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Hop aboard the Lake Town and Shire Railroad - Lord of the Rings news - J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

November 09, 2000 at 12:35:44

That's right. Railroads in Middle-earth! And why not? It's all fantasy, and if some people can have green-skinned Orcs, plate-armored Orcs, and pointy-eared Elves, then railroad hobbyists can have rails in Middle-earth.

It takes a lot of work to lay track from Hobbiton to Lake Town. Fortunately, the Dwarves have reoccupied Moria and they lent a hand. Still, Lake Town and Shire Railroad has quite a story to tell about setting up the Shire, the Misty Mountains, Mirkwood, and the Long Lake.

Hobbyists with time and resources can build their own little theme park in their back yard or garage (although this one is not so little, measuring 41 feet long by 27 feet wide). Donald Nute, the Web site owner, explains how he and his wife designed and built the model railroad. The site also includes a little fan fiction to go along with the magic of the railroad, and there is a picture gallery to show you the end result.