 "The Hawthorne Railroad, so named because we live on
Hawthorne Lake, is a young railroad in it's third year. Because it is situated on a sloped
section of our yard about 50' by 40' which is integrated with our deck and gazebo, it has
many feet of homemade trestles to reduce the grade - and at one point passes under the gazebo.
The trestles are constructed of treated lumber and redwood, and all pieces are glued and
screwed together using stainless steel screws. The town of "Hawthorne" is small, but steadily
growing, and a new freight yard is presently under construction. The track-powered layout
frequently runs long mixed freight trains for many hours in the evenings and on the weekends.
A water feature of two preformed ponds connected by a stream is also contemplated as a future
project. As a bonus, the back of our property is defined by the EJ&E Railroad, and with some
luck, we'll be treated to the sounds of a real freight! We also have an overhead layout in
our 25' by 22' family room that uses an unusual support system. This indoor layout is more
heavily used in the winter months." |