Hello. I was recently in a hobby shop exclusively catering to garden railroaders to drop off some literature for a excursion railroad I am involved with and got bitten by the garden railroad bug. Due to circumstances, my wife and I can’t do something like a garden rr at our home. What I was wondering is, do garden railroad clubs have a club railroad like HO people do or is it a more personal home hobby? Thanks.
It goes both ways, depending upon where you are. Our club does not have a club layout, meets at individual homes each month, and kinda likes it that way. Others, with larger memberships, etc. do have a more or less permanent place and dedicated space to have a club layout.
Check club listings for one near you and ask!
I can’t think of any specific examples right now, but I do know that there are club layouts for garden RR. Most I think are at places like the local hobby shop (LHS), public libraries, etc and I know of one in Northern VA that is at a church.
My totaly unscientific opinion is that it is more a personal hobby, but I’m sure there will be a lot of posts proving me wrong.
What area are you in anyway?
[oX)]
Here in Phx the Adobe Mountain Railroad park has clubs from N to G with the G scale layout covering a 1/4 of a acre of ground at this time with room to expand. our park consist of 160 acres the better part of which is covered with another tenent’s 7 1/2 ‘’ gauge track .the Maricopa Live Steamers are running amuck laying track…and we just love it!!
We have two in Houston. One for live steamers and one club that runs an indoor layout at one of the area malls. And yes the clubs peacefully coexist with several people belonging to both clubs. San Antonio also has a very active club with an outstanding outside layout.
Just an Idea, has anyone ever thought of approaching a garden center with donating space for a club layout? I would think a garden center would like the idea of promoting plant life in a less then traditional manner and reeping the reward $ from it.
Just a thought[:I]
I’ve always longed for someone close to want to help on our GRR. But most folks live 1 to 3 hours away.
Love to have a “club” layout.
Where do you live, the prfile is blank.?
Hello again. Thanks for the responses. It would be a great idea for a garden rr in a garden center. Maybe someone in my area (southwest Missouri) will see this and get something started. I have done very little research into our local garden rr group other than a visit to a hobby shop and a brochure for the group.
earlydiesels
hi like your nick name i have a few in my RR. i know of a few here that was here now were down to one lonely out door railway at H&R train store. there are some FGRS here in florida.
myself i have indoor railway indoor’s 14x16 2 loops 8’ and 10’ radi loops.
Well.I went down the road today where there was a sign saying ‘Garden Railway Open’
5" live steam.Hand built.Beautiful.But no use to me.I asked my neighbour how much his steam loco has cost so far (£4000).And he has to take it elsewhere everytime he wants to run it.Not for me !
Most large scale clubs tend to be modular layout groups, makes sense if you think about it, set up takes place at whatever event they are attending. between the layout stays stored. But if you like large scale but live in an apartment its a good opportunity to get into LS without the obligatory garden.