By Peter De Keles

Author  Bio Model Railroads of Southern California's thirty-eighth layout tour takes place on Saturday, May 18. There will be two garden railroads open as part of this tour.

Palos Verdes Pacific
Mary Barstow's Palos Verdes Pacific was created about fourteen years ago. It contains three loops that surround the yard area. The rear upper level track runs about 100 feet across the back of the yard. The mid-section of the layout fills an area of about fifty feet across by ten feet deep.

Bridges and trestles add interest to track that passes between dwarf conifers and other miniature plants. Volcanic rock defines areas. A western-style town provides a center of interest. The lawn track is designed to meet with the mid-section and circles the lawn.

This provides a designated area for grandchildren and serves as a useful test track. Overall there is about 500 feet of LGB trackage. Each section is controlled by its own MRC Train Power 6200.

Pacific Northwest theme
John Polen's garden railroad is just one year old but it is very complete. The theme is a railroad running through a miniature version of the Pacific Northwest with a waterfall, a fifteen-foot long stream and small lake.

Trains travel over four bridges and one trestle and through two tunnels. There are three loops and about 250 feet of stainless steel track.

John has incorporated over a dozen twenty year old-plus bonsais into the scenes. Hundreds of dwarf pines, sedums and spruces from many trips to every local dwarf plant source are on display. All of this is tucked in among tons of rocks.

From the street car moving across the high mountain range to the steamer hauling freight through the landscaped garden, there is much to see.

This is a free event and you may bring relatives and friends. The basic information for this tour is displayed below. If you would like layout descriptions and a tour map showing the general locations of all layouts,

Mary Barstow (G, HO)
10:00 to 4:00
6930 Clovercliff Drive
Rancho Palos Verdes

John Polen (G)
10:00 to 4:00
5365 Middlecrest Road
Rancho Palos Verdes

Information courtesy of Model Railroads Of Southern California

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