2019 National Garden Railway Convention - Update 3

The 2019 National Garden Railway Convention is now history and several weeks behind us, but I still have plenty of pictures to share from the various railroads I visited. I'm still planning to post a few pictures from each of the garden railroads, even if it takes me until next year's convention to get it done!

Everett & Monte Cristo Railway | Terry Lattin | Edmonds, Wash.

This garden railroad is based on an actual railroad of the same name that was built between 1891 and 1894 to connect a gold and silver mining region at Monte Cristo to the port town of Everett.

This railroad is built on a very steep slope. In order to climb the significant change in elevation, extensive elevated track is used.

There are many beautiful structures along the route that lend to the 1890s theme. I really like this small town with wood plank road down the middle.

A long trestle crosses over a river, with a water powered mill in the background. An absolutely great use of how to take advantage of a steep slope.

This town is the lowest spot on the railroad, yet it's on a raised platform several feet off the ground. You can see in the background that the slope continues to drop away precipitously.

So many details! I really liked this little shed at the end of the trestle.

Phantom Lake Adventure Railroad | Norm & Gale Baullinger | Bellevue, Wash.

A train of mostly SP&S rolling stock crossing a beautiful curved trestle.

While Norm is responsible for the railroad, much of the credit for the beautiful garden goes to Gale. So much variety, and so many colors and textures.

The garden and train are amazingly well integrated. The track frequently disappears into the understory only to magically reappear somewhere else.

A beautiful station is nestled next to some small shrubs.

Hidden behind plants is the secret to the railroad layout -- three elevated loops that allow the train to manage the change in slope in the garden.

Pepper Run Railroad | Chuck & Sharon Carlson | Federal Way, Wash.

A lot going on and so much to look at. This railroad includes many different structure including one of my favorites—electric transmission towers!

This weathered covered bridge was perfectly situated over a creek.

An oil refinery. And more transmission towers!

I really like this tunnel entrance, and the stump behind it with a plant growing out of the top.

Gorgeous water powered mill.

Bismark & Hilldale Railroad | Ed & Rose Mattison | Tacoma, Wash.

This railroad navigates around a couple of ponds and a small waterfall.

My favorite feature on this railroad was the storage shed. And calling it a small shed isn't really fair as it's the size of train station, complete with a bay window. I really want one of these.

South Hill Railroad | Barry DiGuilio | Puyallup, Wash.

A train after my own heart! Multiple Burlington Northern locomotives are pulling a long mixed freight of mostly BN rolling stock. The setting for this railroad is the early 1970s shortly after the BN merger.

And what do I enjoy seeing even more than transmission towers? A grain elevator, of course.

A lot of time and energy clearly went into building this downtown block.