This Father's Day give dad a unique gift that will get him off the couch, back on track and into the garden -- with the whole family as his crew. Combining two of the hottest hobbies -- gardening and model trains -- garden railroading is the fastest-growing family hobby in North America, according to the Garden Trains Association. “This is a fun hobby that gets the whole family hooked," says Michael Stephens, president of the association. "People love it. It's grown-up playtime but outside in the fresh air and sunshine." Garden railroads, similar to what Dad played with as a kid, are large G-scale model trains about 5 inches high and 25 inches long, but instead of running inside, the trains wind through backyard forests of dwarf conifers, over little man-made streams or around miniature mountain ranges. The hobby began in Europe decades ago, but it recently caught on in the United States. The Garden Trains Association says there are about 40,000 garden train enthusiasts and some 1,000 garden train clubs in North America. * All aboard for about $200 It's easy to get started. All you need is a space about 5 feet square and about 4 feet of track. For as little as $200, you can have Dad up and running in a weekend. "Most people get into gardening on a small scale and build over time. It's more fun when the set develops over the years," notes Stephens. Outdoor railroading attracts men in their mid 50s. With an estimated half of the enthusiasts women, garden trains are a great outdoor activity for the whole family, with everyone involved in making decisions. * Come on, baby, do the locomotion It's best to know a little bit about garden trains before getting started. There are annual outdoor train shows, conventions and displays across the country, the biggest being the Garden Railway Convention in Denver, August 12 to15, 2004 (www.denvergrs.org). For a list of events in your area, visit www.trains.com/community/events. Visiting the Garden Trains Association Web site at www.gardentrains.org can provide a wealth of beginner information. If you want to find a permanent garden-railroad display in your area, go to the site and click on the newsroom. You can find more information about the hobby in Garden Railway Magazine, which is full of how-tos, and offers a 20-minute video and 96-page book on basic garden railroading for beginners. Log on to www.gardenrailways.com or call (800) 533-6644 for more information. This Father's Day, Dad is sure to have some real fun creating his own tiny world -- with the whole family pitching in.
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