Garden railroaders roll out welcome mat in June

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

Del and Linda Tapparo could stage a backyard melodrama--in miniature --if so inclined. For now, however, they will just set the stage for visitors of all ages to enjoy a garden railroad inspired by the 19th-century Colorado and Northwestern.

The Tapparos' back yard is one of six sites on this year's tour sponsored by the Northern Colorado Garden Railroaders as a fund-raiser for the Food Bank. Entry fee to the June 10 event is a contribution of nonperishable food, but cash donations are also accepted. Last year, the railroad club collected 1,536 pounds of food and $1,488 in six hours. The tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Inspired to move his affection for model trains to the outdoors in 1998, Del first started building a mountain that represents the area above Boulder in 1898. For that he hauled in dirt and rock. The design included a small fishpond.

A few years later, he and Linda decided a much larger pond would better complement the railroad, so they hauled out dirt, excavating deep enough for a 1,500-gallon pond. Now the G-scale D&L Garden Railroad traverses hills and trestles, follows a riverbed and scoots through a small settlement and around a miner's shack. All the while, nostalgic sounds transport the spectator back to another era.

"The locomotive was less expensive than the sound system," Del noted.

At night and during inclement weather, Del simply runs his train into a long shed where it sits safe and dry. With the train so handy to its tracks, it can also take a run on a nice winter day after Del has plowed the path.

Now that he is retired, Del plans to craft more buildings and scenes while Linda continues to add the vegetation that provides color and drama to the landscape. Among the plants dotting the hillsides and valleys are veronica, thyme, sedum, Jean's Dilly (a miniature evergreen), columbine, ice plant, coralbells and blue-eyed grass.

"This just gave me another reason to try more plants," said Linda, an avid gardener.

Founded by Del, the Northern Colorado Garden Railroaders club now boasts some 40 members. About 25 have railroads in various stages of construction. Here are the member railroads on the tour:

• Del and Linda Tapparo, 4118 Clayton Court in southeast Fort Collins.
• Glenn and Barbara Shull, 917 Scenic Drive in southwest Fort Collins. The Horsetooth Railroad features more than 30 buildings depicting the early 1900s.
• Forest and Rozella Erickson, 824 Winchester Drive in south Fort Collins. The F&R features multiple trains controlled from the patio.
• Mark Goldrich and Prue Kaley, 1212 Clark St. in northeast Fort Collins. Clark Street Station operates on an upper and lower loop and features extensive use of European scenes and detail.
• Bruce and Nancy Maxwell, 1500 Wagon Tongue Drive in northwest Fort Collins. The White Mountain and Pacific Railroad runs up, over, around and through roof-high mountains, deep canyons, streams and lakes. This garden railroad was recently filmed by the Home and Garden Channel for an upcoming segment on out-of-the-ordinary hobbies for Off Beat America.