When Dennis Cipcich started his backyard train project in 2006, he just wanted to place two railroad tracks in his garden because he never had a train as a kid. It has now expanded to include much more than a couple of railway loops.

Cipcich’s railroad garden near Elburn, known as “The Blue Stone Ridge Railroad,” takes up 3,000 square feet of his backyard and includes three water features, a koi pond, live greenery, and a multitude of towns, churches, industrial buildings and cars placed all around the railroad garden.

“I hired a designer to help me create the garden, and he told me, ‘The land will tell us what to do,’” Cipcich said. “Today the garden loosely represents traveling through the U.S. from the [East to West coasts], with the New Hampshire feel on one side and the mountains of Colorado on the other.”

Cipcich’s G-scale model railroad trains make a big impression. The model trains are big – 1:22.5 scale – and are four times larger than HO-scale trains, which are the most popular type of model train in the world. Because of their large size, they have great detail and realism.

The trains are controlled by a wireless, digital control station, which is stationed in Cipcich’s garage. The trains enter and exit through small doors cut into the garage, which has 450 square feet of storage space for the railroad system. About 11 to 13 trains can run simultaneously on the track being closely watched by train engineers.

There are 50 turnouts on the entire layout, all of which are integrated – meaning a train can be placed anywhere on the layout and go in any direction.

It took more than 1,800 feet of train track, 150 tons of rock and 3,300 gallons of water for the koi pond to complete the garden. The track is left out year-round because of a less-corrosive nickel-silver finish, but the buildings, cars and figurines are brought inside during the winter.

The scenery includes die-cast postal cars, Illinois Bell cars, handmade elevated wooden bridges, a 1950s diner, industrial area, greenhouse, chapel, gunsmith, car accidents and more.

Cipcich said he’s proud that there are no plastic plants as part of his garden.

“The plants around the entire garden are all real,” Cipcich said. “And they’re all grown to scale.”

Cipcich’s garden recently was featured as part of the Pottawatomie Garden Walk earlier this month. Julie Griffith, co-chairman of the walk, said the Railroad Garden was very popular.

“Dennis and his garden have quite a reputation, and it’s just beautiful,” she said. “The way the garden is set up is just perfect. It gives you a bird’s-eye view of the entire layout.”

Cipcich said he doesn’t get too much time to just enjoy his garden because there’s a lot to maintain.

“Making sure the tracks are balanced is a constant issue,” Cipcich said. “You have to make sure the trains are level and will run properly. Pruning the live greenery and weeding the garden is another large task that begins each April, right after winter.”

Cipcich never thought he was such a multitalented guy, but his garden has proved otherwise.

“I never had any idea that you really have to be an electrician, landscaper and woodworker to create a railroad garden,” he said.

To watch a YouTube video featuring Cipcich's railroad garden, visit https://youtu.be/Ll2U-T1mM4I.