By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

Nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley, with a sweeping vista of Figueroa and Grass Mountains, lies a garden railroad where working G-gauge model trains navigate through sculpted miniature forests to delight the child within.

At the entrance to Don and Linda Morgan’s home is a vintage railroad crossing that bars passage as one would an oncoming train.

A Griswold railroad crossing signal, a very rare find, is a focal point in the garden railway.

Meandering through the walkways surrounded by 700 dwarf Alberta spruce and redwood trees, a visitor is transported into a Disneyesque environment with miniature trains making their way through forests, over bridges and around a koi pond, with whistles signaling their passage.

Two antique railway crossings, a Griswold crossing and a wig wag crossing, both of which are still fully operational, are Morgan’s treasured pieces in his vast collection of locomotive memorabilia.

“The Griswold railroad crossing was common in the pre-World War II era, which I purchased from an auction in Missouri. It is extremely rare. It was transported to my home in a large crate and deposited in my driveway. I was out in the middle of the night with my flashlight trying to get the thing out of the crate and into the garden,” he recalled.

The construction of the garden railway began around the koi pond in an effort to keep herons from eating the fish. Pictured in the rear is a rare wig wag railroad crossing.

“The wig wag railroad crossing is also very rare. You can still see them around, but not often. I purchased it from a man in Arroyo Grande who had it stored in his barn,” he continued. “Nobody else has these two railroad crossings. They belong in a railroad museum. To find them in good shape and still working is almost impossible.”

“It all started about 25 years ago,” Morgan explained. “I had built a koi pond in the garden, but the herons kept eating the fish. I decided I had to deepen the pond and raise up the sides with rocks to keep the birds from lunching on my fish. I went to a garage sale, here in the valley, and met a man who was selling some trains and he invited me to an open house to see an outdoor garden railway. We liked the idea so much that I decided to build one myself.

“I started the first phase around the koi pond and then I just kept on going. When we saw the trains all set up, we decided to join the Gold Coast Garden Railroad Society. Members of the club tour each other’s garden railways once a month. There are about 50 or 60 members of the club. They came to visit here on May 4^th. We put on a little party for the group. Only one other member of our club has a garden train in the Santa Ynez Valley.”

Don Morgan built a full-size caboose many years ago.

Morgan eventually added a life-size caboose, which he built himself many years ago. It houses an authentic caboose seat, which holds a huge, serenading animatronic bear.

“I purchased the bear at Walmart and took it apart, and wired it to sing the Wabash Cannonball,” said Morgan. “There are no cabooses anymore. They used to carry the crew. It was also an area where the conductor could conduct business, but there is no need for them any longer.”

On the side of the caboose is a painting of a German shepherd that was painted by Atto Alexander, the late local sign painter, for Morgan’s 65^th birthday. Shepherds have always been Morgan’s canine companion of choice, and “Spike” was both a member of the family and a guard dog.

On the side of the caboose is a painting of a German shepherd, Spike, which was painted by Atto Alexander, the late local sign painter.

To the far right of the garden stands a line shack that was also designed and built by Morgan with the help of his gardener. It is constructed out of uneven wood planks, and it is a favorite spot for the Morgans to sit and take in the expansive view, both of the mountains and of the garden railway.

“Most all of the huge rock boulders you see in the garden were retrieved from around the area,” said Morgan. “It took a lot of effort to haul them up here.”

“I’ve always loved trains – the old steam engines were my favorite,” he continued. “When I was a little boy I had a train set – still have it, as a matter of fact. I grew up close to train tracks and as a boy I used to write down the names of all the box cars as they passed by. I guess you can say I’m crazy about trains – they are my passion.

“It’s hard for me at my age to maintain this garden anymore and no, I’m not expanding it any further,” he said firmly. “With all of the rain last year, although welcome, they did produce a lot of weeds which have to be attended to, and that’s no small job.”

The Morgans recently took the train to Spokane to attend a garden railroad convention. “We were on the train for several days. I have to say, getting up to the top berth was very difficult for me. I felt like I was sleeping in a coffin,” he joked.

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, the Morgan family moved to California when he was 14 years old. He worked for the Southern California Gas Company until he semi-retired in 1998. The company continues to bring him back when they need his expertise.

He says he has always been mechanically inclined and that even as a kid he worked in a bowling alley repairing the automatic pin-setting system.

A miniature building is surrounded by an ancient oak tree that was on the property when the Morgans bought it.

The Morgans moved to the Valley in 1980. They were married in 1962. They have two girls and a boy, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

“None of our children or grandchildren seem to have any interest in trains, so unless one of our great-grandchildren has inherited the train bug, then when we’re gone, so will the garden railway. But it has been a real pleasure to create, a labor of love, and a great way to meet people and make friends,” Morgan said.

Although the garden railway is not open to the public, Morgan occasionally opens it up for a good cause under certain conditions. He can be reached by email at teddiesandtrains@aol.com.