Quinn Mountain G-scale Outdoor Model Trains
garden railroad

Quinn Mountain Railroad

 Early 19^th century Quinn Mountain Garden Railroad, begun in 2005, consists of a mainline with 300+’ of flexible stainless steel rail with a maximum 3.2% grade, minimum 6’ radius curves, folded over and under, twice crossing the home’s main walkway, and encompassing the entire 70’ x 32’ front garden. A smaller, independent loop is accessed from the main line. Logging shay with digital sound and other locos operate on both track and battery-operated remote control. Track bed is on p.t. 2x6s screwed to p.t. 2x6’ driven 2’ into ground, backfilled with topsoil, and completely ballasted. 

 This is truly a “garden with a train running through it”, featuring a waterfall, stream, and pond along enhanced with lush plantings of Japanese maples, miniature evergreens, lilacs, rock plants, hostas, and other greenery.

 An enclosed 16x24 post-beam building with wood-burning stove provides cozy train viewing in winter, and removable windows and doors to let in summer breezes. A spur with access doors into the building provide covered train parking. Other RR features are stone retaining walls comprised of native Washington State rock (volcanic rock from E. WA, and round river rock from W. WA.)  A 3’ high wood retaining wall provide waist-high access to track. Home and RR sit on 40 acres of lush forest with spectacular Columbia Gorge views. Property is home to Columbia Gorge Retreat with two suites for overnight guests.

Other Columbia River Gorge Garden Railroad Pictures:

• Portland's 4449 Steam Locomotive rolls through Stevenson, WA - Joanna Gammon photos

• Pruning plants on the Quinn Mountain Railroad

Quinn Mountain Railroad runs in front of log home in Columbia River Gorge

Spectacular Columbia Gorge sunsets light up the garden railroad.

Pennsylvania mogul crossing trestle on Quinn Mountain Railroad

Logging shay pulling log crawler through the garden at Quinn Mountain

Logging shay pulling load of logs to the mill at Quinn Mountain

Pennsylvania mogul rounds the bend in front of the old winery at Quinn Mountain

Logging shay travelling into depot at Quinn Mountain

Logging shay coming out of tunnel on Quinn Mountain Railroad

Summer 2007. Quinn Mountain Railroad begins its 3rd year. New infrastructure in foreground extends rail line into year around event building at east end of the garden.

West end of Quinn Mountain Railroad is landscaped with western Washington features, including fir trees, ferns, hostas, and river rock.

East end of Quinn Mountain  Railroad features the topography and plants of eastern Washington, such as volcanic rock, coulees, and grasses

Frances the Cat (middle of picture) loves to watch the trains pass by from a really close up viewing point.

But viewing from the track isn't the most relaxing place to be, especially when the Pennsylvania locomotive comes barreling down the line.

Winter 2007 - Real engines run in snow!

Bud Quinn's logging shay was converted
to battery power and remote control operation by Mike Greenwood of Throttle Up at www.throttleup.biz, so January's snow storm didn't slow it down.
 

The summer of 2006 saw big changes to the Quinn Mountain railroad. A new 140 foot loop now encircles the original east loop, which has become an independent line. And many, many small plants, trees, buildings, people, and animals populate the towns and countryside along the RR line.

In October 2005, Quinn Mountain hosted the Rose City Garden Railroad Society (RCGRS) Annual Halloween Train Potluck and Ghost Train event. Landscaping groundcovers and small trees had not been added to railroad.

Frost was on the pumpkins, but clear skies prevailed for running the Halloween trains.
Quinn Mountain outdoor garden railroad currently has 200 feet of continuous stainless steel flexible track that crosses the front door walk and spans entire the front yard. In the spring of 2006, two spur lines, numerous buildings, a pond, and creek will be added to the garden railroad.

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Quinn Mountain offered a beautiful forested setting for the annual Ghost Train event; Rose City Garden Railroad member Bill Dippert makes some adjustment to the Halloween train cars.
 

Rose City Garden Railroad member Jeff Lange (L) holds an unusual boom car constructed by member Dennis Ediger (R). Dennis and Sharon own Cobbler's Shoe Service and Train Shop in Camas, WA, which offers many items for the garden railroad enthusiast. Call the shop at 360-834-3183.

Jan Zweerts concocts a suspicious smoky Halloween brew in his garden railroad tank car during the Halloween train event.

Many garden railroad cars were spectacularly decorated and crafted in the Halloween theme by creative, talented Rose City Garden Railroad  Society members.

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Many outdoor garden rail cars were decorated for Halloween, including those in this Ghost Train. Some were even animated with lights, ghoulish creatures, sounds, and ghostly howls.

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One of the outdoor garden railroad Ghost Trains passes over the other on the western loop of the Quinn Mountain outdoor garden railroad. This temporary crossing super structure will be replaced by a trestle and tunnel in 2006.

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Rose City Garden Railroad members line up for lunch around Quinn Mountain's kitchen island. The food, which featured roast turkey, dressing, scalloped potatoes, chili, devilled eggs, and many other creative side dishes and desserts,
was plentiful and enjoyed by all at the Ghost Train event. Not one garden train enthusiast left hungry.

Photos by Alan Warrior, Rose City Garden Railroad Society member and RCGRS newsletter publisher.

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BUILDING THE Quinn Mountain OUTDOOR GARDEN RAILROAD

The first step after leveling the ground was laying PVC pipe
to determine the track layout at the Columbia Gorge outdoor garden railroad

Bud Quinn makes final adjustments to newly laid track
as the new Columbia River outdoor garden railroad takes shape

Bud Quinn is watching for the train to come around the bend
on the new Columbia Gorge outdoor garden railroad at Quinn Mountain

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GARDEN RAILROADING IS NOT JUST FOR GROWNUPS...
KIDS LOVE G-SCALE RAILROADS, TOO

The youngest visitors to Quinn Mountain love to watch the new Columbia River Gorge
outdoor garden railroad trains run along the track.

Outdoor garden railroad enthusiasts are welcome run their trains on Quinn Mountain's G-scale outdoor garden railroad tracks while guests of our Bed and Breakfast in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge in the west end of Skamania County, nine miles east of Washougal, Washington,

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For more information about the Rose City Garden Railroad Society, visit their Web site at http://www.rcgrs.com/

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
G-SCALE OUTDOOR GARDEN RAILROADING:

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Quinn Mountain in the Columbia River Gorge
Phone: 360.837.3711   
Email: QuinnMountain@gmail.com

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 COLUMBIA GORGE, HOOD RIVER, and PORTLAND, OREGON

VANCOUVER, CAMAS, WASHOUGAL, SKAMANIA, WASHINGTON
Located in Skamania  County with mailing address of Washougal WA 98671.
 

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