April, 2013 Update from Family Garden Trains^TM

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In this Issue

The big news, of course is that the National Garden Railway Convention will be near Cincinnati this June. I'm looking forward to it, since it's only within driving distance every ten years or so. And I don't usually have the option of flying out to the coast or wherever. I'm especially hoping to see a lot of old friends. Plus the chance to entertain visitors at our garden railroad and to demonstrate many of the things I talk about in the articles is, as they say, priceless.

For more information about the convention, click the following link:

http://ngrc2013.com/

Of course, having a scheduled open railroad also means that I'll be playing catch-up on a number of projects, as always. And a number of them are structure projects that can't be put off any longer if I want towns on our railroad this summer.

While I've been planning the work, it occurred to me that a lot of features have come and gone on the New Boston and Donnels Creek since we were open for the 2003 convention. But if you came then and you come this year, you might not see that many differences. Why is that? Because:

• Some features I've added in the meantime didn't work out or hold up a well as I'd hoped.
• Certain features I set up for one article or another have gotten cleared away to make room for other article projects.
• Others projects have been left at clinic sites because we didn't have room on the return trip.

Plus, for the last five years, we've put a lot of emphasis on our cold-weather open houses. And, frankly that requires a different kind of preparation than warm-weather running.

At any rate, I guess that means that you can have a lot of fun with a garden railroad, without necessarily adding very many mind-blowing features in the long run.

As always, we have several more projects in the works which weren't quite done in time for this newsletter, so stay tuned.

Finally, please accept our wishes for a great 2013. And please enjoy any time you can spend with your family in the coming months.

Topics discussed in this update include:

• The National Garden Railway Convention is Coming Quickly!
• Come See Our Clinics You've read the articles; come see the presentation.
• Come See Our Railroads - regional open railroads including ours.
• New Blog-Like Article: Preparing for a Once-in-a-Decade Open Railroad. If folks from all over the country are coming to see our railroad, we'd better "spruce up."
• Solar Lighting Update - 2013
• Garden Railroading in the Spring

National Garden Railway Convention is Coming Quickly!

We're hoping to see lots of our internet friends, so if you're coming at all, please let us know so we can keep an eye out for you.

If the rest of your family isn't sure this is the best way to spend your vacation, remind them that this area has lots of local features you won't get anywhere else. For example the site is next door to Kings Island theme park and water park, and only a few miles from the world's largest indoor Large Scale Railroad at EnterTrainment Junction - so there's plenty for the family to do, even if you're not all "train nuts."

On a more personal note, Paul is providing four garden railroading clinics, and we'll have our own railroad, the New Boston and Donnels Creek open for visitors. The links to our clinics and open railroad schedules are in the next two sections.

Come to See Our Clinics

For more specific information about the clinics we are currently planning to present, please click on the following link:

http://familygardentrains.com/clinics/cincy_clinic_schedule.htm

Come to See Our Railroads

We MIGHT stay open Friday afternoon or evening if we get enough requests.

For more information about our open railroads or to request "off-hours" visiting, please click on the following link:

http://familygardentrains.com/outside_resources/openhouses/june_2013_open_rr.htm

Preparing for a Once-in-a-Decade Open Railroad.

To see the article, click on the following link:

http://familygardentrains.com/blog_like_content/13_04_blogs/open_rr_prep.htm

Solar Lighting Update - 2013

To see the article, click on the following link:

http://familygardentrains.com/primer/lighting/solar/solar_2013.htm

Garden Railroading in the Spring

• Rake leaves out of your railroad, and deadhead any plants that need it. If you have spring-blooming bulbs such as hyacinth, daffodil, crocus, wait until the buds fall off before you cut off any of the foilage.
• Split out any groundcover that is overcrowded and find a new place for it. If you have more than you can possibly use, take the excess to the next garden railroad club meeting.
• Fish any leaves and debris out of your pond before they have a chance to decay and cause real problems. You may have to do a bit at a time, because the water can get murky. If you have any improvements to do for your pond or new little trees to plant or transplant, consider doing it before it gets hot out.
• If you don't have any plants in your pond, this is a good time to shop. "Hardy" pond plants will handle any weather you will get from here on out and then some.
• Do a safety check of any electrical wiring or fixtures near your railroad. If you are using AC power on or near your railroad, make certain that the circuit is GFI-protected, and that the GFI protector is working properly.
• Check the track for physical problems, such as misalignment due to washouts or moles, crumbling rail joiners, weed invasions, etc.
• Take a small level out and see if the platforms for your buildings need to be re-leveled before you install them.
• If everything else looks good, you could always wipe the track and try running an engine around it.
• If you don't have to do any of this stuff, get in touch and let me know when you can come over to help. :-)

  Keep in Touch

  As always, we have more articles in the works, and we are constantly updating our existing articles, so please check back often. Also, we are sharing some ideas and announcements on Facebook under the Family Garden Trains name.

  Finally, please let us know about your ongoing projects. Ask questions, send corrections, suggest article ideas, send photos, whatever you think will help you or your fellow railroaders. In the meantime, enjoy your trains, and especially enjoy any time you have with your family in the coming weeks,

  Paul Race

  FamilyGardenTrains.com

  To view the newsletter for January, 2013, click on the following link:

  http://familygardentrains.com/fgt_newsletter/13_01_newsletter_gr.htm

  To read more, or to look at recommended Garden Railroading and Big Indoor Train products, please click on the index pages below.