This just landed in my inbox:
The Columbus club is sponsoring some open houses in early September. See if this link works:
http://www.dj-inabox.com/cgrs/opens/openhouse_info31.htm
If it doesn’t try www.cgrs.org and click the “open house” link.
SEVERAL of the railroads are notable for one reason or another. As examples:
The Ablers’ Puddlefort and Patio Railroad is notable because it’s the railroad where Barbara Abler did all her experimenting when she was the plant editor for Garden Railways all those years.
The Easterday’s Shelby and Sparta railroad is notable because it is very large and uses several different construction techniques. Part of the railroad was designed by Paul Busse years ago, but it has grown in every direction since.
Bill Logan’s railroad is interesting because he likes to try new things and it squeezes about as many plants, trains, and accessories into a residential yard as you’ve ever seen, without it ever looking silly or particularly overcrowded.
The Crawford Valley Railroad is one of the most extensive examples of using HDPE construction to create aesthetically appealing curves and clever routes.
The McKay Mills railroad includes LOTS of trains and many communities for the trains to serve - a mix of ground-level, raised, and VERY raised trains.
The Ross Herron memorial railroad has one of the most varied collections of miniature conifers I’ve seen on a garden railroad, not to mention MANY very nice and unique scratchbuilt buildings.
I’m hoping the list gets a little longer, as a couple fine railroads are not scheduled to open at this time. Still, if you are passing through, or are within a day’s driver, these will give you lots and lots of ideas and inspiration.