Garden Railroading

Garden railroading by industry accounts is the fastest-growing segment of the model railroading hobby.

Garden Railroading: Getting Started in the Hobby

Gorgeous Garden Railways

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If you're looking for a hobby the entire family can enjoy this summer, how about taking up garden railroading. According to the Garden Trains Association, it is the fastest-growing family hobby in North America.

“This is a fun hobby that gets the whole family hooked," says Michael Stephens, president of the association. "People love it. It's grown-up playtime but outside in the fresh air and sunshine."

Garden railroads are large G-scale model trains about 5 inches high and 25 inches long, but instead of running inside, the trains wind through backyard forests of dwarf conifers, over little man-made streams or around miniature mountain ranges.

The hobby began in Europe decades ago, but it recently caught on in the United States. The Garden Trains Association says there are about 40,000 garden train enthusiasts and some 1,000 garden train clubs in North America.

All aboard for about $200

It's easy to get started. All you need is a space about 5 feet square and about 4 feet of track. For as little as $200, you can have Dad up and running in a weekend. "Most people get into gardening on a small scale and build over time. It's more fun when the set develops over the years," notes Stephens. Outdoor railroading attracts men in their mid 50s. With an estimated half of the enthusiasts women, garden trains are a great outdoor activity for the whole family, with everyone involved in making decisions.

Come on, baby, do the locomotion

It's best to know a little bit about garden trains before getting started. There are annual outdoor train shows, conventions and displays across the country. For a list of events in your area, visit www.trains.com

Visiting the Garden Trains Association Web site at www.gardentrains.org can provide a wealth of beginner information. If you want to find a permanent garden-railroad display in your area, go to the site and click on the newsroom. You can find more information about the hobby in Garden Railway Magazine, which is full of how-tos, and offers a 20-minute video and 96-page book on basic garden railroading for beginners. Log on to www.gardenrailways.com or call (800) 533-6644 for more information.

Courtesy of ARA Content 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Outdoor model railroading, the fastest-growing family hobby in North America, is a great activity. Incorporate it with gardening or just enjoy it as you would indoor model railroading. For more information call Susan McCoy (610) 388-9330

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