February, 2014 Update from Family Garden Trains<sup><small>TM</small></sup>


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Written by Paul D. Race for Family Garden Trains^TM

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February, 2014 Update from Family Garden Trains^TM

Note: This is the web version of a newsletter from the Family Garden Trains^TM web site, which publishes information about running big model trains in your garden as a family activity.

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In this Issue

Since I bought my first Large Scale train back in 1984, people have been telling me that Garden Railroading was a fad that would soon join the hula hoop and lawn darts on the list of things that were worth trying once. One such "death notice" came about 1992 from a Lionel PR guy who was disatisfied with the hobby's response to their toylike entries into Large Scale. Later "death notices" came in the mid-1990s from certain NMRA officials who claimed the hobby would never really catch on unless we all started using scale flanges (outdoors!). During the 2002 recession, another company claimed that 1:29 (not the bad economy) was slowing the growth of Garden Railroading, and only their yet-to-be-delivered products could save it. (Ironically that company was the first to throw in the towel during the 2008-2009 recession.)

In the last few years, it has become painfully obvious how vulnerable a hobby that depends on home ownership is to a fraud-induced financial crisis that shakes millions of folks' belief in the stability of home ownership.

But, just like every recession and recovery cycle that has occurred since those dire early warnings bagan, once the dust has settled, interest in this hobby, these trains, and our site has renewed and started growing again. Maybe it would pay us to remember that when modern Garden Railroading started in North America, we only had one vendor and most of us only had access to a single toylike eurotrain. And the train is only a fraction, really, of the investment, beauty, and enjoyment that comes from building and operating a miniature world in your back yard.

Not that the road has become magically smooth - LGB's continuing troubles and AristoCraft's shutdown will have an effect on many folks' abilities to run exactly the trains they want to run, in the near term at least. But at the same time, Bachmann has continued to introduce high-end 1:20.3 models and has introduced solid brass track that is more-or-less compatible with track from LGB and USA Trains. And PIKO has introduced at least one locomotive I wouldn't mind running on my railroad - if I needed another locomotive, that is.

Another encouraging sign is that AristoCraft-quality track is still available. Scott Polk's GeneratioNext just had a container load clear customs, so he claims to be shipping track as I type this. (If the tie strips still say AristoCraft on the bottom, keep it to yourself.)

In the meantime, if you can't get the track you need from Scott, our buyer's guide for garden railroad track now cross-references the Bachmann, LGB, USA Trains, and AristoCraft part numbers for the most common pieces. Click the following link if you want to take a look.

http://garden-train-store.com/track/track_order.htm

For our part, we can also report that new signups for our free e-mail news letters are way up. I'm guessing that - now that the dust of the recession has started to clear - folks are getting back "on track" to invest some elbowgrease, if not some "disposable income" into the hobby.

Every December, I get about four months' worth of questions, so I'm still digging out. I try to answer questions right away, but I'm so far behind on signups that I was been forced to delay what would been January's newsletter. That's not a bad sign, either, if you think about it.

In the meantime, I know a number of folks have been using their "snow days" as an excuse to work on their structures, so I have added a couple more articles that might give you some ideas for things to try.

Please accept our wishes for a great rest of the year. And please enjoy any time you can spend with your family in the coming months.

Topics discussed in this update include:

Trashbashing the Fisher Price Schoolhouse,
Buildings from Fluted Plastic
AristoCraft Track In Stock for Now
Garden Railroading in Early Spring

Trashbashing the Fisher Price Schoolhouse

Looking for building ideas that don't necessarily cost you a small fortune? You might not be as lucky in getting this particular structure from flea markets and garage sales as we've been, but this article should give you some ideas for repurposing similar toys into useful, weather-resistant structures for your Large Scale railroad.

To see our tips on trashbashing this and similar structures, please click the following link

http://familygardentrains.com/primer/trshbash/fisher_price_schoolhouse/schoolhouse.htm

Buildings from Fluted Plastic

A reader has sent photos of buildings made with fluted plastic (the stuff I call "road spam" because fly-by-night companies use it to trash up street corners). The light "ribbed" texture could suggest boards, and it does stand up to the weather. Plus, many folks can get it free and clean up their neighborhoods at the same time. So why not?

To see our reader's photos and tips, please click the following link

http://familygardentrains.com/primer/structures/road_spam_3/roadspambuildings.htm

AristoCraft Track In Stock for Now

The picture to the right links to a note that was sent to a club member on February 12, 2014. It lists AristoCraft track products that were available on that day. If you are a legitimate dealer with a storefront and everything, you can buy the track at a 40% discount. If you are an end user, you can buy it at a 20% discount. Credit card is the only payment option, since Scott is leery of the kind of terms that left the Polks in the lurch when several large chains went out of business owing them a literal fortune.

I think that Scott is hoping that if he can recoup enough cash from this shipment, he may be able to branch out into other Large Scale products. I certainly share his hope and wish him the best. But in the meantime, if you want to get some of the best garden railroad track you can buy at any price, check out this list. - Paul

To see Scott's announcement, please click the following link

http://garden-train-store.com/track/polk_track_2014.htm

Garden Railroading in Early Spring

If you live north of the Mason Dixon line, you might be wondering if spring will ever get here. So far in Springfield, Ohio, we've received 30 more inches of snow than we usually do by this time of year, and we're expecting even more weeks of cold weather. That said, spring is likely to come on fast when it does come.

If your railroad is still under snow, this is a good time to clean the wheels on your locomotives, test the lighting in your buildings, and review your plans for any expansions or open railroads this summer. Once you can see your right of way, look for places where frost heave, burrowing animals, or washouts have knocked the track askew or made it uneven. (Before I poured concrete under large parts of my right of way, moles used to turn it into a roller coaster ever spring.)

If you find that some marketplace setback is going to keep you from buying the train of your dreams this spring, consider upgrading the part of your garden railroad that everyone notices and that is with you year-round: its natural setting. Our article on Landscaping Hints for Garden Railroaders will give you ideas for improving access, balance, interest, and beauty in and around your miniature world.

If you didn't get a chance to trim your conifers last year, and you have a chance to do some nipping before they start to put on fresh growth, do so. Pay special attention to places where Dwarf Alberta Spruce have grown too close to each other or to some object - needles that are crowded will die, leaving you with an asymmetrical plant you'll have to trim anyway.

Some folks use Preen or a similar product to deter weed seed germination in the spring. After all, 99% of your plants are either miniature trees or perennials, so why not? I don't use it myself, because my railroad is be enough that it would cost more than I would want to spend on it. But if you choose to use it, follow the directions carefully. One of my big "weed" problems is actually grass control, but I tend to wait until the grass has started to green up before I start applying "grass killer." Be careful not to apply "weed and grass killer" to your garden, because that will kill everything. Also, try not to apply any insecticides or herbicides where rain could make them run off into your pond.

Even if you use battery power, you'll want to check your track for twigs, raccoon poop, encroaching plants, etc., before you actually run any trains. My battery-powered friends make fun of me for having to clean the track, but most of my track-related maintenance is really CLEARING the track each spring and after every bad storm, and that's something they have to do also.

Do your best.

You might also consider making travel plans. For example,

If you live anywhere near York, Pennsylvania, you might consider going to the East Coast Large Scale Train Show on March 21 and 22. Click the following link for details:
If you live anywhere near Tampa, Florida, or don't mind traveling to Tampa you might consider making plans to attend the National Garden Railway Convention there on May 5th through 11th. By the way, the 2013 convention in the Cincinnati area was GREAT - thanks to all who contributed for all of your hard work. Click the following link to see the 2014 National Convention web page (still under development)
If you live on the left coast, consider a trip to Sacramento for the West Coast Regional Meet, which is mostly railroad tours. LOTS of railroad tours. Click the following link for details:

In the meantime, many clubs put together regional events, so stay in touch with the club nearest you. If you need to find a club, try our club directory page at the following link:

http://familygardentrains.com/outside_resources/grr_clubs/grr_clubs.htm"

Keep in Touch

Finally, please let us know about your ongoing projects. Ask questions, send corrections, suggest article ideas, send photos, whatever you think will help you or your fellow railroaders. In the meantime, enjoy your trains, and especially enjoy any time you have with your family in the coming weeks,

Paul Race

FamilyGardenTrains.com

To view the newsletter for December, 2013, click on the following link:

http://familygardentrains.com/fgt_newsletter/13_12_newsletter_gr.htm

To read more, or to look at recommended Garden Railroading and Big Indoor Train products, please click on the index pages below.

Visit our Garden Train Store<sup><small>TM</small></sup> Bachmann Starter Set Buyer's Guide

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Note: Family Garden Trains^TM, Garden Train Store^TM, Big Christmas Trains^TM, BIG Indoor Trains^TM, and BIG Train Store^TM are trademarks of Breakthrough Communications (www.btcomm.com). All information, data, text, and illustrations on this web site are Copyright (c) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 by Paul D. Race. Reuse or republication without prior written permission is specifically forbidden.
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