Use this handy chart to convert your drawings to another scale. Download our PDF and start building! […]
Scale: Large Scale
A public garden line in Germany celebrates 20 years
The railway at a glance Name: Gartenbahn der Parkeisenbahn Chemnitz Size of railroad: 21m x 9.5m (69′ x 31′) Scale: Mostly 1:22.5 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Era: 1965-present Theme: Central German Mountains Age: 20 years Power: Massoth DiMAX 1210Z; Digital Central Station 20 V/12 A Length of mainline: 245m (803′) Length of storage sidings: 125m […]
An eastern line serves small mountain towns
The railway at a glance Railroad name: Capleville & Sugkat Valley Railroad Size: 90′ x 35′ x 30′ Scale: 1:22.5-1:32 Era: 1940-1960s Theme: Small mountain towns and big railroads Age: 20 years Motive power: Track and battery Length of mainline: 350′ Maximum gradient: 3% Type of track: Aristo-Craft and LGB; LGB switches Minimum radius: 10′ […]
California narrow gauge in the 1940s
The railway at a glance Name: Lake Tahoe & Truckee Size: 120′ x 15′ Scale: 1:22.5 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Era: 1940s Theme: Sierra Nevada narrow gauge Age: 21 years Motive power: LGB Moguls, cab-forward articulated, Forney Length of mainline: 300+ feet Maximum gradient: 2.5% Type of track: LGB flex and Sunset Valley switches Minimum […]
Design your railway: Pick a theme for a perfect scene
Download a PDF of the article here. […]
Garden railroading at The Colorado Railroad Museum
The railway at a glance Name of railroad: DGRS Garden Railway at the Colorado Railroad Museum Size of railroad: 97′ x 70′ Scale: Various Gauges: 0 (32mm) and 1 (45mm) Era: Late 1800s to modern Theme: Colorado mountains and plains Age: 24 years Motive power: All types, including track power, battery power, and live steam […]
Sweeper train on the Gopher Canyon Line
Name: Steve Seidensticker Railroad Name: Gopher Canyon Line Location: San Diego Scale: #1 (1:32) Description: Picking up some cars at Horicon after an operating session and taking them back to the Gopherville yard. […]
Sweeper train on the Gopher Canyon Line
Name: Steve Seidensticker Railroad Name: Gopher Canyon Line Location: San Diego Scale: #1 (1:32) Description: Picking up some cars at Horicon after an operating session and taking them back to the Gopherville yard. […]
Making signs for your garden railroad
Although signs are everywhere in everyday life, they’re typically absent from many backyard railroad scenes. If one wants a particular sign, then one has to make it himself or have it made commercially. Fortunately, in this day of desktop printing and digital technology, the palette we have available is constantly broadening. Even old standbys, like […]
Accessories for garden-railroad vignettes
Photo 1 The clay jugs and pots were made by the author’s wife Joyce. The standing figure working at a potter’s kick-wheel was obtained from Just Plain Folks. Don Parker Photo 2 This painted, rustic bench looks in place with the squared-log cabin. Note the watering-can planter with simulated flowers behind the figure of the […]
Scab plant
Nancy Norris Common name: Scab plant Latin name: Raoulia australis Plant type: Groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-10 Cultural needs: Dry, well-drained soil, sun or part shade Plant size: under 1″ high by 12″ wide Raoulia (Ra-OO-lee-uh) admittedly has way too many vowels but it does sound better than “scab plant,” its common name. The silvery […]
New large-scale products from the February 2018 issue of Garden Railways magazine
LGB DEV Spreewald steam locomotive Steven L. Bittinger & Associates hopper Engines & rolling stock LGB (Märklin) is offering a digital version of the DEV Spreewald steam locomotive (#L24742) in a limited edition to celebrate the prototype’s 100th anniversary. The model is presented as it currently exists on the museum railroad from Bruchhausen–Vilsen to Asendorf. […]
