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[SHADEGARDENS] garden railroads

For list members who have asked about model railroads running through their
gardens, obtain a copy of Garden Railways. You may find it at larger book
stores or at model railroad hobby shops. Or you may obtain a sample copy by
sending $4.95 to Garden Railways Magazine, PO Box 61461, Denver CO 80206.
The mag is published every other month; a year's subscription (6 issues)
costs $21.

Contact model shops in your area; they may know of garden railroaders near
you. Most shops will have at least a small section of models suitable for
garden lines (usually G scale).

I am not a garden railroader, although I am a longtime railfan and am
building an n-scale layout in a basement family room next to my overflowing
plant room.

I know a garden railroader who even runs trains in the winter, through an
inch or 2 of snow. Deeper than that, you have to carefully brush the tracks
with a broom. This particular modeler has a small hole in the foundation of
his home so he can run trains in and out; this eliminates the necessity of
carrying locomotives and cars into the house when the weather doesn't
cooperate.

Garden railroad layouts are landscaped; some modelers use miniature or dwarf
plants, others do not. The layouts usually contain buildings, switchyard and
a main line. One line I've seen has a
miniature waterfall falling into a pond; the water is circulated by a small
pump hidden under rocks which are partially landscaped with mini alpine
plants.

Being a horticulturist and a model railroad is a lot of fun. I never get
bored. But I'm not ready to tackle a garden railroad yet. I'm having too
much fun playing in the perennial borders as it is.

John G. Adney
Marion, Iowa
johnadney@msn.com
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