Oregon backyard railway grows into 32-mile miniature railroad across 2,200 acres

Oregon hobbyist Ed St. John’s backyard railway attracted volunteers, laying the foundations for a remarkable miniature railroad. What began as one man's backyard hobby in Southern Oregon has grown into a sprawling railway landscape where tiny trains travel through thousands of acres. According to the official website, Train Mountain is far removed from the idea of a garden railway: its 32 miles of 7.5-inch-gauge track wind across 2,200 acres, creating what the Guinness Book of World Records recognises as the world's longest rideable miniature hobby railway. Scroll down to read its history and what makes it a rare one.A backyard dream takes shapeAccording to the website, the story began with Oregon hobbyist Ed St. John, who started building a railroad in his backyard. His project, called the Over-The-Hill Live Steamers, soon attracted volunteers from nearby Medford. The arrangement was simple: if St. John supplied the materials, enthusiasts were happy to make the journey and help build the railway.The original line eventually became the Klamath and Western loop, preserving the roots of what would become a much larger railway operation.Neighbour Quintin Breen, who had spent much of h...