The video above is a replay from our 2020 "virtual" Piedmont Pilgrimage.
For 2021, this will be an in-person tour of the outdoor garden railway ONLY. At the request of the hosts, the indoor layouts will NOT be open for viewing this year.
All three of our layouts (HO layout, outdoor garden gauge layout, and indoor garden gauge layout) depict Colorado gold mining areas in the years 1900-1920, with cowboys, horses, ranches, and mines. The Grand Western Mining Company (GWMC) owns the Idalee silver mine and the Grand Western Mining Company Railroad. Major scenes on the layouts include railroads, the mines, sawmills, cemeteries, engine houses, waterfalls, and the town. The town of Crystal City on all the layouts are typical western mining towns in 1900.
The theme on the HO layout for this year is "Buffalo Bill's Wild West." The HO layout has several other interchangeable themes, such as, a German-style resort. Interchangeable scenes are mounted on hardboard, so changing scenes take just a couple minutes.
Layout Descriptions:
1. Outdoor Garden Railroad
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Scale
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Garden gauge (1:20.3 scale, 45 mm gauge track)
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Size
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104' oval and 230' folded dog-bone
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Prototype
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Freelance
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Locale
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Colorado mining
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Era
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1900-1920
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Layout Style
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Colorado towns with mines
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Len. Mainline
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104' and 230'
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Layout Height
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32"
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Benchwork
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Wood frame deck
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Roadbed
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Wood (former swimming pool deck)
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Trackwork
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Code 332 stainless steel and brass rail
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Turnout Minimum
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8' diameter
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Minimum Radius
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8' diameter
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Maximum Grade
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2.5 percent
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Scenery
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Live plants & mountains carved from foam insulation
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Backdrop
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The great outdoors
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Locomotive Controls
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Live steam, transformers, and radio controllers
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Yes
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2. Indoor Garden Railroad
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Scale
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Garden Gauge (1:20.3 scale, 45 mm gauge track)
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Size
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27' x 25'
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Prototype
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Freelance
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Locale
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Colorado mining
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Era
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1900
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Layout Style
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Old Western towns with mines
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Len. Mainline
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125' and 75'
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Layout Height
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40"
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Benchwork
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Plywood on wire shelving
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Roadbed
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Plywood
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Trackwork
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Code 332 stainless steel and brass rail
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Turnout Minimum
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8' diameter
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Minimum Radius
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8' diameter
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Maximum Grade
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Level
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Scenery
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Mostly flat (mountains being added)
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Backdrop
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Mountain-like grey fabric
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Locomotive Controls
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Transformers and radio controllers
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Yes, basement access via lawn
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3. HO Scale Layout (Indoors)
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Scale
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HO
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Size
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4' x 7' highly detailed
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Prototype
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Freelance
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Locale
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Colorado mining
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Era
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1900
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Layout Style
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Colorado mining town with mine and sawmill
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Length of Mainline
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15'
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Layout Height
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40"
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Benchwork
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"L" Girder
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Roadbed
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Vinyl roadbed on plywood sub roadbed
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Trackwork
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Code 83 nickel-silver Flextrack
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Turnout Minimum
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#5 Mainline
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Minimum Radius
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18" Mainline
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Maximum Grade
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10%
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Scenery
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Mountainous, 100% complete
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Backdrop
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None
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Locomotive Controls
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Two-cab control
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Yes, basement access via lawn
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