October, 2014 Update from Family Garden Trains^TM

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In this Issue

One of my projects has been putting new tie strips on old track. Lots and lots of old track that I replaced years ago when the UV destroyed the ties. I ordered a bunch of strips years ago but never got around to repairing most of the track, since I didn't need it once I stopped doing so many live demos.

One goal this fall is to put some or all the kids' trains on wider radius curves than the 4'-diameter curves I've been using. Those trains are SO popular with the little ones, they get quite frustrated when they don't stay on the tracks. So it's time to get the bigger curves out of mothballs and fixed up.

I've also ordered rail joiners and screws, since so many of the rail joiners have gotten lost or are getting wobbly. I'll say this - Aristocraft rail was very solid. Which means that the stuff Scott Polk is selling as GeneratioNext will be just what you need as well. And all my trains run better on the big Aristo curves than they do on the little four-foot curves that came in the box.

Here's an interesting tweak for old-timers. I also have a 5'-diameter circle of Delton track (I think - it's not labeled). If memory serves, I bought it at Watts Train Shop, in Indiana about 1987, and it was used then. I used half of it outside, and the ties completely broke down after about eight years. The stuff I used inside is still in decent shape. The brass on all of it is still very usable. So with new ties on the damaged track, the circle will get life again, supporting a kids' railroad in a few weeks.

The photo to the right shows an Aristo 5'- diameter curve on the bottom and a Delton 5'-diameter curve on the top. The middle piece shows Delton rails on Aristo ties. You can't tell from above, of course, but the Delton rails lack the tiny screw-hole for the Aristo railjoiners, because they used to use the slip-on railjoiners that clamped into the tie strip. They're also a little more tightly curved than the Aristo curves (which are actually not curved as tight as they should be, but have enough flex in their rail-joiners to compensate).

BTW, I'm not bothering to clean any of the brass on any of the track I recondition. I'll clean the top and inside edge of the rail when it goes back out, but the dark color on the web and base is so nice.

During this effort, I've updated my article about refurbing brass garden railroad track with new text and photos. If you want to take a look, click on the following link:

http://familygardentrains.com/primer/maintenance/track_refurb/track_refurb.htm

In the meantime, I've been invited to "volunteer" some buildings for an indoor holiday display RR that will be mostly unattended, so I've taken advantage of the rainy weather to make some of my "indoor" building graphics large enough for Large Scale. That way I can make them out of plywood boxes or something and not be out a fortune if they are vandalized or disappear.

The graphics ones I updated most recently are based on the century-old lithographed tinplate toys and buildings that my grandfather grew up with (and some of your great-grandfathers). If you like the old Standard Gauge tinplate trains, these will be the perfect accessories. Or if you want to add some old-time feel to a Christmas railroad. Or you need to keep your kids busy with a train-related project when the weather turns cold.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I'll remind you that with the hobby picking up again, supplies of certain starter sets are getting thin. I've already started taking down train sets I just posted last month. So I'm including another report on this week's availability of big trains, including a link to some great Large Scale kids' trains that I didn't include in the last newsletter because most vendors had them on backorder (they're in stock now). Regardless of your taste and needs, if you're thinking about a train set for a Christmas present or to put around the tree, don't wait too long.

Topics discussed in this update include:

• More Trainroom Signs - We've added a couple more signs you might find a use for in your train room, or, if you use weatherproof labels, on your train shed or privacy fence.

• Christmas Train Day, 2014 - Ooops, we had to reschedule.

• Garden Railroading in Early Winter

• Don't Wait Too Long to Order Trains for Christmas, Redux - with added links to great kid-friendly large scale trains

• Forum Reminder - Our new discussion forum is getting a lot of interest but could use more participation.

More Trainroom Signs

Click on the following link to see the trainroom signs we have so far:

http://familygardentrains.com/resource/trainroom_signs/trainroom_signs.htm

Vintage-looking Seasonal Large Scale Building Graphics

Then some of our Standard Gauge collectors started asking about making the same graphics available in larger scales. I've done a few one-offs and special requests. But this year there was enough interest to add Large Scale versions of several of our building graphics.

I am especially interested in this project, as I've been asked to supply buildings for a temporary display RR that will have little or no supervision, and making buildings this way is a lot cheaper than any of the other ways.

Though the title pages show only the fronts of the stores, each building has four downloadable sides and roof patterns to make a 3-dimensional structure. Use your color printer and a bit of craft skills to make buildings for seasonal displays. Or just print the fronts and use them for a backdrop.

Note for Large Scalers and Standard Gaugers - If you uses the Large Scale version of any of these graphics for any reason, be sure and let us know. We have about a dozen more buildings we could "blow up" for you this way. In fact, I already have several more tinplate-inspired buildings scheduled for "expansion."

The Christmas Storefronts page is at this link:

"http://bigindoortrains.com/primer/buildings/lackie/christmas_stores/christmas_storefronts.htm

In case you're still decorating for Halloween, the Halloween Storefronts page is at this link:

http://halloweentrains.com/primer/halloween_stores/halloween_storefronts.htm

Christmas Train Day, 2014

One thing I'm also trying to do is making some of the kids' railroads bigger and better, especially the ones that have remote control trains, since those are such a huge attraction. We're continuing to hope for more trains and other great activities for the whole family. Check back for details, as well as information on other Christmas-themed open railroads in the area.

Click on the following link to see the page of information we have so far:

http://familygardentrains.com/outside_resources/openhouses/christmas_open_houses_2014.htm

Garden Railroading in Early Winter

I do a lot of my weeding and trimming in October and November, since I'm usually prepping for an open railroad. But conifers will respond to trimming better in the winter than in the summer. Again, our article "Trees for Your Trains" will give you some timely hints. Clicking on the following link will take you there.

http://familygardentrains.com/primer/plants/conifers/conifers.htm

This is also a time to plant any trees or bushes. My railroad has so many evergreens on it that it looks nice even in the dead of winter. I've taken midwinter photos that would look like summer on some folks' railroads except for the angle of the sun. So if you come across any dwarf or groundcover conifers on closeout, consider an addition.

Speaking of conifers, if you've seen the little "live trees" that grocery stores and garden departments sell this time of year, and you've wondered if you could use them in your garden railroad after Christmas, please visit our sister site Family Christmas Online(tm) for the article "What About Living Christmas Trees?" Click the following link to be taken to that page:

http://familychristmasonline.com/trees/real_live_trees.htm/real_live_trees.htm"

Sadly, our 2013-2014 winter was much worse than usual, and even the pump was buried under a couple feet of snow for most of January and February. By the time I realized it had stopped working it was too late for my goldfish. Another trip to the pet shop . . .

Start Planning your Winter Railroad Activities - There are many good ways to keep your hobby alive during cold weather. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Plan to set up a holiday train display in your home, or go together with friends to set one up in a public place like a church fellowship hall or nursing home lobby.
• Plan a cold-weather "open house" for your garden railroad. A few Christmas lights in the conifers on your railroad, any kind of train running, and a boom box playing Christmas carols will bring a whole lot of Christmas to your corner of the world.
• Make a list of indoor projects you can do that will help your railroad overall.
• Shop for some model buildings that will complement your railroad and drop hints. Seriously, do you really need another pair of slippers? You can find quite a variety of fine building kits at the following link:
  http://garden-train-store.com/begin/structure_sale.htm

  Don't Wait Too Long to Order Trains for Christmas, Redux

  Sorry for the "Deja Vu." In our buyers' guides, we are already taking down links and descriptions of trains that we featured only a few weeks aga, and I'm already getting e-mails asking where certain trains that were recently available have "got to." So this isn't overkill from my end. Again, there's a wide variety of starter sets available as I type this, but MANY of those sets are "onsies and twosies," and a few have sold out in the last few weeks. So, once again, the moral is don't wait too long.

  Here's a quick recap of where "Big Train" markets stand as of October, 2014:

  Large Scale Trains in Railroad Names - Bachmann "Big Hauler" train sets are still available, although they have obviously cut back on ordering new sets, and their most popular current set seems to have sold out since June of this year. Starter sets from Piko and LGB are available, although I expect the LGB set to go very fast - in fact, one I posted in June is already sold out.

  To see our best currently-available recommendations, click the following link:

  http://garden-train-store.com/begin/ls_starters.htm

  Large Scale Trains in Christmas Colors - These are perfect for big displays in bank lobbies, etc. And they are "jaw-dropping" around the tree. A couple of the most popular Bachmann Christmas-themed Large Scale sets are available. But the best (and probably most fleeting) news is that as of this writing, two LGB Christmas sets are available. I expect them to go VERY FAST. A Bachmann "Lil Big Hauler" Kids train decorated for Christmas might be the best solution for folks who want a real train around the tree, but whose kids still have "pokey fingers." I expect them to go fast, too, just not as fast as the LGBs. The Piko Christmas set that is available this year has a very nice paint job as well, and seems reasonably solid.

  To see the Large Scale trains that are decorated for Christmas, click the following link:

  http://bigchristmastrains.com/ls_xmas/ls_xmas.htm

  Large Scale (Garden-sized) Trains for Kids - Last year, several of the trains we have posted disappeared very fast. Fortunately, the suppliers have reordered, and some delightful trains are available as of this posting.

  To see Large Scale trains that are designed to be kid-friendly, click the following link:

  http://garden-train-store.com/kids_trains/kids_trains.htm

  O Gauge Trains in Railroad Names - Lionel has issued a number of new trains and has reissued several existing sets with a different locomotive or different cars. This year, trains pulled by F (streamlined) units and freight diesels are also available. I expect the diesel trains to sell quickly - they always do. Several of the other sets are getting "thin" as well. If you were thinking about getting a Lionel set or adding to a Lionel railroad this year, don't wait too long.

  To see the Lionel trains that are painted for PRR, NYC, UP, and other "real-world" railroads, click the following link:

  http://bigtrainstore.com/o_gauge/o_gauge.htm

  O Gauge Trains in Christmas Colors - This year, Lionel has more trains decorated for Christmas than they have ever offered at one time. Again, some of the units are already in short supply. And I expect others, like the Peanuts-themed train, to sell out quickly. Big and sturdy.

  http://bigchristmastrains.com/o_gauge_xmas/o_gauge_xmas.htm

  On30 Trains in Christmas Colors - Hawthorne Trains used to order specially painted On30 train sets from Bachmann to sell in "collections." They featured art from folks like Thomas Kinkade and Al Agnew, as well as cultural icons like Coca Cola and "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Several of these classic collections are still available new, although I don't think any new sets have been ordered since 2010. So once they sell out, they are gone forever.

  These come one piece at a time, except in some cases you can order a "super saver set" in which the first three "issues" come in the first shipment, and after that, the subsequent pieces come one at a time. To see which collections are still available, click the following link:

  http://bigchristmastrains.com/hawthorne_trains/hawthorne_trains.htm

  On30 Trains in Railroad Names - These are almost non-existent this year. If you haven't got into On30, this is not the year to start. On the other hand, if you have an On30 railroad, several individual locomotives, cars, and self-propelled units are available. Click the link below and scroll down to see the links for those products.

  http://bigtrainstore.com/on_30/on30.htm