Bruce Petrarca
The fastest growing arena of model railroading is garden railroading. This brings together gardening, model trains, scenery, miniature towns and frequently, water features.
As we age, we lose some sight and manual dexterity. Garden railroading revolves around the largest rolling stock in model railroading. Most are about ½ inch to the foot scale. This means that a six foot man scales out at about three inches tall. Buildings, locomotives and cars are easier to work on and add small details to, enhancing the realism of the scene.
Garden railroading frequently becomes a family undertaking with spouses enjoying working on the trains and the foliage, and children (or grandchildren) enjoying watching the trains run and, perhaps, contributing a building or other scenic detail while sharing in the adventure.
The PCMRC garden layout was our first permanent layout. Since the simple beginning in 2001, it has evolved and is currently in its third different plan. Several of our members contribute their time and creative energy to it.
I know of about a half-dozen folks in PebbleCreek who have garden layouts. Many are club members. I invite all who aren’t to join the club, as we share ideas and even have some discounts available to club members.
The garden layouts that I know of are varied in scope. All share one feature. Even mine, which is aimed at operations (see my article in the September Post), can be set to run a train or two around in circles. Many times garden layouts are a back drop to a BBQ or family gathering and folks want to see (and hear) the trains running, but aren’t actively involved in fiddling with them.
The layouts that I am aware of in PebbleCreek range from a simple loop of track to one of the best known layouts in the Phoenix area, involving hundreds of tons of dirt and concrete to build a three-dimensional layout that is visible on all of the satellite maps, like MapQuest. The second thing that they all have in common is that they are evolving. A model railroad is never done, so it is a hobby that can keep enthusiasts engaged for years.
Next month, November, is national model railroad month. PCMRC will be having an open house near Thanksgiving with all our trains running. Look for details in the November Post and on the PebbleCreek Yahoo email group.
The PebbleCreek Model Railroad Club has been a part of community life here since 1998. We are headquartered in the Eagle’s Nest Activities Center, Room 106. Members are there on Tuesday and Thursday mornings – but not always running trains. You can always keep up with the PCMRC on the web (www.pcmrc.org).