GARDEN RAILROAD

As noted before, one of my hobbies is model railroading. I've been interested in this since childhood and still have some of my Lionel trains that are now at least 60 years old. It's only been recent since I started garden railroading (G-scale); being retired gave me the opportunity to actually set up a garden railroad outdoors. It began this past June when I got permission from our covenants committee to do some landscaping, including laying out tracks. In my retirement community, which consists of only adults 55 years or better, one needs permission for any external changes or additions. I laid out the track in a tri-oval pattern with a section cutting across the oval to provide an opportunity for a station and a town. Although I'm not modeling any particular place or era, my equipment and buildings are predominately from the early to mid-1900s. I have in mind Skagway, Alaska, but am not actually modeling it. Call it a notional Skagway RR model. So far, I've had the RR up about five months and aside from mole hills, leaves and grass clippings, I've had no real problems in keeping it operational. I'm using LGB track and it is working out well in terms of conductivity despite the very moist SE climate here. Todate, I've put together three buildings and have about four more to go.

Right now, it being Christmas, I've got one of those holographic lighted trains on the RR bed. I can see it from inside my house and at night with the reflection of the indoor Christmas tree on the slider, it looks particularly pretty and very seasonal.

I don't plan to expand my layout; traveling and other interests limit the time I want to devote to this activity. I mainly enjoy watching the train circle the layout and appreciate the beauty and artistry of the individual locomotives and cars. Model trains are really a thing of beauty and give me a tangible connection to my youth as much as do pictures.

I have my o-gauge Lionel trains setup inside, but that will be a subject for a later blog.