The Maple Rock Garden Railway is 6 yrs. old. It has 900 ft. of aluminum code 215 track and is modeled in F Scale: 1:20.3. The railroad was designed to be interesting and plausible, with a mixture of hills, valleys and open area scenes, while avoiding the “running in circles” look. The railway was built by Earl Martin. The era is 1930’s in California’s Gold Country and represents a small narrow gauge railway serving a gold mine, a logging operation, 2 visually separated small towns and a mountain lodge. The railroad is basically a loop with a climb up the mountain and a return loop. It is run with radio controlled locomotives powered by on board batteries with sound. Operations are typically mixed trains with both freight and passenger cars. Occasionally, visiting live steam locos power trains. The railroad includes both valley and hills with grades up to 4% (but no tunnels). Out and back trips are about 5 scale miles, climbing and descending 300 scale feet (15 vertical feet). The railroad is part of a 300 acre garden with extensive planting and water features, including Bonsai and other dwarf plants to fit the scale of the railroad. About 30 tons of rock were added to the railroad area. There are picnic acres and the railroad is adjacent to a working organic farm in Zone 8.