The Fairplex Garden Railroad is considered the oldest and possibly the largest miniature railroad of its kind in the United States and possibly the world. The railroad began as a special static exhibit for the third Los Angeles Fair in 1924. It soon became a small, hand built, operating miniature train, in true 1/2 inch scale. The small railroad continued to grow and in 1935, moved out of the Fair's tent to its present 100X300-foot outdoor location where it remains today. In May of 1997, with the help of members of a local garden railroad club, the original 1/2 inch scale was replaced with what is referred to today as G gauge in the hobby of model railroading, and renovation of the miniature railroad began.