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Permanent garden railroads you can visit Check the list for garden railroads in your area that are open to the public By Rene Schweitzer
Published: April 26, 2012  A Northern Pacific brings a short train across the bridge on the railway at Walter Anderson Nursery
Photo by Rene Gallet  This display features 400 feet of track and a beautiful water feature.
Photo by Rene Gallet  The landscaping on this railway was designed by the horticultural department of the college.
Photo by Rene Gallet  The Jordan Lot Garden Railroad, located at the West Florida Railroad Museum, features special events like this Easter egg train.
Photo by Ed Dice  The West Florida Railroad Museum includes the Jordan Lot Garden Railroad and a 7 1/2" ride-on train for visitors to enjoy.
Photo by Ed Dice
Alabama
Huntsville-Madison County Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave., Huntsville AL 35805, 256-830-4447. Railroad operates from mid-March through December, www.hsvbg.org/gardenrr.htm.
Arizona
Double K Ranch (bed and breakfast with a garden railway), 3930 N. Smokey Topaz Lane, Tucson AZ 85749, 520-749-5345, www.doublekranch.com.
Gary Martin, 4625 E. Cerro De Aguila, Tucson AZ 85718. 520-299-7428.
Arkansas
Garvan Woodland Gardens, 550 Arkridge Rd., Hot Springs AR 71913. 800-366-4664. gardeninfo@garvangardens.org, www.garvangardens.org
California
Fairplex Garden Railroad, Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, Pomona CA. Contact the Fairplex Exhibits Department for dates, PO Box 2250, Pomona CA 91769-2250. 909-865-4231, www.fgrr.org.
Legoland, 1 Legoland Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008, 760-918-5346, http://california.legoland.com/.
The Living Desert and Zoo and Gardens, 47-900 Portola Ave., Palm Desert CA 92260, 760-346-5694, FAX: 760-568-9685. www.livingdesert.org
Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital layout, 11234 Anderson St., Loma Linda CA 92354. Open year round. Located in the lobby of the children's wing. www.llu.edu
Walter Anderson's Nursery, 12755 Danielson Ct., Poway, CA. Contact David Ross, Manager, Walter Andersen Nursery, 858-513-4900. www.walterandersen.com
Colorado
Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden CO. Contact Alan Olson, 303-274-6092. The railroad operates primarily on Saturdays and special-event weekends, http://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/
Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Dr., Littleton CO 80120, 303-797-8565, info-hud@ssprd.org, http://hudsongardens.org
Florida
Jack and Norma Russell, 18825 Atlantic Blvd., Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160, 305-937-7225. Bed and breakfast, open every day, all year. Visitors may run trains and control switches and bridges.
Epcot, Walt Disney World, in the German pavillion, Lake Buena Vista FL. 800-445-4932, www.disneyworld.com.
H&R Trains, 6901 U.S. North, Pinellas Park FL 33781. 727-526-4682, FAX: 727-526-3439, www.hrtrains.com.
West Florida Railroad Museum, 5003 Henry St., Milton FL 32570, 850-623-3645, conductor@wfrm.org, www.WFRM.org. Contains an HO layout, The Jordan Lot Garden Railroad maintained by the Emerald Coast Garden Railway Club, and a model-railroad gift shop. The museum is open Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Georgia
Vines Garden Railroad, 3500 Oak Grove Road, Loganville GA 30052, 770-554-9697. Open Sundays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. School field trips and daycare welcome with a reservation. vinesrr@bellsouth.net, www.vinesgardenrailroad.com
Iowa
Rock Island Depot, Madison County Historical Society, 815 S. Second Ave., Winterset IA 50273. Open May 1- Oct. 31, Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m. 515-462-2134. http://www.madisoncountyhistoricalsociety.com/.
Illinois
Chicago Botanical Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe IL 60022. 847-835-5440. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sept. 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. after Sept. 3, www.chicagobotanic.org.
Tinley Park District Mini-golf, 16801 S. 80th Ave., Tinley Park IL 60477-2363, 708-614-1854.
Indiana
The Bull Moose Line, 295 N. State Route 2, Valparaiso, Indiana. Located on the Samuelson Greenhouse property. Open April through November, weekends, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. janjecic12@comcast.net, www.illianaroad.com.
Hidden Hill (nursery with garden railway), 1011 Utica-Charlestown Rd, Utica IN 47130, 812-280-0347. Open April through October, Fri. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sun. noon to 5 p.m. or by appointment. www.hiddenhillnursery.com.
Talltree Railway Garden, c/o Taltree Arboretum & Gardens, 450 W. 100 North, Valparaiso IN 46385, 219-462-0025, info@taltree.org, www.taltree.org
Kentucky
Louisville Zoo, 1100 Trevilian Way, Louisville KY 40213. 502-459-2181. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through Labor Day; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the remainder of the year.Trains run April 1 through November 1, weather permitting. www.louisvillezoo.org
Louisiana
New Orleans Botanical Garden, #1 Palm Drive, New Orleans LA 70124-4601, 504-482-4608. Open all year, except major holidays. Tues-Sun 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. info@nocp.org, www.neworleanscitypark.com.
Maryland
B&O Railroad Museum, 901 W. Pratt St., Baltimore MD 21223,
410-752-2490. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4
p.m.; closed on major holidays. www.borail.org
B&O Railroad Museum Ellicott City Station, 2711 Maryland Ave.,
Ellicott City MD 21043, 410-461-1945. Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4
p.m.; closed on major holidays. www.ecborail.org
Massachusetts
The Strawberry Patch, 2550 Main Street (Route 6A ), Brewster, Mass., one mile east of the Brewster General Store. 508-896-5050. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday, May through December.
Michigan
Castle Farms, 5052 M-66 North, Charlevoix MI 497920, 231-237-0884, 231-237-0994 FAX. The facility is open daily, year round. The railroad is operational May through October, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.castlefarms.com
Fernwood Botanical Garden, 13988 Range Line Road, Niles MI 49120, www.fernwoodbotanical.org
The Wolcott House Bed and Breakfast, c/o Sean Rosekrans, 610 W. Silver Lake Rd., Fenton MI 48430, 810-714-4316, thewolcotthouse.com
Minnesota
Minnesota GRS display, Wayzata Minnesota Depot, 402 Lake Street East, Wayzata MN 55391, www.mgrs.org
Missouri
Battlefield Station Family Hobbies display, 220 W. Battlefield Rd., Springfield MO 65807, 417-887-5592. Call for hours.
Missouri Botanical Gardens, Kemper Center for Home Gardening, PO Box 299, St. Louis MO 63166. Contact Steve Cline, director, 314-577-9561. Trains run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, April-October.
New Hampshire
Hartmann Model Railroad and Toy Museum, Town Hall Road, PO Box 165 Intervale NH 03845. 603-356-9922, FAX: 603-356-9958. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., info@hartmannrr.com or www.hartmannrr.com.
New Jersey
Railroad Garden at the Camden Children's Garden, 3 Riverside Dr., Camden NJ 08103. 856-365-8733. 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, www.camdenchildrensgarden.org
New Mexico
Rio Grande Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, Albuquerque NM 87104. Rio Grande Garden Railroad is run from January through May, Wed.- Sun. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m and October through November, Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June through September; Daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and in December; Wed. - Sun. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and also during the annual "River of Lights" 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Contact Jon Stewart, Curator of Plants, at JStewart@cabq.gov, www.cabq.gov/biopark/trains
North Carolina
Bobby's World of Trains, 113 Lewis St., Gibsonville NC 27249, 336-449-7565.
Ohio
Entertrainment Junction, 7379 Squire St., West Chester OH 45069, 513-898-8000 or 800-898-4656, 513-898-8080 FAX. Open year round, Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sun., noon to 6 p.m. Closed on major holidays. www.entertrainmentjunction.com
Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus OH 43203, 614-645-8733, barnold@fpconservatory.org, www.fpconservatory.org. Open all year. Railroad open from May-October.
Webster Street Market Garden Railroad, 32 N. Webster St., Dayton OH 54502. Open all year, Wed.-Fri., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.dj-inabox.com/HGR/WebsterStProject1.htm
Oregon
The Children's Garden Railway at The Oregon Garden, 978 W. Main St., Silverton OR 97381, 503-874-8100. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Southwest Oregon Large Scale Trains display, City of Medford Railroad Park, Berrydale Ave., Medford OR. Open to the public 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, April through October, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Contact Thomas Goossen, 541-665-1131, gardenloco@aol.com.
Pennsylvania
Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, 100 East Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19118. 215-247-5777. Trains typically run Memorial Day through Columbus Day, then again late November through early January for a holiday display. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, till 8 p.m. on Thursday, www.morrisarboretum.org
South Carolina
Spartanburg Community College garden railway, Business I-85 and New Cut Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29305. 864-592-4600. Railroad runs weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., during the weekends for special events. www.sccsc.edu
Tennessee
The Incredible Christmas Place (garden railroad near Bell Tower Square shops), 2470 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37868. 865-453-0415 or 800-445-3396, www.christmasplace.com
Nashville Garden Railway Society display, Hickory Hollow Mall, second floor, Bell Rd. (off I-24), Southeast Nashville, TN. Sat 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun. Noon to 5 p.m. Contact Gerald White, glwhite@bellsouth.net or www.facebook.com/groups/145151582196285/.
Texas
Clark Gardens Botanical Park, 567 Maddux Rd., Weatherford TX, 940-682-4856. Open all year, Mon.-Sat., 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. info@clarkgardens.org, www.clarkgardens.org.
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center displays in the atrium, 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine TX 76051. Trains run daily from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-texan/
Houston Area G Gaugers layout, Town and Country Mall, third floor, Houston TX. Primarily runs Saturdays 1 to 6 p.m. Contact Chuck or Carol Blumentritt, 281-550-8679, www.houstonagg.com.
San Antonio Garden Railway Society public layout, c/o Texas Transportation Museum, 11731 Wetmore Rd., San Antonio TX 78247. 210-490-3554. Trains run Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Evening hours during the holidays. www.txtransportationmuseum.org
Washington
Bellingham Railway Museum, 1320 Commercial St., Bellingham WA 98247. Contact Fred Dodd, 360-393-7540 or 360-223-5242, brm@clearwire.net. Open year round (closed major holidays), Mon., Thurs., Sat., noon to 5 p.m. www.bellinghamrailwaymuseum.org
The Old Cannery Railroad (located at the Old Cannery Furniture & Mattress Warehouse), 13608-A Valley Ave E., Sumner WA 98390, 253-863-0422. Open all year, 9-8 Mon-Fri; 10-6 Sat-Sun. www.oldcanneryfurniture.com/information/trains.htm
Wisconsin
John Lamm of Jackson Inc., 2708 Sherman Rd., Jackson WI 53037, 262-677-3010. www.lammscape.com
Little Falls Railroad and Doll Museum, Catatact WI 54620, 608-272-3266, www.raildoll.org
Shady Lane Greenhouse, W172 N7388 Shady Lane, Menomonee Falls WI 53051, 262-251-1660, shadylanegreenhouse.com. Free. Call ahead to verify hours of operation.
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 Something is always new on the Big Sky Garden Railway at Ultimate Trains in Canada. Tony and Joan Scheiwiller rework details and scenes on the railway each year.
Photo by Joan Scheiwiller
Big Sky Garden Railway, c/o Ultimate Trains, 18th Street, Nanton, Alberta, 45 minutes south of Calgary on Hwy. 2 (under the big flag). Open daily, October 1-May 1, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Tuesdays. Small admission charge. 403-646-1190. www.ultimatetrains.com
Greater Vancouver Garden Railway Club layout, Art Knapp Plantland, 4391 King George Hwy., Surrey BC, Canada. 604-596-9201. FAX: 604-596-9240, artknapp@artknapp.com or www.artknapp.com
DPR Railway, c/o, Benoit Painchaud, 703 Clauet, Thetford Mines Quebec G6G 1M6, 418-338-2627 phone and fax. Railroad is open from May-September. Free admission.
The Rio Grande at Dusk, Trains of the World Museum, 9160, Saint-Laurent Blvd., Suite 302, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2N 1M9. Open to the public the first Saturday of each month, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $6 admission. Private visits can be scheduled anytime for groups of 10-50. Contact Normand Delisle at 514-975-9150 or visit www.museumtrainsoftheworld.com
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International garden railroads
Andi Engi's RhB Gartenbahn, Hotel Bellevue, CH-3823 Wengen, Switzerland, 41-079-682-05-28. Open all year. andi@engi.name, www.andiengi.com
Babbacombe Model Village, Devon England, 01803-315-315, www.babbacombemodelvillage.co.uk
Bekonscot Model Village, Warwick Rd., Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire HP9 2PL, 44-0-1494-672919. Open February through November. info@bekonscot.co.uk, www.bekonscot.org/uk.
Dundee Railways, N. Balgowlah, NSW 2093 Australia. Open most Sundays. Contact David McNeil, 19 Whiting St, Artarmon, NSW 2064, 04-19-22-22-32, david@daylight.com.au
France Miniature, 25 route du Mesnil, 78990 Elancourt St Quentin enYvelines, France, 08-26-30-40, www.franceminiature.com, info@franceminiature.com
Kuhberg, Kuhbergbaude 1, 08491 Netzschkau/OT Brockau, Germany, kuhbergbaude@t-online.de, www.Kuhberg-Netzschkau.de/
Large Garden Bumblebee Valley Railroad, c/o Stefan M. Kühnlein, Postfach 100702, 95407 Bayreuth, Germany. 0170-4231127. Open from Easter through October. Call or email to arrange a time and date. bumblebee-valley-lgb@t-online.de, www.bumblebee-valley.de
Le Jardin Ferroviaire de Chatte (The Garden Railroad of Chatte), 38160 Chatte, St-Marcellin, France. 04-76-38-54-55.
Le Jaritrain, Chemin neuf, 84210 Saint-Didier, France. 04.90.40.45.18. Open April-October. Groups can be accomodated with reservation. info@lejaritrain.com, www.lejarditrain.com
Madurodam, George Maduroplein 1, 2584 RZ The Hague, Holland. Open all year. info@madurodam.nl, www.madurodam.nl.
Merrivale Model Village Railway and Gardens, Peter Williamson, Marine Parade, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR30 3JG, UK. 01493 842097. Open March through October, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., until 9 p.m. from July-September. www.greatyarmouthmodelvillage.co.uk
Mini Israel, Near Latrun, between Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem, off Highway 1. 972-8-9222444. Open March- November. info@minisrael.co.il, www.minisrael.co.il
Minimundus, Villacher Strasse 241, 9020 Klagenfurt, Carinthia, Austria, info@minimundus.at, www.minimundus.at. Open April through October.
Model Railway Village Southport, in Southport, Great Britian. Visit www.visitsouthport.com. Phone 01704 533 333 (24 hours)
Pirenarium, Av. del Ejército, 27, 22600 Sabiñánigo, Huesca, Spain. 902 480 001. www.pirenarium.com
Saxon Garden Railway Centre, (shop with railway), Volkersdorfer Strasse 23, Moritzburg D-01468, Germany, 49-35207-81353. Railway open April through October; shop open year round. Contact Andreas Zimmer, info@gartenbahnen.info; www.gartenbahnen.info
Swissminiatur, CH-6815 Melide, Switzerland. Open everyday March-October, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 011-41-91-6401069. FAX: 011-41-91-6401069, erik@rorsch.nl, Attn: Erik or visit www.swissminiatur.ch
Unnamed railroad, Guerlesquin Bernard, Kerilly, F-29620 Guimaec, France, 02 98 67 41 32. Please telephone before visiting. |
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