At the gracious invitation of Will Kastner and Lucinda Eileen, Central California Coast Garden Railroad Society members celebrated the Monarch & Sand Railroad’s first open house. Sited within a diversity of flowering and edible plants, the trains function as kinetic art introducing strategically placed movement, sound and color in the garden. It may not be long before trains are hauling food crops from the “field to the fork.”
This event was not the first showing of the recently completed railroad, as Lucinda and Will recently hosted a “sneek preview” for family members and close friends. CCCGRS is excited by the addition of yet another Arroyo Grande garden railroad. The Monarch & Sand Railroad will be one of six layouts featured during the 2019 Central Coast Railroad Festival. Make sure to add this “flower” to your tour agenda!
The solid roadbed design supports the track and trains, as well as creates a functional border between the lawn and planting beds (Mark Edwards, image).Walt Wajda (left) and John Phillips reference the Monarch & Sand Railroad layout schematic to identify the correct controls to route rail traffic along the southbound reversing loop (Mark Edwards, image).Reily and Sawyer demonstrate their approach to garden railroading, while the more senior group members fuss with turnouts, switches, and speed control (Mark Edwards, image) Mark Edwards (left) and Dave Hayes listen intently, while John Albin explains about the importance of fine details (Michelle Edwards, image)Strategically placed structures and mature plantings create interest as visiting trains, including this LGB Mallet, traverse the Monarch & Sand Railroad (Mark Edwards, image).Will Kastner (left) explains to Mark Edwards concrete roadbed construction that allows continuous unsupervised train operations through the garden (Michelle Edwards, image)Tunnels, bridges and “mountains” of vegetation create visual interest on the Monarch & Sand Railroad (Mark Edwards, image).On a beautiful July weekend, CCCGRS members celebrate Arroyo Grande’s newest railroad. Thank you Lucinda and Will! Front, Left to Right: Dave Hayes, Michelle Edwards, Judy Hayes, Lucinda Eileen, Julie Wajda. Back, Left to Right: Will Kastner, John Albin, John Phillips, Sawyer Phillips, Reily Phillips, Walt Wajda. Not Pictured: Mark Hays, Don Maddy, Mark Edwards. (Mark Edwards, image)
