Really Big Garden Trains

Backyard Trains You Can Ride

Written by Paul D. Race for Family Garden Trains

Every so often a Family Garden Trains reader will ask me why I don't talk about backyard trains big enough to ride on (or in). Ignorance can only be a defense so long, I suppose, so I have started asking people questions.

One thing is certain, While you can put together a very nice "normal" garden railroad without robbing your kids' college fund, a train you can ride and the track and roadbed to support it will cost you much, much more. And room is an issue, too. Don't expect to squeeze much "railroading" into a half-acre lot.

Some common scale/gauge combinations are:

Scale	Gauge	Comments
1:12 (1" on the model corresponds to 12" on the original)	4.75"	The most common among hobbiests. Also common in Live Steam circles. There is some commercial support. You ride on, not in, these trains.
1:8 (1" on the model corresponds to 8" on the original)	7.25" or 7.5"	Fairly common, especially in Live Steam circles. There is some commercial support. You ride on, not in, these trains.
1:4 (1" on the model corresponds to 4" on the original)	14" or 15"	Used by a number of theme parks and live steam clubs. There is very little commercial support, but there are a few custom manufacturers. Children may ride in some of these trains. Adults who could still squeeze into a Ferari or Vega can too.
1:2.35 (1" on the model corresponds to 2.35" on the original)	24"	Used by theme parks, generally custom built, unless you're lucky enough to come across a railroad from a park that has closed. Because the theme parks that used these trains were attempting to make them seem like "real" trains, they often scaled the cabs and coaches large enough to ride in.

Resources of which I am presently aware are:

Live Steaming --Includes all scales of live steam, but it has lists of clubs, items for sale and wanted, photos, Tech Talk, events, and a list of links to other Web sites including suppliers.
Riding Railkits--Commercially available 1:12 trains running on 4.75"-gauge track.
Junction Valley Railroad--Located in north central Michigan, These people have a 1:4 railroad with many nice features. They also build trains on a custom-order basis for other 1:4 railroads. The rails of their track are about 14" apart, which makes them just a tad smaller than some of the smallest real (18") industrial railroads, but all their models are of "standard-gauge" trains. You can sit inside the cattle cars, if you're a small person and not prone to claustraphobia. Most passengers ride on gondola cars with seats in them, rather like riding a canoe.

I will provide other resources as I find them.

Best of luck,

Paul D. Race

Note: All information, data, text, and illustrations on this web site are Copyright (c) 1999, 2000, 2001 by Paul D. Race. Reuse or republication without prior written permission is specifically forbidden.

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