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Welcome to Our Web Site
Garden Trains are the fastest growing area of Model Railroads. Plus home gardeners are finding out that it is something exciting to add to their gardens. Garden Trains.com is your best resource. We provide you useful information at our site and references to the best sites on the Internet for Garden Trains. Welcome to the perfect family activity.

Tips for Getting Started
If you are new to the idea of Garden Trains it may be hard for you to get an understanding of what this hobby is all about. The most important thing to remember is that there is no one right way to build a Garden Railway.
Watch out for the "professionals" that try and tell you how to do it, and don't teach you how things can be done. Writing about Garden Trains and Railroads is one thing -- doing it is another.

The best way to get started is to watch a video and read all you can. Find or make a friend who already has a Garden Railroad. Finding a local club is a great way to get started and you can check out a complete database of clubs - online right here

What Kind of Buildings can I use on my Garden Railroad?
David Clapper: My buildings, plastic kits, have been outdoors continuously for at least 12 years in my Garden Railroad. The colors have faded a bit and one roof was cracked by a falling tree limb two winter's ago. Otherwise, they're just fine. The Victorian Station by AristoCraft is the oldest and is surviving very well.

John Damkier: Most of my structures are plastic but I do have some wood buildings also. Most are lit with 12v bulbs tied into my Malibu light system. Most of the garden train buildings are heavy enough that they don't blow away. I glued the buildings (that are prone to blowing away) to floor tiles to keep them down.

Gary Lane: I have left buildings out all winter only to regret it spring time. Glues come undone on plastic. Small parts break with the building standing still. Mostly the amount of mud and dirt and bugs to remove is what motivates me to move the buildings into the unheated garage or under the covered deck for the winter.

Bill Waddell: Most of my buildings are made from kits (Pola or Piko) however, all have added detail which makes each more like a creation of my own. It could be a kit bash, color change, store bought details items or ones I hand made. Likewise, lighting is always added for interest at dusk or nighttime. It is be added to platforms, outside work areas as well as the interior of buildings. This allows more detail to be seen inside these buildings and something as little as a porch light makes the town come alive. It should be said however, that highly detailed buildings do require greater care and storage during certain seasons or when bad weather becomes a concern. For this I made boxes to size and bubble wrap.

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Garden Trains Radio

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GardenTrainsRadio.com is your only and best audio resource for Garden Train information. We provide you with useful interviews, tips from experts at our site and references to the best information on the Internet for Garden Trains. Welcome to the perfect family activity.

LSOL.com is offering Garden Trains.com readers a discount to their online magazine. Large Scale Online has been around over 10 years providing a weekly email magazine with articles, pictures and discussions about Large Scale Garden Trains.

Use the code GardenTrains when you sign up today! A substantial discount is waiting for you at their site. It is a great way to start learning and to start building your own Garden Railroad.



Garden Railroad University is offering a Garden Trains Diploma. It is a great gift for the seasoned railroader, or someone just starting out. This is the only "official" diploma that shows you love Garden Trains.

Important Topics
  • Bridges
  • Buildings
  • Couplers
  • Garden Train Photos
  • Getting Started
  • Grades
  • How Garden Trains Work
  • Live Steam
  • Wheels