About Garden Railroading and DGRS

What is Garden Railroading?

The hobby of garden railroading is nothing new in the world, although it is relatively new in the United States. It is a pastime that has been enjoyed for over a century in Britain and in European countries. There was a very small following in this country during the twenties and thirties, but it virtually died out in the late forties and fifties. Interest wasn't rekindled until the late sixties and early seventies, primarily through the introduction of the now famous LGB indoor-outdoor train system. Garden railroading is one of the fastest growing segments of the model train hobby in this country today.

Garden railroading combines model railroading with gardening, and is quite often enjoyed by the entire family. The garden railroader's goals include the creation of a railway-like atmosphere out-of-doors using natural materials. The trees are actual miniature trees, the lakes are real water, and in the winter the trains plow real snow.

What does DGRS Do?

The Denver Garden Railway Society has regular monthly meetings at which we discuss one another's current projects, hobby news, and the latest products on the market. A program is presented at each meeting, either by one of our members, or by someone brought from outside the organization. The programs generally cover some element of the hobby, from the history of local and other Railroads, to rolling stock to trackwork, to locomotives, to miniature gardening. The business end of the meetings is usually kept to a minimum.

Meetings are generally held on the last Tuesday of each month. Specific dates and times, as well as program topics, are announced in the DGRS Newsletter.

In addition to our monthly meetings, garden meets and operating sessions are scheduled at members' railways during the warmer months. Club members are encouraged to involve themselves in any of a variety of functions, including special model railway exhibitions which are staged in the Denver area.

Currently, two special interest groups are also active in DGRS

• The Hobo Brunch group meets monthly to have brunch and informally chat about items of interest in the realm of large-scale trains and garden railroading.

• The Small-Scale Live Steam contingent generally has a monthly "steam-up" at the Colorado Railroad Museum track or at one of the member's home railways. Information on both groups is included in the Newletter.

Our Newsletter is published monthly to remind members of the monthly meeting places and times, to recap the past months' meetings, and to announce any events of interest to members.