I have a relative who may be interested in having a large garden railroad professionally designed and built. I’m trying to put together a list for him, of people who do this sort of thing. I already know of a couple of folks locally. I wonder if anyone can recommend some others in So. Cal who provide these services?
Ray,
Do you have Rick the Railroad guy on your list? I have personally visited a number of layouts he has done, and they are first class. They can be big, like acre size, or just small like a backyard, around a pool, or whatever, but his work is outstanding. He is in the Phoenix area, but really goes all over the country from Florida to Chicago, as well as the west. He has done several in California. Go to ricktherailroadguy.com. His name is Rick Cartright.
Paul
One BIG question the architect may ask is from what point in the yard is the railroad going to be seen? Do people walk up to the layout or is it designed to be enjoyed from a nearby patio? Is there a nearby patio? Is the design requirement from one member of the family – an accomodation to “allowing” a section of the yard for trains? Here’s my take on the need to determine BOTH the location of the layout and its configuration and the place from which it is to be observed:
1 - If the layout can be seen in its entirety without any head movement by the observers, it may soon be boring. Note the difference between watching train movement on an “L” shaped dog bone layout and looking at a 20 x 10’ layout from the same distance patio. If the entire 20 x10’ can be seen in one static glance, and the dog bone can not, one choice is percieved as “animated” and the other may not.
2 - If the layout can not be part of a social evening because guests walk to the layout, see it, say a few comments, hear a short speech from the host, and then return to the event location – patio, family room, etc. for the evening – it can become a few short minutes visit and efforts to lengthen that visit seen as an intrusion. Anyone ever heard, “Let me show you this!” The immediate response: “Later, dear, dinner is served!” If the layout is intergrated into the social climate, running or not, that’s when the garden is easily visitble from the social event location. Now, guests can watch or comment as they wish. Hosts can easily shut off the train if it proves a distraction (at least off with the sound) thus leaving only the garden as stimulation and a compliment to the guest’s surroundings.
Our layout is a garden feature directly off our patio. Both the patio and train area are designed as integrated. After the trains have run for a while, and it starts to get dark, a street car makes its back-'n-forth trips on a single line after the other two trains are long shut down. The overly stated lighting in the street car illuminates the plants traversing along a brick wall providing a visual effect during dinner. Because of the simple wiring, there is no monitoring the operation such as at one of our friend’s layout: “Hey! Dad! The train’s off the track” as the host leaves the patio dinner table to walk across the lawn to shut down the derailed event. One more of those interruptions and there may not be another “train at dinner”. Because the train is clearly outside of the social event area, any maintenance is seen as an interruption – besides, the guests have seen it already during their arrival show 'n tell, and have stopped watching because it is simply too far away. Having areas near the garden RR whereby guests can take their social drinks or meals to the trains makes sense if the layout is integrated into and a compliment to a large yard. Obviously, people do eat in groups if there are locations to do so.
Any hobby that is a social distraction will be a source of conflict in a family – guaranteed.
Okay, that’s my take. I know if I hired any designer, I would make clear the criteria of location in the yard related to where social gatherings are occuring before any pencil was on paper.
What’s your experience?
Wendell
Wendell,
Pencil on paper? Really!?!
Here’s my philosophy when planning layouts.
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Have the client explain what he would like. A design questionaire does that to a large extent.
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Have the client supply as much info as possible regarding the space - this is even more important in the garden.
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Make three distinctly different layout sketches / design proposals.
All the rest follows from there since most clients use the sketches as “aha” props i.e. seeing certain elements integrated all of a sudden reminds them of a few more elements they would like.
BTW the only time I still doodle on a piece of paper is 1. when I’m bored during a phone conversation; 2. when I have to show someone something on a paper napkin; 3. while in the field and seeing something that needs a touch more than just a picture.
Any other time I just as soon start doodling on CADrail; much quicker, very easy on the paper and provided one sticks to the established “givens” much more accurate than freehand sketches with curves that are too tight, turnouts that are too short and at least a dozen other pitfalls which make translating someone’s sketches to doable plans “very interesting”. 
Hans-
Your one-two-three steps makes alot of sense. More than that, it makes clear in advance what the obvious disappointments will be. Any family location discussions (read wife and hobbiest) will reveal much. “Let’s put it off in the corner of the yard” means short term “show 'n tell” sessions and then back to the house for the socializing. I have spolken to those who have abandoned non-yard integrated garden RRs and the response is consistent: “Oh, we all have seen it and its old news.”