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 Living Desert's Train Garden - Palm Desert CA Posted by:  PeterNoG
N 33° 42.015 W 116° 22.420
11S E 558043 N 3729097
This G scale model railroad layout is in the Living Desert located at 47900 Portola Ave in Palm Desert CA.
Although The Living Desert is open year round, the trains only operate from Oct 1 to June 15 (normally 7 days a week).
Waymark Code: WM388V
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 02/24/2008
Views: 116
Currently there are more than 3,000 feet of track laid. With six different loops of track, each varying from 150 feet to over 900 feet long, the railroad has grown to an acre. The mainline train travels on 980 feet of track and runs through Old Indio, past the Grand Canyon and along side the mining and logging areas. The trains are driven into a workshop each night, measuring approximately 12 x 42 feet. They are checked for any necessary repairs, cleaned, and made ready for the next day. Living Desert volunteers built the railroad along with the world's longest wooden "G" scale trestle measuring 202 feet and 8 inches. However, it was not intended to set a record. It was designed for the same reasons the real ones are. Our trestle allows the trains to negotiate the drop of almost 2 feet between the upper and lower portions of the wash where it was built. The grade is just under 1% or 1 inch in every 100 inches. The entire trestle is constructed from redwood, glued and stapled at all joints. (Text Source: ( visit link) )
Scale: Large Scale: G Scale-1:22.5, Fn3 scale-1:20.3, or ½" scale-1:24
What is the herald of the layout? (Is there a featured railroad line(s) for the layout):
Seven trains are usually operating, but up to twelve can be operated at the same time.
Some of the line depicted include: Sante Fe, White Pass, Rio Grande, Union Pacific, Sumpter Valley, Northern Pacific and D.S.P. & P. RR
What is the theme of the layout?:
Historic scenes in the Train Garden include Mount Rushmore, SW US cliff dwellings, a California logging and mining town, the Old Indio train station in the Coachella Valley and part of the Grand Canyon with the El Tovar Hotel.
What is the era of the layout? (What time period does the layout depict?):
The layout depicts the early days of railroading in the Coachella Valley from 1875 through the 1950's to more modern times.
Is there an admission fee? If so how much..:
Admission to The Living Desert:
General Admission: $11.95
Seniors (62+): $10.50
Military: $10.50
Children (Ages 3-12): $7.50
Children under 3: Free
Is this location handicap accessible?: Yes
What type of location is this layout found in? ( Museum, Club, Hobby Shop, Business, Manufacturer,..:
The Living Desert (zoo / botanical gardens / natural history museum / wilderness park / nature preserve / education center / model railroad layout).
Layout Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Describe your visit to this model train layout.
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