Juergen Tiedt still remembers his very first model train.

On Christmas Day, when he was eight years old, he unwrapped a gift box from his parents to find a bright yellow HO-scale Union Pacific locomotive.

"I remember opening the box and my eyes lighting up."

The young Tiedt scrounged up a single sheet of plywood and built a platform, complete with plaster mountains and tunnels, in the basement.

When he longed to have multiple trains run on various loops and have the ability to turn power on and off a section of track, he read up on electrical circuits and switches.

It was how he found his knack for electricity.

Now a 54-year-old technician, Juergen sits in the backyard of his South Surrey home where train tracks snake through the garden, a carefully-plotted landscape spotted with miniature buildings, cars and people.

The air is filled with a constant chugging, as the locomotives – suited with authentic soundboards – weave over a bridge, through a tunnel and amongst plants and flowers. Armed with a remote control, Juergen can set off a long whistle or the chiming of bells, creating the illusion of his own personal train station.

While he's continued the hobby that awed him as a child for 46 years, it has only been within the last 10 that his focus shifted to G scale trains, which are 1/29 of life size.

Bigger and more durable than HO scale, G scale railways are often used outdoors.

Tiedt was first introduced to them in 2000, when he discovered the Greater Vancouver Garden Railway Club's model train display at Art Knapps.

"I was just in awe of them," he said. "I was like a little kid in a candy store."

Tiedt liked the idea of taking his hobby outside, and said G scale is more realistic than other varieties.

"To me, they feel more true to life."

He slowly began selling off his HO scale trains and building a railway in his garden.

The job, however, involved more than just laying down some tracks.

Tiedt plumbed his yard, built a retaining wall and ran wiring through underground conduit to provide the display with electricity, which powers the tracks, lights up the locomotives' headlights and will soon illuminate miniature station platform lanterns.

The track runs through holes cut into the bottom of his shed, where the trains are parked overnight.

He is currently digging a fish pond, which the track will curve around, and has plans for additional landscaping to expand the ever-evolving railway.

When he is done, there will be two trains running independently of each other, following different tracks.

While he is currently concentrating on the infrastructure of the display, Tiedt has still added modeling details that bring the scene to life.

In a freight car, a group of hobos crouch around a game of checkers balanced on a barrel, while miniature buildings sprawl across a hillside.

Much of Tiedt's inspiration comes from the Greater Vancouver Garden Railway Club, which he has been a part of for nine years.

Members exchange ideas and advice, and gather for shows, conventions and open houses.

Tiedt said there's a strong camaraderie within the group.

"You meet different people of different walks of life with one common interest – and that's the trains," he said. "I never realized how big this hobby is until I got into it."

This Father's Day, some members of the club (there are around 200) will be at the Historic Stewart Farm on Crescent Road, running trains for the public. Tiedt will be on hand with some of his own models, answering questions and providing information about the hobby.

He wants to encourage more people to get involved in the pastime, especially youth, who he said can get tied up in video games and computers.

"(I want) to see young adults, teens, try to get back into hobbies... and not just sit in front of a screen all day," he said. "This is a social thing."

By being a model train hobbyist, he said one learns about engineering, electricity, carpentry and a plethora of other skills.

It even led Tiedt to a side business, which pays for most of his train expenses. When he was unable to find tunnel portals for his track on the market, he began making his own, which he now sells to the public, along with retaining walls, structure platforms and custom tunnel keystones.

And while he spends any and all free time on his track, Tiedt said the hobby can bring spouses together.

"Because it's in the garden, it gives couples the opportunity to be together in the garden," he said.

Although trains are everywhere in and out of the house – including dozens of locomotives on display shelves in Tiedt's office – his fiancee, Judy Sinnott, is supportive of his passion.

She nods her head as he explains his plans to expand the track to the north fence, utilizing every possible inch of lawn for his project.

He then describes how he's going to push the south fence back, in order to extend the yard to the front of the house, creating a whole new space with endless possibilities.

Sinnott, however, puts her foot down.

That's going to be her Zen garden – no trains allowed.

Training Day

Bring dad, grandpa and the whole family to see a display of garden railroads at Historic Stewart Farm, 13723 Crescent Rd., on Father's Day, June 21 from noon to 4 p.m.

Local members of the Greater Vancouver Garden Railway Club are brining model trains from their backyards and gardens to display on the site.

Visitors can sample lemonade or hand-churned ice cream, and treat dad to coffee and cookies.

Make a train theme craft, and tour the restored 1894 farmhouse with costumed guides.

In Stewart Hall, an HO-scale train display will be available for viewing.

All ages are welcome, and admission is by donation.

For more information, call 604-592-6956 or visit www.heritage.surrey.ca