By Dennis Packer

Author  Bio This article is about striving for realism by building a cemetery on your garden railroad. It is an easy task to do and can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be.

This article is about striving for realism by building a cemetery on your garden railroad. It is an easy task to do and can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be. The cemetery on my garden railroad is not only a realistic detail, but also serves as a real graveyard (in a small way). We have three pet birds and one lizard buried in Lake City Cemetery. All you need is a small area of dirt, grass or even small grit rock.

My favorite subject in high school and college was history, especially United States history and the Old West from the early 1880s until the 1930s, and the development of railroading. That is probably one of the main reasons I am having so much fun with large scale garden railroading. My locomotives, rolling stock and passenger cars, buildings, people, and the creation of the Packer & Rio Grande Garden Railroad, are based on some aspect of the history of that era.

It is so interesting to try and find out every detail you can about your favorite era and replicate as much of it as you can. All of us are in an era where finding out these details is extremely easy. I take a camera with me everywhere I go and shoot photos to help me remember details. Some of the other ways I learn about details includes historical narratives by author Dee Brown, railroad books and magazines, surfing the Internet, and touring railroad and mining towns.

A several years ago during our annual family vacation, we spent two weeks in Colorado, and I got the chance to see the Colorado State Railroad Museum in Golden, mining operations in Leadville, and tour the Durango & Silverton Railroad, and see where history was made. I have always included in my travels, stops to visit town cemeteries. The epitaphs of those who have gone before can help you to envision what life was like back then, and some are pretty funny.

We toured the state of Arizona and "The Town Too Tough to Die," known as Tombstone. When tempers flared in Tombstone, the result usually was a burial up on "Boot Hill," where many bandits met their end, including the losers of the "OK Corral" gunfight. In some towns in the Old West, the only surviving relic, are cemeteries.

Every cemetery I have encountered has a fence and gate. I chose Department 56's Victorian wrought iron fence and gate for my cemetery. It was fairly inexpensive and has held up extremely well against being outside for the past five years. There are also inexpensive plastic fences available that look very real. The cheapest fence can be made from coffee stir sticks cut to resemble a picket fence. Fences of varying sizes can also be used to border a grave.

Next, you'll need some grave markers, in the form of headstones, crosses, and monuments. For years, my family physician has unknowingly provided me with realistic headstones, better known as tongue depressors. They last a long time and weather like real wooden headstones. You can get two headstones to a stick.

Just cut one with a heavy pair of scissors or jig saw and push the flat end into the ground. For crosses, go to the jewelry aisle at your local craft store where you can find chrome or yellow metal crosses for a buck. After sawing off the hook at the top of the cross, glue a two-inch piece of copper wire to the back and then push the wire end into the ground. I purchased replicas of stone headstones and monuments at the Big Train Show at the Queen Mary years ago that come in a variety of sizes and shapes and that have spikes on the bottom to push them into the ground.

Aristocraft came out with tomb stones for use with their church, which can be purchased separately. Aristocraft did a great job on this product. Each of the nine headstones and monuments will add realism to your cemetery.

To add interest to your headstones and monuments you might want to add epitaphs. This is a way to remember loved ones or poke some fun at your fellow railroad buddies. Some of the notables buried in my cemetery include, the L.A. Dodgers, L.A. Clippers, UCLA Bruins, Humpty Dumpty ("I was pushed"), Myra Mains, Reid N. Weep, Otta B. Alive, Justin Pieces, Anna Rexick, Ray N. Carnation, Yul B. Next, and some guy named Greeno.

His epitaph reads, "He played five aces...now playing the harp." I was amazed at the number of web sites on the Internet that are dedicated to epitaphs and cemeteries. When you are searching, just put the words, "epitaphs," "funny epitaphs," "famous epitaphs," or search on any cemetery you like. Then, using any graphics or word processing program, type in what you want said on the headstone or marker. Then use label paper; I prefer Epson A4 Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets (sticky on the backside). Periodically, you will have to replace the epitaphs because of moisture or you may have someone else you want to poke fun at.

Lastly, your cemetery will need some greenery, whether it is small trees, ground covering, grasses, or miniature flowers. Miniature flowers can be obtained from your local craft store.

Gravestones in G

Great article Dennis. I have always included a "family" plot on my layout, with all of the names of my family listed including the dates they were on this earth. People could not believe it when I showed them they were replicas and real people... FUN!! Thanks for sharing. Elaine

Elaine Haggenbottom - 02/09/2011 - 08:08

Graveyard

Dennis, A very interesting article. I've seen graveyards in other railways and they do add to the realism of the railway. Nicely done. Gary

Gary Condry - 02/10/2011 - 07:04

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