The World's Largest Backyard Railroad?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- For over 25 years Van has been laying track on his land in the Great Basin. With 10 miles of track he just may now have the world's largest estate railroad.
I (Dale) helped lay the first mile of track in 1996. Hard work but fun and interesting. Van's goal was to build the railroad entirely from the train and track a=so that the land would be undisturbed. So that it really feels like heading out on the narrow gauge into the wilderness. Well, he did it! After the first mile of heading into the landscape, you understand that you are in fact on a railroad in the wilderness. No roads, no other tracks, no trails other than deer trails, you are in the middle of nowhere on a narrow-gauge train.
The gauge is 7 1/2 inches and most of the equipment is 2.5-inch scale or models of three-foot narrow gauge trains. The flagship is a huge model of Uinta 50, the articulated locomotive that ran on the Utah-Colorado border years ago. However, there are several other models of 1/8 scale steam and diesel locomotives.
Van's railroad is never open to the public and he has asked us not to tell the location or his real name. He just wants to run his trains not to have meets or people over.
I remember this place my grandfather had build a water tower for him many many years ago.
I know the water tower but I’ve never been over to it. Saw while we were out there but it was built after I left but it’s still there and looking good!
Out in the middle of nowhere, just how I like it. The silence is music to my ears.
This huge backyard railroad is definitely a labor of love, because its something that can be appreciated from a lot of hard work and watching it come together as the progress goes.
Thanks again for another fun trip!
Does the dog jokes it goes around this isn’t the middle of nowhere but you can see it from there. Well this is the place they’re looking at it when they say you can see it from here this is in fact in the middle of nowhere
One of my favorite sayings, "The silence is deafening!"
This appears to be Arizona.
This isn’t a hobby. This is a vocation! I bet it’s fun to load some camping equipment, haul it out to one of the clearings, and just spend the night.
Wow ! Such a dedicated big toy lover huh ? I respect the mans ambition passion and privacy among the most . You folks are special to have and give us this presentation thanks in this time of need of wonderment .
I've been out to where this railroad is. Its pretty well hidden from the highway. I've always wondered about it and now I know more. I will respect the owners and not pass on where this is. Thanks for showing it.
@@Bigdog5899 hi!! Thanks!!!!🚀🚀🚀🚂🚀🚂😊😀👍
This is a labor of love.When you go for a ride,you should take another engine with you just in case you break down otherwise it is a long walk back.
this is awesome, it keeps the skill of making railways alive.
Need to get back out there this summer and see if the steam engines running.
im so glad you guys do this stuff..
Us too. Fun!!!
A labor of . . . love? Or the ultimate example of “out screwing around?” What a fun place!
The area really is similar to where I grew up! Lots of cedar and some prickly pear! Blazing hot summers and freezing cold winters! Life in the high desert! Always good to have a 4-wheel drive vehicle for access!
So much fun Thank You!
Thanks!! More Sunday.
Wow that is one awesome railway to play with
Lucky man, living his dreams.
Yup!! More this Sunday. Then steam I about 2 weeks.
Dale, Karen, Wonderful! You are both good storytellers. Regards Stephen.
Hi. Thanks!!!! Make sure to watch the rest on Sunday.
Wow this is so cool!! This is one of the reasons I want land too and not living in some urban neighborhood where I can hear the neighbors fighting with each other
wow,beautiful....
Huge!!!
@@ToyManTelevision He needs more Trains,never enough,also wouldnt be cool if he had a few actual baggage cars or maybe a caboose or 2,for some super realizim or better yet like we all do it building a layout,have homes and businesses as to enhance the layout?
Thank you so much. Looking forward to next Sunday.
I spent 20 minutes going around the 4 mile loop and then visit the engine shops
Absolutely fascinating😀
Right?
I used to ride the trains all the time in Tooele when I was younger! And as I grew up and we would drive to St George from Tooele to visit my grandparents, I would always catch a glimps of some of these tracks in the Meadow and wonder what this railroad looked like! Now I know! Thank you for sharing!!
That’s really sad that they tore all those tracks out. Just really a shame it was fun
This is my 1st time commenting but I just have to say you guys are such an adorable couple and I really enjoy all of your videos! I have a fairly extensive HO scale layout and I love the real trains as well. Thanks again for all the wonderful videos that you share.
Hi and it’s nice to have your commenting! Are used to have quite an HO scale rail road. Had to dismantle it when I moved to St. George and I’ve never had a layout sense. Well until now just yesterday I finally had a train running on my own layout! I’ve been working on it for four years and intentionally not running anything as I wanted to keep working and not screwing around with the trains. Anyway I’m hooking up wiring and well you just have to test right? So a train moved under its own power yesterday.
I would love to bring my little engines American now that I know that one can handle the gradients.
A little engines American wouldn’t be able to handle the original figure 8. We had some 4% grade on there. But the 4 mile loop is a cake walk.
LOVE this video ! I Pray everyday that I can build a railroad for the kids where I grew up on a RR. Old Gainesville Midland RR is now CSX and it runs by the Farm house 2 to 3 times per day.. Love It !!
You had me the title of the video. This man is quite possibly the coolest guy on the internet/TH-cam.
I don’t know if you’ve ever met an off grider. Van is sort of like that. He doesn’t want people to know his real name he doesn’t want people to know where that is is he doesn’t have power on the property he doesn’t have a phone line he doesn’t have a bathroom but he does have running water. He likes to come out here and drive his trains around and he likes to be left alone. You’ve really got to admire it on one level.
this is awesome
Right??? Amazing
Absolutely amazing. What dedication
Right? Amazing
Awesome, that's a true love for trains. I thought a 32x35 layout in HO was big enough, now I got to plan bigger.
My HO had 100 feet of track. At vans that’s what we laid every day. Gee.
We can't get track one laid on our garden railway and this gent has 10 miles of track. What a cool video as always!
Well done. I can understand the freedom of being able to run what he wants, when he wants without the rules and regulations of clubs. Good for him to keep it private.
You can take your consist for a decent long run without feeling like you are going in circles. No doubt if he let you loose on your own you would get lost with all that track.
What a way to screw around.
Next week we’re going to take everybody up to the pond for lunch. It’s 2 miles up and 2 miles back on two different trucks. Took us about an hour and a half to get up there because we were in no hurry. Never stopped we just went slow.
Fascinating!
A big ride Sunday.
Great fun! Wow!
Thanks
I would have so much fun building miniature buildings alone the tracks...
That’s what I’ve always wanted to do out there
This is awesome. You guys see some of the coolest railroads and layouts.
Hi. Thanks. Long ride next Sunday
@@ToyManTelevision
Mc Cormick Railroad park. Arizona. I think its in phoenix. Is a neat one....
Just awesome, can’t wait until next Sunday
A few shots that big Uinta a 50. Like to come back when he’s actually running it
Now that is truly amazing. I can't for next week.
I’ve decided to show the long ride! Hopefully it’s not boring!
This is so cool, love the American type loco in photo’s
I forget who makes the kit. People think it’s a little engines. Not. But forget who makes it.
@@ToyManTelevision It looked like an Allen American but the cab was different
Fantastic video. Loved it.
Thanks 😊 More Sunday. Let’s go fer a ride.
I remember driving by and seeing this from the road. Shook my head and didn't know what to think. Thanks for doing this.
If only I had the money, the space, and the time...
WOW.
Yeah Van has all of those. But mostly he has a wonderful attitude about just going out in the wilderness and being left alone to play with his trains
Hidi hi, that is an amazing place. I love the size ,but love the fact theres nothing but earth and trees all around it. And beyond. Nice to see the Younger Dale in photos. Great bridge. It looks a hot dry place. Thanks for shareing trip out. Love it. Keep srewin around & traveling around you two. Grant ☆
Ten miles?! AMAZING!!
Anyone who wants to ride on a large layout like this should look into the railroad club in Hesston, Indiana.
Dang! I was getting ready to jump in the car this weekend and offer Van some $$$
for a private train ride, then saw your last paragraph! Thanks for sharing - pretty fun stuff!
ValConB Yeah he sort of likes to stick to himself out there.
Wow great layout very cool...
Much bigger luck next Sunday
That is amazing, quite an effort
Wow I Can’t wait for the next video like always thank you 😊
Big ride up to the pond!!
0:37 YESSSSSSS Classic VW flywheels for wheels for my railway. I get them free.
Amazing.
Ten miles of track maintenance , wow. It is dry though. Maybe he really enjoys that kind of thing. It would be peaceful .
I met with Ralph today for a brief period and asked what the plans are out there if they plan on ever put in more traffic in and he said heavens no! Their goal right now is to keep all 10 miles perfectly operational and that is job enough
Wow great
Very cool railroad. Thanks for sharing 👍👍👍😎😎😎 Cary
So fun. Now this is the ultimate peace! 😊
really cool
Thanks!! More Sunday.
Very cool!!
Thanks!! More Sunday.
Wow!!!! I would love to have to have the acreage to make a railroad like that!!! I have priced a few Diesel engines. Debating where my health is leading me before I commit to that or a home layout. The steam locomotives are amazing especially the 4-4-0. He should call Guinness and have it entered into the world records. I am so very impressed with the ideology he used for creating his plan. Best wishes for his continued success and fun. Thanks for sharing!!!
I’m not sure how many acres this is but I think it’s well over 400. Not sure how that works but it measures about 1 mile long? and about 3/4 of a mile wide.
@@ToyManTelevision Acreage is square feet. One acre is 43560 sq ft.; so 400 ac is 17424000 sq ft. If the property is about 3/4 mile wide it would be about 4400 ft long. Quite sizable layout.
640 acres 1 square mile
Thanks for the hidden gem video. I have ridden a bunch of these on various convention tours, but like you say, they are clubs and usually have maybe a few miles of track. The Union Pacific could have used this guy back in 1869!
I don’t know if you’re familiar with “off grinders”. People who just want to live out in the middle of nowhere not connected to the power grid. Van is not connected to the power grid! There is no telephone no electricity there is running water. It’s his personal toy and he just likes driving his trains around out there and he enjoys being left alone to do it
awesome
Awesome video
Thanks!! More Sunday.
Gosh, I would love to go there. I always wanted to do something like this. Absolutely a gem of a railroad!!!!
And their personal toy. One guy and his three friends.
Definitely a nice size railway
No kidding right? More Sunday.
Magnificent
I have to agree. If I owned my own 10 mile long railroad I would think I'd died and moved to Heaven!
Totally amazing. Wanna get back out there.
What a charming railroad. The vibration from that work engine must drive the snakes crazy as it motors past. :-D
This is really wonderful. I love the trains here! This is really fueling up my imagination.
We’re back there one more time on Sunday. With some old home movies from that railroad
You guys are cool.
What an amazing layout... i wish i had the money and the place to do something like this... thanks for taking us along on this adventure.... i just happen to have a original ATSF Santa Fe Railroad Stool from the 1950s... it could have been used on the Super cheif or the cheif.. i also just got that pump of mine working and gave it a little service station in front of my apartment...
All I have from the Santa Fe is a caboose Marker lamp. But that’s pretty darn cool. I’ve always admired the Santa Fe. Most of the club cars had the most amazing ashtrays. Gigantic heavyweight things but stood in the center of the floor but wouldn’t tip over on a moving train. But the ones on the Santa Fe were absolutely spectacular
Steps to having worlds largest backyard railroad:
Step 1 - Have worlds largest backyard.
Land is probably cheap there building something like this in Europe must cost millions of euros.
Around the 16:30 mark - the sound of the wheels on the rail!
You certainly know how to make a video that entrances the hardcore rail enthusiast.
Click and clack. Don’t you love it? On my G scale and he is in 6 foot long rails but carving little mix in them so that they click and clack at the right speed
@@ToyManTelevision I can't wait for the next vid on this Dale.
He's really captured the essence of the allure of railroading albeit in private. The scenery and isolation of the route is delectable. I can imagine a 40 car train with me sitting at the back drinking it all in. I don't think I'd ever tire of it.
AWESOME NICE VIDEO THANK YOU BOTH FOR BRINGING US ALONG TO WATCH YOU BOTH SCREWING AROUND BEST THE EVER I APPRECIATE YOU BOTH THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS TIME WITH YOUR SUBSCRIBERS ALWAYS INFORMATIVE AND INTERESTING NEVER BORING... JIM KAMMERER OF PHILADELPHIA PA THANK YOU AGAIN 👍👌😀🚂🤗😄😁😷
Hi again Jim! Next Sunday we’re going into the engine shop to look at the locomotive stored inside there. Including a gigantic marble if you were to 50! Then we’re going to take a nice long leisurely ride up to the pond and have lunch 4 mile round trip
Every hundred feet of track Let's test it, I'd never get anything done thanks for the great video we can all dream!
very very cool build years ago my BrotherInLaw inherited a SteamPowered hand built boat his Grandfather built who was a retired SteamPower Engineer and hand constructed all the parts we also got a big stack of vintage Steam Modeling magazines and I was trying to figure out tempertures and pressures to run the motor when I read a article in one of those magazines that had a gentleman’s name and city inPennsylvania so I called information and got the mans phone number when I called the number and explained how or why I called the elderly gentleman was so happy and knowledgeable with lots of great advice he actually was into Traiins for many years as well
Would love to see that again for sure. It reminds me of a rumored desertish live steam railroad way out in the hills behind San Diego California. I think I heard about it many years ago. I've always wondered if it was real or what. Thanks again, Paul V in Thailand
Hi and wow again!! Slightly different terrain here than where you are right? Is that terrain or Train?
Campo is real. Worth doing, if you have some time.
Very nicely put together video and very entertaining as well. Thanks for posting this.
Wow! As a hobbyist in this scale, I had no idea this private railroad existed. Can't wait for next week's show. I'd love to see a future episode at Train Mountain as well.
I’ve been wanting to get up to train mountain for ever! We did ride adobe mountain and we have a show up on that. It’s larger than this railroad but it’s a huge club. This “little” Rail road is top-secret. Van really doesn’t want people to know about it. It’s just his personal toy
Toy Man Television The big Triennial Meet at Train Mountain has now been rescheduled for Summer 2022 due to the COVID uncertainties (last one was in 2018). That’s an event you should consider covering on a future show! There will certainly be no shortage of content there.
Amazing post, you guys. How fun is that.
Thanks for watching dude check next Sunday it’s a long show but we get to go over the whole 4 mile loop and visit the engine shop.
So cool!!!
Do you watch next Sunday we’re back there
@@ToyManTelevision I find that you two's adventures together to be quite delightful. You two are a breath of fresh air, and you have made your little corner of the internet quite pleasant. Safe journeys to you both. Peace.
this is amazing
0:55 she signalled,"RESCUE ME, PLEASE".
Wow!!!
Thanks!! More Sunday.
Awesome video liked 🚄🚂👍
Hi👍🚀
Great video I love to see my dreams come to life even if somebody else is doing them I would love to bring the camper out there and help out and get to ride The train on my off days Thank you for another adventure
That looks like a very soothing train ride. I'd love to see a video from the train of the whole ride.
Well it took us about an hour and a half to get up to the pond about that amount of time to get back. But next week I’m going to show you about a half hour of that ride. And a tour of the shops at hopefully some video of the big Uinta to 50 running.
@@ToyManTelevision Sounds great, thanks very much :)
Great stuff. Closer to us, just south of Hudson, Wisconsin is the St. Croix railroad. They have 1/8 and 1/12 trains. This group is top notch. Uncertain about current operating schedule due to Covid-19. Travel to our part of the USA. Lots to see up here.
Yeah we’re kind of stuck in these days! We should get a lot done on the model railroad
Toy Man Television I took the time to verify that the St Croix railroad is closed to the public for the 2020 season. Maybe next year.
Has he considered electric locomotion using batteries? Imagine the quiet ride.
THE WHOLE POINT OF SCALE RAILROADING IS REENACTING THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF STEAM AND DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES. WHY WOULD HE HAVE WANTED QUIET ELECTRIC TRAINS?
@@johnorabone6112 THEN WHY IS HE RUNNING PEOPLE AROUND ON A LAWNMOWER ENGINE?? Plus, all of the smaller scale is electric and a lot of it is quiet...so... yeah... let the guy have his fantasy about a silent roll through the wilderness.
Yea folks I have the same problem with my hearing .
I moved out here in Nevada to get away from all of the crowded neighborhood .
After all the years of neighbors talking and sounding like their in my house .
Things took a drastic change .
The first week here , it got Sssoooo.quite that it almost made my ears bleed just to try to hear something , anything .
Great job on the track and video .
Your tours are nice every week. Love these videos.
Greetings from Munich, Tom.
Hi! Boy would really like to get out to see the Minotaur wonderland! It was our plan this year but it just didn’t happen because of the virus. Anyway more on this railroad Sunday. And I’m putting together a third show as I just was giving a bunch of footage of steam locomotives running on that line
Dang! that's quite the railroad just to screw around on. One of my many dreams is to also build a 7.5" gauge line into the bush to be able to get away from everything, and to bring in the firewood!
That’s exactly what Van has done. No electricity and doesn’t want any. No telephone and doesn’t want any no sewer and that’s a bit of a problem but heck it’s a big piece of property. Where does the bear take a crap in the woods? Oh anywhere. They have a really nice trailer home out there and they do have running water that seems to be all they want. 2 mile trip up to the pond for lunch 2 mile trip back out. Social distance miles and miles and miles! No need to wear a mask.
That's crazy. And I struggle to find to find a bit of additional place for my On30 layout!
wow,, i want there,, best regards from cold old good bad Sweden
That is neat, thank you for sharing this with us.
Part of me is doing the look at all that wasted time and money, it could have been put to better use. Then the realist stepped in and said look at all the hours of enjoyment and shared passion and friendship went into all of this.
What would be fitting is a couple of ghost town dioramas out in the least likely place.
There is a lot there I look forward to seeing more. It would be fun to have a better at the rolling stock, because I'm a gearhead the engines would be really interesting and to see how things are driven.
Will take a look inside the engine shop and I’m trying to get video of the Uinta 50 running
@@ToyManTelevision oh good.
nice video
crazy cool, nice one
Thanks for watching! Lunch at the pond Sunday. Oh and the loco shop.
I just hope that if they have passed or when they do. That there will be someone who is more than willing and appreciate being able to keep these gentlemen's hard work alive. It would be very sad to see all of their hard work just be left unattended and or neglected. Hopefully that's not the case.
I think that’s set up… but not sure.
@@ToyManTelevision hopefully so. Thank you for replying. Wishing you great health.
Somewhere there's a 37 mile long track but like you said it's public not a private one
Wow! How nice to have the land and the time to be able to do that! I have a suggestion for your videos though. It would be so much easier for us viewers if you put links to the other videos below your video within the drop-down menu that way I can get to them after I fully watch the current one. The problem with them above your video is I either have to note where they are in the video or if I click on it when they pop up I’m then taken out of your video. Thanks!
Unfortunately that’s where TH-cam puts them and I don’t have any control over it. I can put three links at the end, I only put one but the size of them is limited so if I put three it takes up the entire screen so I’m not sure what to do with that. In the meantime the cards pop in in the upper right hand corner and I can’t change it darn it
Just had a thought that I could put them in the description! That way you could simply go to the description and click on as many links as I want to put there. Interesting
Toy Man Television Yes! That is what I should have said and in fact several other channels I follow (one of them being Garden Answer) that is exactly what they do when they refer to another video that they did and/or a product (or you could even place a web link to the place you are talking about). A little more work I know! Again, I really enjoy you folks and you look better in shorter hair! (Hey, I had the Michael Bolton look in the 80s!)
I love the quiet hurts your ears comment :) as a tinnitus sufferour I can say that honestly isn't a problem anymore XD
Nice !
Thanks!! More Sunday.
There is a property about 1.5 miles from the restaurant I work at which is mostly pasture. The ground looks natural but it’s almost like one mound after another with undulations of up to 8 feet. If I won the lottery I’d consider trying to buy it for an outdoor railroad. The challenge would be building it with cuts and bridges.
10 miles of hand built miniature railroad track out in the wilderness? Who does stuff like that? That's crazy! But,looks like lots of fun riding on the little track when it's all done.
I’m going to put up a special video just on how we lead track. The system we used is really simple and I see people working way too hard building 7 1/2 inch gauge track
WOW!
Thanks!! More Sunday.
Time for some scale model towns
Man id like to have a 2 or 3 diesel engines connected quite a few rolling stock and some speed up and ride the rails! Oh hell ya!! Thats the screwing around i could live 🤣🤣🤣 thats awesome and i wouldn't want any weird people take care my friend
Back in the 70s we did that at a neighbor's place. 3 battery powered F-7s pulling a number of cars ( 22 at one point ) on up to a 3% grade. My little SW-1200 with only 2 axles powered ( 12 on the Fs ) was able to drag itself and me with my gondola loaded with over 1 ton of castings up the 1% grade.
Building track on the ground is no fun. We built it on a stand and attached one rail solid. The other rail was loose. 10' length was manageable but the 20' sections were a bit more difficult. Load the section on a gondola ( Mine was a scale 65'6" ) and shove on the front of a train to the work location. Unload and place. Screw down the other rail after hooking up the rail joiners. Ballast, and repeat. Not hard to put down a hundred foot a day with just one person doing it. If a person was going to do miles of it, it wouldn't be hard to build a car that could transport the sections and only need to lower it in place.
Hi gunny. This is a great railroad. Had a great big railroad at that. Of course they mostly run gas powered engines out there because they’re so easy to get going but they have more steam engines than gas. Ralph has a bottle of 844. No not the steam engine for diesel that runs in Boulder city in Nevada. The diesel but force them to change the number on 844 to 8444 for a number of years. Anyway Ralph decided to model that and it’s positively huge. It’s an SD locomotive and it could pull trees out of the ground I swear. But it would be fun to see several units lashed out pulling a big long string.
I have that same shirt, except for mine is long sleeve.😀