Throughout construction, the Amherst Railway Society has always focused on the “Quaboag Garden” theme. Our goal is simple: we have transformed an acre and a half of land into a beautiful garden with G-scale trains running through it. These trains can be operated just like a real railroad, and we even hold operating sessions on the QVRR. More than 80% of our 1.5 acres have been planted, and all the main line tracks are finished. Sodor Island and our logging short line are still under construction. The entire railroad uses dead rail, except for Sodor Island, which was created especially for our younger visitors. Although we plan to model the late 1970s and 1980s, we welcome trains and locomotives from any era in our garden. This helps us celebrate the rich railroad history of Palmer, Massachusetts, and the surrounding areas. Our layout features a raised platform with a double-track loop for live steam trains. It is one of the largest raised live steam ovals in New England. At every open house, we invite visitors to bring and run their live steam or battery-powered locomotives.
