Steam locomotives dominated the railways from the 1820s through the 1960s. Today almost all of them have been replaced with electric and diesel engines, yet the fascination surrounding steam-powered trains has not dwindled. A diverse community of enthusiasts--from mechanics to teachers to lawyers--have taken up the hobby of building and running steam locomotives in their own backyards. Drawing on the author's extensive experience and research, this guide covers the materials, tools, skills and technical information needed to get started or to improve an existing design.

This comprehensive collection of informative articles from Garden Railways magazine addresses the main topics of the hobby such as site considerations, developing a plan, landscaping, trackwork, power, and gardening.

Steam locomotives dominated the railways from the 1820s through the 1960s. Today almost all of them have been replaced with electric and diesel engines, yet the fascination surrounding steam-powered trains has not dwindled. A diverse community of enthusiasts--from mechanics to teachers to lawyers--have taken up the hobby of building and running steam locomotives in their own backyards. Drawing on the author's extensive experience and research, this guide covers the materials, tools, skills and technical information needed to get started or to improve an existing design.

Have you always wanted to run your own railway? Does your indoor model railway leave you with a desire to fill your nostrils with the smell of steam and hot oil on a winter's morning? If the answer to any of these questions is 'yes' then you probably need to build yourself a garden railway, and you certainly need to read this book! Peter Jones is one of the best-known names in the world of garden railways. In this highly illustrated book he guides you through the exciting world of model trains in your garden, from small-scale electric-powered locomotives to live-steam engines capable of carrying passengers, helping the reader to decide on what type of railway would be right, and passing on countless tips for the successful execution of the grand project.The only book you will need to guide you through the exciting world of model trains in your garden.Superbly illustrated with 365 colour photographs and illustrations.Peter Jones is one of the best-known names in the world of garden railways.

Make your garden as great as your outdoor railroad! This comprehensive book covers designing and planning the railway garden, selecting plants, as well as mastering the special needs of miniature plants for considerations like hardiness zones, watering, fertilization, pruning, and controlling pests.

Discover the contribution and history of the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad through pictures from the earliest days of building and development. The Alexandria, Loudoun & Hampshire Railroad laid track from Alexandria through Fairfax County and into Loudoun County towards the coalfields of West Virginia. In 1900, the Southern Railway, which had taken over the line, extended the railroad into Bluemont on the east side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Washington & Old Dominion Railway leased the Southern Railway's line in 1912, went into receivership in 1932, and was reorganized into the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad in 1935. The employees excavated the roadbed by hand, built stations and electric locomotives, reconfigured passenger cars, replaced diesel motors, and rebuilt bridges. Eventually, public roads and a lack of shipping and receiving industries forced the railroad into abandonment. Through old photographs, Washington & Old Dominion Railroad explores the efforts that went into building, operating, and maintaining the railroad whose right-of-way has now become the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority's Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park.