How to Design and Build Your Garden Railroad [Paperback]

Several books listed on Amazon will tell you what it takes to get a railroad running in your back yard. This book gives you some ideas for getting an attractive, visually balanced, reliable railroad running. Jack Verducci is one of the most respected names in Garden Railroading. He has published many of the "definitive" articles on garden railroad landscaping issues (and many other kinds of articles besides). Reprints of Jack's articles are always in high demand. A few have already been reprinted along with reprints from other authors in the collection Garden Railroading: Getting Started in the Hobby.

For this book Kalmbach has simply collected several of Jack's most popular and most useful Garden Railway articles (with a new introduction that beginners will find very helpful). They have also included bits of other articles that they haven't published in entirety, but which you will find helpful. Yes, the book has only 95 pages of content, but there are hundreds of great ideas, tips, and examples shoehorned into this small package.

Unfortunately, readers expecting a single "narrative" that will take them from total ignorance to a complete garden railroad in many simple steps will be disappointed. In fact, the book leaves out a few things it would be helpful to know, or that you would expect to be there based on the table of contents. In addition, several topics that are included could benefit from more detailed step-by-step instructions.

Fortunately, these are minor problems compared to overall quality of the book's content. Most of the articles in this book are among the best ever written on the various subjects; just having them together in one place (uninterrupted by advertisments) is worth the price of the book to anyone seriously thinking about building a garden railroad.

Topics that are addressed (and generally illustrated with fine illustrations) include:

- Basic Large-Scale track plans

- Choosing the right place for your railroad

- Staking out the future right-of-way

- Perspective (designing your garden railway landscaping so it gives the best views)

- Planning for and executing a railroad with vertical interest

- Building "switchbacks" (right-of-ways on which short trains go back-and-forth through a series of turnouts to reach higher ground in limited space)

- Painting backdrops

- Reverse loops

- Trestles

- Using rocks of all kinds

- Laying track (especially on fine crushed gravel roadbed)

- Structure placement and landscaping

- Water feature (pond, stream and waterfall) design and construction

- Maintenance

In addition, most of the photographs are of railroads that Jack has built. So they illustrate Jack's excellent landscaping skills, and above all, his aesthetic sensibilities. Jack's introduction stresses the importance of each railroad conforming to a basic vision, or as Jack calls it, a "theme." Beyond that, Jack's landscapes look like they belong in their settings; his railroads look like they belong in the landscapes; and his structures, bridges, and accessories are appropriate for the setting and for the railroad.

This book is a great companion volume to Marc Horovitz and Pat Hayward's Gorgeous Garden Railways, another book that is strong on aesthetics (although it is silent on methodology.)

How to Design and Build Your Garden Railroad won't tell you everything you need to know, but it will get you started off right, and it will also start you thinking about a lot of possibilities that would not have occurred to you otherwise.

Paul Race, editor, Family Garden Trains

As a beginner in Garden Railroad design, I was looking for ideas but nothing too technical. This book has it all. The book is suitable for all Garden Railroaders, with beautiful illustrations, lots of useful information, great ideas for bridges and buildings and most importantly an enjoyable easy read. I even went on to buy the authors video - Crystal Springs Garden Railway Tour!

This book is a very useful introduction to the world of model railroading in the garden which is increasing in popularity both in the USA and here in the UK. I can thoroughly recommend it - you will find yourself delving inside its covers on frequent occasions.