As you enter the hobby of garden railroading, here are some basics to help you in the sometimes confusing world of large scale equipment. Let's begin with the reality that many garden railroaders are into "plausible scale", not into exact, or fine-scale. Most of the North American garden railroads run on Gauge #1 track, which is 45mm wide (about 1-3/4"). There are numerous scales of trains that operate on Gauge #1 track, and your approach to your railroad will determine your scale(s).

As previously stated, many garden railroaders are more into “plausible scale” rather than fine scale. Therefore, it is not uncommon to mix more than one scale on a layout. For example, 1/29 & 1/32 trains look reasonably well together, sometimes even in the same consist (train). 1/24 and 1/22.5 are reasonably good together as well. Some folks model buildings & vehicles in 1/24 and run 1/29, 1/24 and/or 1:22.5 trains, all of which look quite good with 1/24 structures and vehicles. When garden railroaders get together to run trains, the scale rule often becomes “If it fits on the track, we’ll run it!” There is the 10-foot rule: Stand back 10 feet... If it looks good, use it!

Track is available in either US style (14 ties per foot of track) or European narrow gauge style (11 ties per foot). Track material for outdoor use is either solid brass or stainless steel. Aluminum and nickel steel have also been used, but not with the success or popularity of brass. Stainless steel is a relatively new rail material to outdoor railroading, and is rapidly growing in popularity. Which to use is more a matter of appearance and economics than anything else. Both brass and stainless are quite satisfactory for outdoor use as long as the plastic ties are UV resistant (most manufacturer's are). Many garden railroaders are still using track that is well over 10 years old without difficulty.

*Conductivity may or may not be as much of an issue of rail material as some think it is. Some garden railroaders have replaced their brass track with stainless steel and eliminated continuity problems entirely. Some of that improvement may be due to the newness of the track and connectors, rather than the rail material itself. However, when the two rail materials are mixed in the same run of track, the stainless does seem to run better. Occasional problems crop up, but usually, continuity throughout the layout is a relatively minor problem. Having quality rail joiners and maintaining clean track and wheels solves most issues. Understand that the greatest problem with track cleanliness is neither the rail material nor the elements: Plastic wheels on rolling stock cause more problems than anything else. In hot weather, the hot rails melt a small amount of the plastic from the wheels. The smoke fluid and lubricants that get on the track seem to interact with the residue on the rails left by the plastic wheels, making a very difficult residue to clean. For this reason, most garden railroaders run rolling stock with only metal wheels. (They sound better, too!) Replacing plastic wheels with metal ones is easy to do and not very expensive.

Some garden railroaders are going to battery power and radio control instead of track power. Batteries eliminate any potential problems with conductivity, but have their own limitations as well. Even with battery power, good quality rail joiners and clean track are still essential to prevent derailments.

There is a growing segment of garden railroaders who are using live-steam locomotives in addition to or instead of electric power.

The most important thing in garden railroading is to really enjoy the hobby. Whether that means fine-scale or plausible scale, there is a wide variety of quality locomotives, rolling stock, structures and accessories available to enhance your enjoyment of the hobby. Members of the club are quite willing to share their preferences, advice and experiences to help you establish and maintain your garden dream.