an LGB Stainz (2010 version) and decided to convert it to an 0-4-0 Forney. I made a new boiler, steam dome, sand dome, smoke stack, all made from PVC fittings and pipe. After deciding the length of the boiler, I cut the proper length from a piece of 1″ PVC pipe as it […]
Halloween large scale display at trunk or treat event: Many churches and schools host a” trunk or treat” event around Halloween. Folks decorate the trunk of their vehicle to pass out candy for a trick-or-treat event in the parking lot. I decorated my pickup truck with a large scale Halloween display. The following year, my […]
Common name: Shimpaku juniper Latin name: Juniperus chinensis ‘Shimpaku’ Plant size: 6″-12″ USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9 Cultural needs: Sun or part shade, any well-drained, slightly acid soil The Shimpaku juniper was first discovered in mountainous Japan a little over a century ago. Due to over collecting for bonsai subjects they have all but disappeared in […]
“Don’t sweat the small stuff!” That’s easy to say when you are running small equipment on your rails. Your diminutive LGB Stainz and two-axle freight/passenger coaches with hook-and-loop couplers can track over pretty much whatever you throw at them. But what of us who like to run the big stuff? Heavyweights, streamliners, and extended freight […]
Editor’s note: This article was submitted to Garden Railways in 2015. In contacting the author recently to inquire about publication, we learned that he passed away in 2023. We offer our condolences to the family and are honored to present this article in his memory. See the author’s original railway story in the August 2001 […]
Wanting to expand the structures in my railway’s yard, I decided to build a sanding house and tower. I was inspired by the Tyco HO sand house and the large-scale Pola sand house. As with most of my builds, I made it primarily from repurposed parts. I used a Pola Wells Fargo building and a […]
In July of 2024, Lionel Trains’ long-awaited Base3 arrived in stores, homes, and our own Firecrown office here in Brookfield, Wis. This new command control takes all of the manufacturer’s previous systems in a backwards-compatible manner and centralizes them into one package. Out of this sole setup, you can control Lionel Legacy, TMCC, LionChief, LionChief+, […]
At the end of the annual Valle Verde Town Council meeting in the spring, the mayor and the council members found themselves with a surplus in the annual budget. What to do with this unexpected bounty? Why not have the first Valle Verde 4th of July parade? To make it official, a vote was called, […]
LGB’s Stainz locomotive is an icon in the large scale hobby. Not only is it instantly recognizable, it also tugs at the strings in our modeling hearts. For many garden railway fans (myself included), the Stainz was most likely their first locomotive. When I found a milk crate full of used large scale items, including […]
PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120, announces new products for the fall and holiday season. The Halloween Mini-Mogul (38262) features a detailed 2-6-0 Mogul steam locomotive with directional lighting and Halloween graphics. It’s expected in September. Price: $519.99. The O Tannenbaum Transport (38794) features a diecast model of […]
