German RailwaysLeave a comment

A short trip on BR 52 4867

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The Eisenbahn Museum (railway museum) of Darmstadt organised a special trip between Bad Homburg, where I lived and a small town about 45 minutes north called Usingen. I must admit the Germans love their trains (and any machines for a fact). This WWII steam locomotive BR (Baureihe, Class) 52 4867 is well-maintained. First 3 photos showed BR52 running tender first. The return trip to Bad Homburg with the head first. Watch my video showing how the loco made a turnaround and coupled for our return trip from Usingen Bf (Bf: Bahnhof, railway station) and between Friedrichdorf Bf to Bad Homburg Bf. Continue reading A short trip on BR 52 4867

Layout PlanningLeave a comment

NEM Standards for N-scale Modellers

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Looking for the N-scale measurements of various NEM (Normen Europäischer Modellbahnen) standards? I made JPG files of them here. Feel free to download and refer. Note: depending whether you are using code 55 or code 80 tracks, with or without cork roadbed and extra under-layers, these measurements below are always from the top of the rail. So if you have a 3mm cork on your plywood base, and using code 55 PECO tracks (3,1mm), you can add 6,1mm to these height measurements (if you are measuring from the plywood base) SO: Schienenoberkante (top of rail) NEM102 defines the clearance (loading … Continue reading NEM Standards for N-scale Modellers

German Railways, Layout PlanningLeave a comment

Deciphering Oliver’s HO-scale Neustadt Layout

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While commuting to and from work, I had the time to read thoroughly, and repeatedly Oliver Bachmeier’s Neustadt HO-scale layout. I read his descriptions of his layout building as well as analysed closely the track plans and photos to decipher some missing information. The more I read and analysed his layout, the more I like his layout. Overall, his layout is based on 2 oval tracks on a 3.3m by 1.5m base. However, the beauty of his layout is compounded by the presence of a helix and a staging yard below the top main layers. In fact, there are 3 … Continue reading Deciphering Oliver’s HO-scale Neustadt Layout

German Railways, Layout Planning, Planning BookLeave a comment

Adopt and Adapt in Model Railway Building

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Have you ever had the feeling that you wanted to incorporate many things into your model railway after looking at those wonderful, impressive, realistic models at shows, Youtube and magazines? Or, even to incorporate many things in real-life. Well I do. And sometimes, I just have to be realistic with space and effort. Let’s talk about space before talking about effort. For many years I had this book “Shelf Layouts for Model Railroads” by Ian Rice (published by Kalmbach Books). In Malaysia, I had a train room (but never got to build one). Now that I am in Germany and … Continue reading Adopt and Adapt in Model Railway Building

BenchworkLeave a comment

IKEA IVAR Shelf Layout

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This is my first post for 2012, which means I better start doing something about my layout. I have a small apartment here and have to be realistic with the available space. I found the IKEA IVAR shelf which I think, makes a suitable N-scale layout. This frame is actually the side frame of the IVAR shelf system. It comes in 3 heights – 124cm, 179cm and 226cm and 2 widths – 30cm and 50cm. The above is 226cm high and 50cm wide. I got 2 of these frames to make a 226cm by 100cm layout (if arranged as below) … Continue reading IKEA IVAR Shelf Layout

German Railways, GreetingsLeave a comment

Alles gute zum 176. Geburtstag, deutschen Eisenbahnen!

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Today, 7th December marked the 176th Anniversary of German Railways. The first commercial railway, powered by British-built Der Adler (“The Eagle”), started from Nuremberg to Fürth, a distance of 6 kilometers, signalled the beginning of railway undertakings in Germany. Soon the railway began to expand with other states established their own railway and were consolidated in 1924 with the formation of the Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft (DRG). From Der Adler to ICE, German railways is still growing with new high speed lines being built and foreign and private operators entering the German rail passenger and freight markets. There are over 500 … Continue reading Alles gute zum 176. Geburtstag, deutschen Eisenbahnen!

Product Review2 Comments

Peco Streamline Universal Fine Turnouts

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Most N-scale manufacturers produced their own commercial ready-to-run N-scale tracks and turnouts but none came close to the quality produced by a few manufacturers such as Atlas, Fleischmann and Peco. As for the handlaid versions, Canadian Fast Tracks makes quality ones that worth the investment. Recently I bought all the Peco Streamline Universal Fine (N-scale code 55) turnouts and tracks that are available in the market. I am impressed with their quality and look forward to run them on my layout. I could not find a 1:1 Peco turnout template despite claimed to be sold or available online. Nonetheless, it … Continue reading Peco Streamline Universal Fine Turnouts

Planning BookLeave a comment

All-in-one for German N-scale Modelling

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I was thinking whether there is a book out there that details all the standards, rolling stocks, tracks, signals, list and comparison of manufacturers and just about anything related to N-scale. And, YES there is. I found it at Modellbau Süd in Stuttgart last Saturday. Published by Alba Publication, the Modellbahn Handbuch Spur N (Model Railway Handbook N-scale) describes the history of N-scale which was pioneered by German company Arnold Rapido (now part of Hornby International) and others, the various systems – tracks, turnouts, overhead cantenary, rolling stocks – locos, wagons, passenger cars of both German origin as well as … Continue reading All-in-one for German N-scale Modelling

Layout PlanningLeave a comment

Ideas Worth Noting

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I got myself an Idea booklet to jot down my ideas and observations. Always good to put down on paper what you have in mind rather than store in memory. There is so much to think about each day; so better to have it in black and white. I had one when I did Rosenberg Meet a few years back but never got to execute that layout. But it made good sense to check what I had written and see if I could use them for germaN160 layout. Hope you keep one too. Continue reading Ideas Worth Noting