Mulch in the garden railroad

figure next to trees and house on garden railway

A lecturer once told our Master Gardener group, “Mulch is like underwear: we need it, but we don’t want to see it.” Ideally, the ground is best covered with plants, but it takes time for small starts of groundcover plants to spread and fill the areas we want. If the soil is left bare between […]

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Dwarf hardy jasmine

dwarf_jasmine

Nancy Norris Common name: Dwarf hardy jasmine, Parker’s jasmine Latin name: Jasminum parkeri Plant type: Shrubs & small trees USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-11 (overwinter indoors in lower zones) Cultural needs: Regular moisture, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, sun or part shade Plant size: 8-18″ high x 18″ wide Many plants are called jasmine but stem from […]

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Accucraft 2-6-2T live steam locomotive

accucraft_welsh

Marc Horovitz 1:19 scale, dual gauge, live steam 2-6-2T Accucraft Trains 33268 Central Ave. Union City CA 94587 Price: $1,995 Website: www.accucraft.com 1:19 (16mm) scale live-steam locomotive; gas fired; single-flue boiler; 60 psi blow-off pressure; twin safety valves; pseudo-Walschaerts valve gear; D-valve cylinders; reversing from the cab; water glass, pressure gauge; displacement lubricator with drain; […]

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Train Control Systems WowSound decoder

throttle

Kevin Strong TCS WowSound 5-amp DCC decoder Train Control Systems 845 Blooming Glen Road Blooming Glen PA 18911 Website: www.tcsdcc.com Price: $199.95 Five-amp capacity DCC motor/sound decoder; available for steam and diesel. Size: 3″ x 17/16″ x 9/16″ Pros: Good motor control; high-quality sound reproduction; many sound options programmed onto the decoder; prototypical braking; “Audio […]

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Visaton speakers

speakers

Kevin Strong 8-ohm Visaton speakers Available from: Train-Li 3 Kensington Way Upton MA 01568 Prices: $14.95 – $24.95 Website: www.trainli.com Moderately priced speakers for use with locomotive sound systems; size: 2″ to 3.3″ diameter Pros: Great sound reproduction even without enclosure Cons: None Anyone who has worked with sound systems knows that speakers need a […]

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The Salt Lake Route, Part 6 – Industry and yard scenery

MRRC0610_100a

In the final installment of our N scale project layout series, Dick Christianson explains how he modeled the industries and yard in Caliente, Nev. Fig. 1 Backdrop. Lacking enough sky to cover the tempered hardboard, Dick cut the sky and clouds from the photo and let the blue backdrop suffice. Fig. 2 Protective covering. Dick […]

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Video: Bachmann Sound Value HO scale PCC car

Bachmann Sound Value HO scale PCC car

The upgraded Bachmann Trains HO scale PCC car comes to life with a SoundTraxx Sound Value Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder. In addition to realistic sounds, the model features interior and exterior illumination as well as a simulated sparking trolley pole. […]

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