Selling a house with a garden railway: Help or hindrance?

Front of house with part of garden railway

When I built my outdoor railway – on three sides of my house – I never intended to sell it. I thought I’d be teetering behind a walker at 90, running my live-steam engines over rails I had built to last a lifetime. I like building strong, “permanent” track, which gives me a feeling of […]

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News & products for the week of October 7, 2021

Deutsche Bundesbahn two-axle third-class coach.

Large scale passenger equipment Deutsche Bundesbahn two-axle third-class coach. Separate, factory-applied ladder, handrails, and underbody piping; hook-and-loop couplers; and plastic wheelsets. $164.99. November 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com Deutsche Reichsbahn two-axle luggage wagon. Separate, factory-applied ladder, handrails, and underbody piping; hook-and-loop couplers; and plastic wheelsets. $264.99. November 2021. PIKO America, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com […]

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Dwarf crape myrtle

Miniature tree next to a model church

Common name: Dwarf crape myrtle 

Latin name: Lagerstroemia indica ‘Violet Filli’ (Filigree series) Plant size: 6-24″, depending on the miniature variety Plant type: Shrubs and small trees USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-11 (or grown as an annual) Cultural needs: Well-drained, slightly acidic to acidic soil, full sun The miniature crape myrtle in the photo, one of […]

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News & products for the week of September 23, 2021

America Deutsche Reichsbahn Class 50 2-10-0 steam locomotive.

Large scale locomotives Deutsche Reichsbahn Class 50 2-10-0 steam locomotive. Molded and separate, factory-applied parts, including lights, brake cylinders, bumpers, smokestack, tanks, piping, and handrails; hook-and-loop couplers; and can-type ball-bearing motor. Direct-current model can be upgraded with PIKO locomotive decoder no. 36125 and sound kit no. 36230, both sold separately. Direct-current model, $1,499.99; with PIKO […]

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Visit the Burlington Garden Center’s garden railroad

Scenic garden railway

Garden center owner Walt Uebele had an idea—build a garden railway to keep the husbands and kids entertained while the wives shopped. Little did he know that folks of all ages would love watching the trains run. Watch an interview conducted by Production Editor Rene Schweitzer about the railway and its beginnings, only on Trains.com! […]

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The Garden Variety Railroad Show: Visiting the Burlington Garden Center, Episode 5

Hal and Rene are on location at the Burlington Garden Center in Burlington, Wisconsin. In this episode, they showcase the garden center’s railway display, show you tips on weathering a structure, and update you on Cody’s diesel locomotive project! […]

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News & products for the week of September 9, 2021

Deutsche Reichsbahn BR V180 diesel locomotive

Large scale locomotives Deutsche Reichsbahn BR V180 diesel locomotive. Two five-pole can-type ball-bearing motors, detailed engine room interior and engineer figure, hook-and-loop couplers, operating red and white directional lighting with functional high beam using Digital Command Control (DCC), and DCC sound decoder (Locomotive will run on analog DC, but sound functions only on DCC.) $789.99. […]

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Use fabric to cover your large-scale buildings

Model pool hall structure

I’ve discovered a way to build inexpensive and custom designed buildings for indoor use or temporary displays at train shows or open houses. The primary material for this project is fabric. These fabrics are called “landscape designs,” and include patterns such as brick, wood, and stone, as well as signs. Several manufacturers make these designs, […]

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