PERGOLA SPRINGS RAILWAY

[AlanL]

After 30 plus years of building and altering, I've finally got around to showing off my railway (as we all love pictures). The railway has evolved over the years and I am now no longer seeking to alter it because it serves my requirements (and have run out of space). EDIT- there are plans to change add to the tracks at Pergola Springs.
The railway runs around my garden and has no dead end sidings. In the early days there were some sidings for moving wagons from one side of the railway to a siding on the other side. But I soon realised that shunting wagons was not for me, I am a train watcher and enjoy just watching the trains moving through the miniature landscape. Ideally enjoying a favourite drink, (with the controller forgotten), allowing the trains to perform.
I've never measured the garden but it is about 6 fence panels (36 feet), square.
The railway was inspired and started with old western trains (Bachmann Big Hauler and a pair of LGB Moguls) but has now evolved to the steam / diesel era.

I'll start at the main station, Pergola Springs -

The passing loops have been extended many times to accomadate ever longer trains. The passing loops are now at their maximum lengths and was acheived by using the points as a tangent to the main route. This also eliminates the reverse curve into an adjacent line.
The next photo shows the hopper train that has descended the branch line-

The colour signals do work and change automatically with the passage of the trains.


The view looking at the main lines through the station -

 

[Madman]

At one time, I "Operated" my garden trains. Most of my animations were inspired by the post-war Lionel and American Flyer operating accessories. But as time passed, I found that keeping those animations in tip top operating condition was more of a chore than an enjoyment. My garden railway has become a spectator sport, similar to yours, where I simply watch and don't participate.....

I now get my kicks from my indoor Lionel layout, where I have numerous animations, all at a level that requires no kneeling, clearing debris, re-leveling track and indoors.....

 

[stevedenver]

What a lovely layout. Great ‘Main Street”.
Love the SF blue bonnets. And, the bed of seedum.

Its so true, having details and operating models outside is so much more to manage.

I too have judiciously reduced some of these things, especially during winter, although i periodically go ‘full monty’ with details, lights, fountains, etc.

 

[AlanL]

What a lovely layout. Great ‘Main Street”.
Love the SF blue bonnets. And, the bed of seedum.

Thanks and the sedum has taken over the landscape

Continuing around the railway into a scenic area with the branch line rising and eventually crossing the main lines. The hopper train on the branch always runs with a helper loco at the rear, and because it shuttles back and forth it looks better with a loco at the front for both directions of travel.
The main lines then enter a tunnel while the branch line curves around the hillside.

 

[DickyC]

All that Sedum in the landscaping really works ! I was for the first time while visiting a locoal supplier a USA trains loco workings, wow these big American trains are beasts compared to my narrow gauge stuff. looking great sir

 

[duncan1_9_8_4]

I love the look of this railway! I have the same opinion of sidings. I have 3, and they only really get used when I have excess amounts of locomotives out. I don't shunt, as I prefer to keep the trains running and watching, like you. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[AlanL]

I've gathered some more photos to continue around the railway-
The branch linecurves around the hillside and crosses the mainlines for a second time. The mainlines then cross the patio and arrives at the town of Patteo. The branch off the inner main line goes to a train storage area at the side of the house. The upper branch line also disappears to the train storage area.

 

[AlanL]

More photos and a view of Patteo from the hillside. The line continues past the waterfall and over the river bridge. There is a loop that serves deliveries to the Pateo Furnture Co. and this factory has it's own siding that I had forgotten about when I said that the railway didn't have any sidings.

 

[AlanL]

All that Sedum in the landscaping really works !

The sedum has taken over like a weed but it suppresses the real weeds
I started with1 small plant and as it spread I placed the cuttings around the garden and now the landscape is dominated with it. Not affected by dry weather, it just survives without any looking after. It just needs cutting back from the tracks once a year.

 

[AlanL]

Some more photo's following the F7 SantaFe Warbonnet around the line. It crosses the lake and disappears into the pergola to emerge at the Pergola Springs Bridge.

The Pergola Springs Bridge is significant to me because it was the first area of the railway to be 'landscaped' and included a water feature with a fountain. There used to be signs of a dry creek running down the hill but over time with cats, birds and weather the creek has vanished. A close look will see the edge of the pond liner and the cable for the fountain pump.
The ground (it was water but the pond leaks ) in the foreground of the photo of the bridge is well below the level of the lawn to enhance the height effect. Also, using the excavated soil allowed the ground behind the bridge to be built up to provide a backdrop for the bridge.

Originally the tracks in this corner ran on a flat plank of wood placed on wooden posts with the lawn contiuing beneath. After a lot of thought (and watching trains) I came up with the idea of the raised ground behind a bridge with a small pool below.

The bridge and the whole railway was originally single track in keeping with the narrow gauge line but the need for a busy railway was hampered by the single track bridge. Eventually I replaced the old wooden truss bridge with a more modern steel version. I used an LGB girder bridge and widened it for double tracks. I did the same for the bridge over the lake where the photo sequence starts.

I should point out that the garden at the Pergola Springs Bridge is about 1 foot below the patio level.

Finally the train completes it's journey to return to Pergola Springs using the tangent route of the point to allow longer passing loops. The second photo below shows a join in the platform. I was recently able to extend the loops by this much by using the point as a tangent off the curve.


There are a couple of tracks to the far side of the lake. They enter a pair of tunnels and emerge by the patio.


And a view of the lake with a pair of Mikado's circulating