Allan W. Miller - Getting Started in Garden Railroading: Build the railroad of your dreams#in your own backyard!

Getting Started in

Garden
Railroading

Build the railroad
of your dreams...
in your own backyard

Allan W. Miller

2001 by Allan W. Miller and Krause Publications

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author or publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a critical article or review to be published in a magazine or newspaper or electronically transmitted on radio or television.

Published by

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715/445-2214 FAX: 715/445-4087 www.krause.com

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Library of Congress Catalog Number: 00-111291

ISBN: 0-87349-232-3
eISBN: 978-1-44022-542-0

Printed in the United States of America

Acknowledgments

With flags proudly flying, a classic 4-4-0 American class locomotive works the line on Charles Bednariks Rancocas, Red Hawk, and Rutland garden railroadthe Triple-R Route. America grew up on trains, and today thousands of garden railroaders share Charles passion for keeping that heritage alive. The Large Scale locomotive, in 1:20.3 scale, is made by Bachmann.
Photo courtesy of Charles Bednarik

Sincere thanks go to the following individuals, firms, and organizations for their generous assistance and gracious support of this project.

Content review:
Charles Bednarik, Dwight Ennis, Linda Fox, Steve Galovics, Ken Johnson, Tony McAndrew, Jon D. Miller, and Dan Veiga.

Manufacturers:
Lewis Polk, at Aristo-Craft; Rob Smentek, at Bachmann Industries; Dale Suiters, at Hartland Locomotive Works; Ron Gibson and Dave Buffington, at LGB of America; Fred Gates, Jeff Stimson, and Brenda Julin, at Mrklin, Inc.; and Charles Ro, Sr., Charles Ro, Jr., and Rita, at USA Trains.

Photo contributors:
Charles Bednarik, Gary Buchanan, Larry Buerer, Teya Caple-Woods, Ken Fillar, Linda and Bill Fox, Steve Galovics, Richard Golding, Ray Jakabcin, Ken Johnson, Scott Johnson, Mike and Pat Ledley, Bob Maisey, Richard Marty, David Meashey, Dennis R. Paulson, Tiny Pearce, Tom Ruddell, Mike Sheridan, Gus Sitas, David Snow, Scott Suleski, Del and Linda Tapparo, Peter Thornton, Robert Utley, Ronald Wenger, Dean Whipple, and David Winter.

Content contributors:
Participants of the always-interesting discussion forums at www.MyLargescale.com (hosted by Shad Pulley), www.LargescaleCentral.com (hosted by Bob McCown), and www.Aristocraft.com (hosted by Lewis Polk) provided a wealth of tips, techniques, and useful information.

The collective membership of the Tidewater Big Train Operators club, in Southeastern Virginia, assisted in a great many ways, as did the staff of Star Hobby, in Annapolis, Maryland.

Illustrator: Dennis Auth

Cover photo: The noon express passes a freight depot on the Capleville & Sugkat Valley garden railroad in Southeastern Virginia. The layout was created by Teya Caple-Woods, and details of its construction are featured in Chapter 9 of this book.

Back cover photo: A high-stepping Pacific locomotive, modeled in Large Scale, rumbles along the mainline on the Rancocas, Red Hook, and Rutland garden railroad constructed by Charles Bednarik. Other photos of the "Triple- R Route" are featured throughout this book.

A beautifully detailed and weathered Forney locomotive exits a tunnel on Scott Johnsons garden railroad. The 1:22.5 scale model is by LGB, and the finishing touches were applied by Scott.

Photo courtesy of Scott Johnson.

Contents

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Getting Started in Garden Railroading

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF GARDEN RAILROADING!

Garden railroading is truly a hobby for the entire family. Twelve-year-old Ryan Bednarik prepares his train for a run on the familys Rancocas, Red Hawk, and Rutland garden railroad (the Triple-R Route). Youll find additional photos of the Bednarik family layout featured throughout this book.

Photo courtesy of Charles Bednarik

Welcome to the fastest-growing and most family-oriented segment of the model railroading hobby: Garden railroading!

If you have an interest in trains and railroading in general, love to do things in the great outdoors with family and friends, and are seeking a creative pastime that will provide a welcome respite from the stresses, strains, and constraints of everyday life, this book might just be your one-way ticket to a lifetime of new experiences, relaxation, and constructive fun.

Theres no doubt about it: Model railroading is fun! That simple slogan, inspired and promulgated by the late Al Kalmbach, founder of Model Railroader magazine nearly seventy years ago, is as true today as it was back then. In fact, thanks to the wealth of new products that are currently availableand thanks to some new modeling scales and improved mechanisms and techniques that have evolved over the yearsits probably safe to say that the fun aspect of model railroading has extended its reach far beyond Mr. Kalmbachs fondest hopes and expectations. Model railroading in general is a creative, diverse, and pleasurable leisure activity that cultivates individual talents in design, carpentry, electrical work, artistry, scenery construction, detailing, operations, and any number of other areas. There is no other hobby quite like it when it comes to variety and unlimited creative potential.

Model railroading in the garden is even more fun! This more recent adaptation of the original slogan is one that nearly all practicing garden railway enthusiasts would be quick to agree with. Combine all of the ingredients of conventional indoor model railroading with the stimulating and often challenging environment of an outdoor settingthe very same one in which the real railroads operateand you have the necessary ingredients for a satisfying lifelong hobby pursuit that will appeal to you, your family, and to all who eventually partake of your handiwork.

In general, garden railroading is most closely associated with what are today known as Large Scale trains, a designation customarily applied to sizable model trains made to operate on #1 gauge track, which measures 45mm (about 1-3/4") between the running rails. This does not preclude modelers in other model railroading scalessay O scale, S scale, or HO scale, for examplefrom becoming active garden railroaders if they choose to construct their layouts and run their trains outdoors (a great deal of garden railroading in O scale takes place in Great Britain, for example), but in most cases its not nearly as practical or convenient to erect and maintain smaller-scale electric train layouts in an exposed environment. Most Large Scale trains are intentionally built by their manufacturers for rugged and reliable outdoor operation, whereas the vast majority of trains in the smaller scales are not designed with anything even approaching this weatherproofed feature. Perhaps most importantly, the #1 gauge track commonly used in garden railroading is sturdy and durable enough to withstand long periods of exposure to the elements and even the abuse of foot traffic. Trackwork in other scales simply doesnt hold up well to this sort of treatment. Suffice it to say that the somewhat generic term Large Scale, is used throughout this book to describe model trains of several scales, or sizes, that all operate on 45mm gauge track.