| When planning your landscape for your yard, consider | | | | old time wooden stock cars, logging cars, wooden |
| incorporating G scale model trains into your design. G | | | | gondolas, and wooden side box cars. You can also |
| scale trains are fun to build and operate. They also | | | | find a variety of circuit cars, but not all rolling stock |
| make a great backyard conversation piece. Although | | | | represents the early years of railroading. Although not |
| other scales are used as garden railroads the most | | | | as plentiful you can also find a large variety of modern |
| popular is the G scale. The first G scale trains were | | | | diesel locomotives and rolling stock. The shay |
| produced by LGB in 1968. The G in G scale does not | | | | locomotive is probably the most used locomotive in G |
| stand for garden, but comes from a German word | | | | scale. |
| grob (meaning "Big"). Although they are called G scale | | | | Now lets get back to the garden railroad. When |
| the train has no real gauge. The only preset standard | | | | modeling in the garden you are not restricted to the |
| for G scale is the track gauge, so maybe we should | | | | size room you have. You have you entire yard as a |
| call the G gauge. The track gauge for G scale is 45 | | | | layout. When you are building your garden railroad you |
| mm (1.772 in). This track gauge is called (Gauge 1). | | | | will need to use the same principles as the prototype |
| The G scale train is also probably the most popular | | | | trains. You will need to build you train on a road bed to |
| size train for use around the Christmas tree. You can | | | | keep water off of the track. Also you need to make |
| find this gauge boxed in sets decorated in Christmas | | | | sure you have the proper drainage. Remember that |
| attire to enhance the beauty of the tree. Some | | | | modeling a layout indoors you do not have to worry |
| manufacturers of G scale make animated rolling stock | | | | about the weather, whereas in a garden railroad you |
| with elves making toys or Santa in his work shop. You | | | | will have real sun, rain, snow, sleet, hail, and wind to deal |
| can even find these sets manufactured with specially | | | | with. These elements can take a toll on you track, |
| made cars for each year of production, allowing you | | | | structures, and other parts of your layout. The train |
| to purchase the new car each year adding to the | | | | itself can be brought indoors and run only when you |
| length of your train. These manufacturers even make | | | | are there to watch them. Some modelers have solved |
| scale building for your train with them all being | | | | the problem of bring the train indoors, by allowing the |
| decorated for the Christmas season. | | | | track to run inside a shed or even the house. Another |
| You can find G scale locomotive in representing | | | | thing to watch out for when you have a garden |
| almost any era you would like to model. Although most | | | | railroad, are animals. Make sure you check out your |
| G scale trains are steam trains representing the late | | | | track to make sure it is in perfect operating condition |
| 1800 and early 1900. The majority of the rolling stock is | | | | before running you train. |