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Questions? We Have Answers.
I am sure you have a thousand questions about Garden Trains. We have posted some of the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Garden Trains and Large Scale Railroads.

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  • Q: How hard is it to maintain a Large Scale Railroad?
    • A: This is a question you need to dwell on when designing your layout and how hard you want to make it on yourself. If you design it so you can access all sections easily then it will be easier to maintain. If you need to crawl over obstacles to get to a section of track to clear you’ll not be happy. Nature drops leaves, fruits, nuts, trees and other presents for us to pick up. All of these will drop on your railroad so you’ll want easy access to remove these bits and pieces.

  • Q: What does Large Scale, Garden Trains, G scale all mean?
    • A: All are describing the hobby of model railroading in a variety of scales between 1:32 up to 1:13. The reason for the many scales is that different manufacturers used the same width of 45mm track to make a variety of prototype trains from 2’ narrow gauge up to 4’ 8½” standard gauge. For the most part modelers are not too concerned with the scale as long as it looks nice and runs well on their layout.

  • Q: What kinds of costs are associated with Large Scale Railroads?
    • A: Your most basic is your train, even the track can wait, but it’s second on your list if you want to run. The cost can range from the toy quality trains your kids can play with to museum quality locomotives you want to keep under glass. You keep costs down by taking your time deciding what you want so you don’t purchase something you soon decide was not what you really wanted. You will find building your own items is easier in this scale, saving you money.
More Questions

  • Q: Do I leave things outside, or do I have to bring them in?
    • A: What structures you leave outside depends on how well the item will withstand the elements. Most products manufactured for large-scale railroading are intended to be outdoors. However, all of these items can weather, fade, warp, rust or mold over several year's time. The rate of wear directly relates to your local weather. The trains themselves usually are less tolerant of the elements and should not remain outdoors for extended periods.

  • Q: Will all these trains work together?
    • A: First, they all work on the same track. No problem there. You will have to compare the various manufacturers and see if their products are the same scale [size] you want and if you must make any adjustments to make it look like you want.