John Watson: The trains run on time at Clark Gardens

Trains at Clark Gardens — I thought it was a botanical garden. It has one of the largest outdoor model train displays in this part of Texas.

The trains are located near the center of the gardens.

Carol Montgomery, our tour guide, directed us to a small pathway that led through the rail lines to a large building in the center, known as Clark Station, that housed still more model train displays.

Three different G-Scale Model Garden Trains run on 700 feet of track that meanders through a landscape of natural vegetation.

The trains pass over small wooden trestles over dry stream beds.

As you walk down this path trains circle the tracks on both sides of the pathway.

After going through a small closed-in area you step out underneath an overhead trestle with a train going by over your head.

You next enter the Clark Station.

Here several small sets of model trains are on display.

On one side of the room is a small model train display consisting of four oval tracks, one inside the other, with trains running on all four tracks.

On the other side of the room is a larger display consisting of two model towns with the train track circling through both towns.

One town represents Weatherford with a replica of the Parker County Courthouse at the center of the display.

The other model town is Mineral Wells with a replica of the Crazy Water Hotel in the center.

Clark Station is an octagon shaped building with a center section about 12 feet tall, and the outer area where the train displays are located is 8 feet high. Around the center section at the 8 foot height is a small ledge extending out from the wall with a railroad track on it.

Two trains circle the room on this ledge on opposite sides of the room, each maintaining the same distance from the other.

While we were observing all the trains in operation in the room, a gentleman working with one of the displays went over to the side wall and flipped a switch.

One of the trains on the overhead ledge stopped while the other kept going.

As I watched I was thinking, Now, if there is only one track on that ledge we are going to see one heck of a crash.

I watched as the train grew closer to the one that had stopped.

As the moving train reached the one that had stopped it passed on by. There were two sets of tracks on the ledge.

When I mentioned to the worker that I thought I was about to see a train crash, he grinned and said, “I fool a lot of people with that maneuver.”

It seems that whenever he sees someone intent on watching the trains, he stops one just to see the person’s reaction.

Leaving on the opposite side of Clark Statio” we found another section of the garden trains. These tracks were on a slightly lower level than the walkway so you are looking down on the trains.

Here the tracks go by a miniature windmill and overhead water tank and through two country towns with the roads crossing the tracks. They have toy cars and pickups on the roads.

It’s as if you are flying over in an airplane and looking at the small towns below with the trains passing through.

While visiting the Clark Gardens, take a step back in time to the days of the mighty steam engines and the days when travel by rail was “the way to go.”

Visit the garden trains at Clark Gardens. This is a great attraction for the kiddos, and dad will enjoy it also.

The model train area is an on-going project with additions made often. The garden trains do not run during high winds or in inclement weather. Be sure to visit on a sunny, calm day.

All Aboard.

John Watson is a Cleburne resident who can be reached at texastraveler@sbcglobal.net