Garden Railways – August 2019

GardenRailways.com 39

can be problematic sections. But mostly, I
wanted a railroad that accommodated
continuously running live steam.
I drafted a rough sketch of my KMRR
route, and then decided to solicit feedback
through an online forum. After consider-
ing the advice, I then finalized a plan that
incorporated a double reverse loop. This
would allow me to run trains in either a
loop-to-loop pattern or as a single, contin-
uous circuit. It also provided a path to
reverse a train’s direction of travel.

After preparing my plot of

land, and with a plan in hand, I

began the initial effort to hand

lay track using plastic ties. This was the

easiest way to get track down and even

run trains between work sessions. But

the more plastic ties I installed, the more

critical I became of their appearance.

Ultimately, I decided the appeal of wood

ties would be well worth the work. After

all, repairing the railroad should be part

of the fun too!

Following a simple technique, I used a

table saw to cut ties from cedar boards.

Cedar is plentiful in my region, and it’s

also soft enough to add rail spikes using

specialized pliers. I then soaked the ties in

linseed oil.

As I continued laying down the line,

I spaced the ties by appearance, which

was fine for the KMRR backwoods opera-

tion. After completing one section of

track, I placed it atop the roadbed and

then added a layer of stone dust to secure

the installation.

Setting the scene

As the KMRR developed, I did not want

the railroad to become “overdeveloped”

with scores of structures. Instead, I

planned to keep the largest development

restricted to the raised area adjacent to the

yard tracks. That’s where I included an

enginehouse, a depot, fueling facility,

church, general store, and water tower.

Scratchbuilding these and all other struc-

tures (all with interior lighting) across the

line takes time, but it certainly helps

maintain a unified look and rustic charac-

ter of the Kittatinny Mountain Railroad.

I included a logging camp in one of the

reverse loops, and a sawmill in the other. I

also added a fire tower as a vertical com-

plement to the forest filled with dwarf

Alberta spruce. In an effort to equal the

logging activity visible above ground,

I added an abandoned underground

mine to represent a local site that once

This water feature is

an ideal focal point in

the middle of the

railroad, and near

a walkway.

After digging out

space for the basin,

the author installed

the trough and then

placed a few concrete

blocks at the center.

These blocks support

½" steel rebar cross

members and hard-

ware cloth formed the

rock-covered base of

the layered stone

waterfall. The author’s

scratchbuilt covered

bridge replaced the

temporary trestle

bents.

7. Even the bears pause to admire the author’s
   handlaid track. Native moss mimics weeds.


8. A cut of gons is an easy haul for this Regner Lumberjack crossing the 12' trestle.