The General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR)

By the 1850s, railroad operating rules, often printed as pamphlets or on the back of a time card, had evolved to near universal application on all/most railroads. On April 14, 1887 representatives of 48 railroads voted for the adoption of what is now known as the Standard Code of Operating Rules (SCOR), published by the […]

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High-tech modeling for garden railroaders

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Photo 1 In my last article, I worked on the base of the water tower. Even with all the precautions that I took to keep warping to a minimum, it still warped and cracked. I’ll continue with this project by building the middle sections of the water tower. OnShape review OnShape is a 3D CAD […]

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PDF: Build Gull Pond Station

Download the plan to build a 1:22.5-scale station. To learn more about converting this to another scale, see our free conversion chart.Click on the icon to download this PDF project.Part 1 Part 2 Note: This PDF is formatted to print on your home printer. Most pieces are formatted to fit on a 8.5″ x 11″ […]

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Napa Valley Wine Train drive by

Napa Valley Wine Train

In the April and June 2018 issues, Raymond Parent shows you how to make a Napa Valley Wine Train Super Dome car using 3D printing. John Cushman thoughtfully provided this video to share with our readers of the prototype train. Enjoy! […]

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Visit the TooMuchFun Railroad

Too Much Fun garden railroad

Name: Victor Thies Railroad Name: TooMuchFunRailroad Location: Mission Viejo, Calif Scale: G Theme: An eclectic railroad spanning eras, themes and mystical lands Description: A fun video and script of the TMFRR with narration and music. […]

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50 tips & tricks for your garden railway

Whether you want to know how to keep your garden railway switches free of debris or a simple method to catch tiny track screws, this booklet contains a wealth of information. Some of the tips inside include: an easy way to simulate old, rusting enamel signs how to make translucent “glass” what to use for […]

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Scott Gould’s concrete roadbed

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Scott Gould Scott Gould Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Zone 5 Concrete strong Sixteen years ago or so I built a layout that loops atop a mound of rock in the center of our backyard. I was agile then, but still had difficulty reaching tracks above a pond. Now, with my 75th birthday rapidly approaching, only my […]

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Rails in New England woods

model steam train on garden railway

Rails in New England: I lived in New England for 40 years. On a recent trip back to the northeast corner of the USA, I visited garden railways, mostly on the coast where trees often grow up to the shore. I also chanced upon some full-scale historic railways, which seemed to crop up everywhere. Predating […]

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Blue star juniper

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Nancy Norris Common name: Blue Star juniper Latin name: Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 Cultural needs: Moist, well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; sun or part shade Plant size: 2′ x 3′, spreading Blue Star juniper is a selection from Asian parentage, the Himalayan juniper. A plant […]

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