[FormerViperDriver]

Well, anyway, to get back to the subject of this thread, I do have quite a lot of train paraphernalia, but it's all in boxes at the moment. I'm afraid the trains will have to wait until I'm fully retired and I have moved to a permanent home back in the US. I intend to have a very large basement...

Most of my stuff is actually German, Fleischman brand (HO and N scale, more HO though), but I'm also the proud owner of an HO-scale Rivarossi "Big Boy" locomotive which is quite impressive. That's the only one I actually display (at the moment anyhow).

FVD

[jim]

Originally Posted by FormerViperDriver

Well, anyway, to get back to the subject of this thread, I do have quite a lot of train paraphernalia, but it's all in boxes at the moment. I'm afraid the trains will have to wait until I'm fully retired and I have moved to a permanent home back in the US. I intend to have a very large basement...

Most of my stuff is actually German, Fleischman brand (HO and N scale, more HO though), but I'm also the proud owner of an HO-scale Rivarossi "Big Boy" locomotive which is quite impressive. That's the only one I actually display (at the moment anyhow).

FVD

Hey i watched a programme on TV about Big Boy, Phew thats an awesome engine. They were using it to pull a building up a hill!!!!!
I was in Goppingen before Christmas , the home of Marklin model trains. I saw an exhibition of their stuff in the local museum. Very nice indeed.

[FormerViperDriver]

Originally Posted by jim

Hey i watched a programme on TV about Big Boy, Phew thats an awesome engine. They were using it to pull a building up a hill!!!!!
I was in Goppingen before Christmas , the home of Marklin model trains. I saw an exhibition of their stuff in the local museum. Very nice indeed.

Yeah, Germany is a good place for model trains. I was in Nuremberg a couple of years ago at the Railroad Museum, and they had this absolutely huge Fleischman layout. Every hour or so, a staff member would come out and run a few trains (like at least 20!) for the visitors' enjoyment. Very impressive. I don't think my future basement will be quite that big, though...

FVD

[jim]

Originally Posted by FormerViperDriver

Yeah, Germany is a good place for model trains. I was in Nuremberg a couple of years ago at the Railroad Museum, and they had this absolutely huge Fleischman layout. Every hour or so, a staff member would come out and run a few trains (like at least 20!) for the visitors' enjoyment. Very impressive. I don't think my future basement will be quite that big, though...

FVD

Germany is a good place for most things. I have friends in Goppingen and Sussen so I go over there every so often and they come over here for Duxford. They took me to Handweide show a couple of times. You should go and see it. Its a great family type show. I got a ride in a Junkers 52. Rumour has it that the Me262 , Fw190 , and Me109 will be flying at this years show. (September)

I didnt have the time to visit but I was told there is a large layout and train museum at the Marklin factory in Goppingen
The Germans seem at last to be getting free of their past and the aviation museums are filling up with some wonderfull stuff from WW11. I hope to go to the Berlin museum later this year and have a look see at all the new exhibits.
FVD enjoy all those many and varied superb sausages and beers while you are there.

[FormerViperDriver]

Originally Posted by jim

Germany is a good place for most things. I have friends in Goppingen and Sussen so I go over there every so often and they come over here for Duxford. They took me to Handweide show a couple of times. You should go and see it. Its a great family type show. I got a ride in a Junkers 52. Rumour has it that the Me262 , Fw190 , and Me109 will be flying at this years show. (September)

I didnt have the time to visit but I was told there is a large layout and train museum at the Marklin factory in Goppingen
The Germans seem at last to be getting free of their past and the aviation museums are filling up with some wonderfull stuff from WW11. I hope to go to the Berlin museum later this year and have a look see at all the new exhibits.
FVD enjoy all those many and varied superb sausages and beers while you are there.

Jim,

I' ve been in Germany a long time, I've had lots of sausage and beer already! I like their wines too, and the schnitzel...
Also, I can go 175 mph on the autobahn legally , although I've done that only a couple of times over the years (too much traffic usually). That in the Corvette, BTW. That's about take-off speed for the F-16.

Hey, I was trying to look up this Handweide place on Via Michelin, and I'm not getting a positive match. Where is this close to (big city-wise)?

FVD

[Alph]

Hi All
I'm glad to see that you are interested in MR. Alot of the German made rolling Stock and Locomotives are very spendy here in the US. Even Bachman "cheap" is now at an all time high. Atlas/Kato all the typical accessories are out of my league. Glad I chose to do this in 79 as it was so cheap then. Now you cant even find the woodland scenics line of rock molds for mountains. There was a time we just went out with some plaster and made our own. I tried the group thing "once" These guys or rather a select few are so anal about things the average viewer would miss. Just being recognized for building a little pike is good enough for me. The above photos are just a small portion of the lay out. I drank alot of beers at that time and became recluse to the point of no return watch out for building model railroads my friends. Even carving has a similar affect as does home renovation restoring cars anything that only you can focus on.
Alph

[jim]

Originally Posted by FormerViperDriver

Jim,

I' ve been in Germany a long time, I've had lots of sausage and beer already! I like their wines too, and the schnitzel...
Also, I can go 175 mph on the autobahn legally , although I've done that only a couple of times over the years (too much traffic usually). That in the Corvette, BTW. That's about take-off speed for the F-16.

Hey, I was trying to look up this Handweide place on Via Michelin, and I'm not getting a positive match. Where is this close to (big city-wise)?

FVD

Hi FVD, Hanweide is an ex glider field from the 1930s. Luftwaffe pilots started their training there. its a small place out in beautifull countryside.
I have emailed my friend for the full address so i will send it to you as soon as he replies. I can tell you that its about 10 minutes flying time to Stuttgart airport in a JU52! !

I envy you all those wonderfull sausages and beers. Burning up the Autobahn in a Corvette is just too cool for words , you lucky devil.

[FormerViperDriver]

Originally Posted by Alph

Hi All
I'm glad to see that you are interested in MR. Alot of the German made rolling Stock and Locomotives are very spendy here in the US. Even Bachman "cheap" is now at an all time high. Atlas/Kato all the typical accessories are out of my league. Glad I chose to do this in 79 as it was so cheap then. Now you cant even find the woodland scenics line of rock molds for mountains. There was a time we just went out with some plaster and made our own. I tried the group thing "once" These guys or rather a select few are so anal about things the average viewer would miss. Just being recognized for building a little pike is good enough for me. The above photos are just a small portion of the lay out. I drank alot of beers at that time and became recluse to the point of no return watch out for building model railroads my friends. Even carving has a similar affect as does home renovation restoring cars anything that only you can focus on.
Alph

Yes, it is really expensive. I bought all my stuff quite a few years ago (over fifteen years for most of it), but even then the German stuff was not cheap.

Plus, one thing I have to consider now is whether I'd upgrade everything to digital control, which is really cool but also costs a bunch.

Well, these days my hobby money goes to diecast airplanes and tanks, so model railroading is dormant for a few more years to come anyway. But some day...

I'm attaching a couple of pictures of a small HO layout my dad built when I was a kid (in the 70s). It also had functional automobiles on the roads (Faller system from back then)... Pictures aren't great, but might be of interest.

FVD

[Alph]

If one is running larger scales to put the modules in, I suppose running the electronics would be fun "only fun" CTC or the ability to run the layout with several trains starts with old fashioned track laying. Switches motorized lighting although I use one light source to shine several lights through fibre optic. I bought select scenery buildings as at the time they were running GP 40's all mine are Arnold. I have a few Kato yard engines for switching. I always liked the scenery from the UK like yours. I am planning a garden RR with G scale All the rolling stock is LGB restored from Bars that went out of business. Once it gets out of hand with cost and technology it's not really fun as I'm not that kind of Electrician. I like your photo!!!!
Alph

[lenswerks]

The photo is out of focus – I built this N scale German layout about 20 years ago and will some day extend it as I have enough structures, trains and neat little items to build it out about 4 times this size. There is a lot of detail here, but can't be seen in the photo.