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While we may no longer be printing Garden Railways magazine, we’re adding new content to Trains.com every week! Here’s a few recent items, and a preview of what’s coming in the next month. Become a Trains.com member so you don’t miss any of this great content! If you have a story suggestion, email editor@gardenrailways.com […]
When I take my granddaughter to the local neighborhood park, I usually envision seeing a large-scale garden railway running loops through the park. So, one day I contacted one of the people in charge and shared my vision of the garden-railway. In time, someone contacted me to let me know that it would be a […]
Five ways to make your plants thrive Whatever the emphasis you put on the garden part of your railroad, wouldn’t you like knowing the results of your work will be worth the effort? Understanding a few basics about plant needs and soil conditions is a good starting place toward achieving the results you want. 1. […]
When developing the landscape for a garden railroad, one needs to consider the role of water in shaping the topography. Even in the flattest areas, streams and rivers carve their way across the land. Where there are hills and mountains, these waterways often gouge out ravines and rocky streambeds. It is these topographical features, giving […]
Soil is the foundation of the garden in more ways than one. As goes the soil, so goes the garden. Soil is much more than just dirt. It is a mix of fine rock particles, organic matter, water, air, and microorganisms. How plants perform in your garden and the things you do to encourage them […]
Latin name: Juniperus communis ‘Compressa’ Common name: Dwarf Irish juniper Category: dwarf conifer Needle color: blue green Growth rate: 1″-3″/yr. USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9 Cultural needs: sun and well-drained soil This upright and very narrow form of common juniper is a perfect complement to garden-railroad designs because of its distinctive form and small-scale features. Narrow, […]
Common name: Sweet alyssum Latin name: Lobularia maritima Plant size: Under 6″ Plant type: Annual USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11; grown as an annual in colder Zones Cultural needs: Almost any well-drained soil; full sun to part shade Originally from southern Europe, sweet alyssum has naturalized throughout the US as a hardy annual, reseeding year after […]
Have you ever considered making rocket component loads for your flatcars? Over the years I’ve seen some interesting flatcar loads on full-size trains, but I wanted to build something I’ve never seen before. I’m interested in watching rocket launches, so I decided to scratchbuild SpaceX rocket component loads. The rocket I built isn’t modeled after […]
Model Railroader Contributing Editor Larry Puckett hosts our latest Product Review video to talk about the features on the DCCconcepts Aegis system, an upgrade for NCE’s Digital Command Control PowerCab. You can read his review of the system on page 16 of the January 2024 issue of MR. The Aegis system maintains all the functions […]
Model Railroader Contributing Editor Larry Puckett hosts our latest Product Review video to talk about the features on the DCCconcepts Aegis system, an upgrade for NCE’s Digital Command Control PowerCab. You can read his review of the system on page 16 of the January 2024 issue of MR. The Aegis system maintains all the functions […]
Hardscaping, the subset of landscaping that includes outdoor paths, walls, and other things not made from plant or soil matter, can enhance the setting of many garden railways. Railway sites are also easier to maintain if they are elevated. I recently built a retaining wall for my railroad, the JS&A. The wall defines the railway […]
Miniature trees for warmer climates Since I seldom travel to parts of North America in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 and 10, it’s easier for me to write about plants adapted to more temperate climes. A number of you who have garden railways in those warmer regions have asked for more information about plants suited to […]
