Fairplex Garden Railroad

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The Fairplex Garden Railroad

The oldest and possibly the largest miniature railroad

The Fairplex Garden Railroad is considered the oldest and possibly the largest miniature railroad of its kind in the United States and possibly the world. The railroad began as a special static exhibit for the third Los Angeles Fair in 1924. It soon became a small, hand built, operating miniature train, in true 1/2 inch scale. The small railroad continued to grow and in 1935, moved out of the Fair's tent to its present 100X300-foot outdoor location where it remains today. In May of 1997, with the help of members of a local garden railroad club, the original 1/2 inch scale was replaced with what is referred to today as G gauge in the hobby of model railroading, and renovation of the miniature railroad began.