NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2019 In this issue: The Great Model Railway Challenge 2 Final PEMRC Calendar Recent layout visit NMRA Gage Large Public layouts - Mini World, Lyon Club Library – Track Plans Famous Trains - BR 18 201 Montparnasse accident Bucket list or...? Committee
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PEMRC NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER 2019 # 8/2019
THE GREAT MODEL RAILWAY CHALLENGE Season 2 - 2019 This season’s episodes, except the final results, can be seen here. Do view them in sequence to keep you guessing as to the winners of each round and ultimately the champions! We plan to screen the final episode at a suitable date and venue, details to follow!
PEMRC CALENDAR: December no layout visit 14 December Bring & Braai Social 18
January 2020
Annual Meeting
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February 2020
tba
The HUB at Cheshire 17:00 Village, Summerstrand
General 18 Mowbray Newton Park
Street,
10:00
082 801 1347 041 365 3456
The festive season banner was created with the help of Hylary Smith’s waggons.
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LAYOUT VISIT ON 9 NOVEMBER AT GRAHAM CHAPMAN – HO (DIGITAL): His tree making skills are exemplary. The continuous track has some interesting and unexpected features.
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Thank you Antonie for the images.
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National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) Standards (USA) Recommended Practice #2 updated July 2019 Chairman Mike told me about these and I saw one at JP’s when we visited there recently:
Now, do you know what they are but more importantly, how to use it? To be sure, download the detailed guide from https://www.nmra.org/rp-2-standards-gage This GAGE, shown in two Types, checks the following STANDARDS: Dimensions G, C, S, F, H, and P STANDARD S-3 Dimensions K B, N, and D STANDARD S-4 The Type I GAGE also checks the following: Dimensions A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and P STANDARD RP-7
Note: For Help with NMRA Gage letter definitions and the AAR Plate diagrams on which it's based see: Standard RP-7 5
1. TRACK marks the side of the gage used for checking Track Gage through all track work, including turnouts and other special work. Apply light pressure in the direction of the arrow. See figures A, B and C for interpretation of results. (Note that the prongs of the Gage must clear spikes.) 2. FLANGEWAYS, spacing of Guard Rails, Wing Rails and Frogs are checked with this side of the Gage. Apply light side pressure toward the Frog and against the Guard Rail (see arrow). See figures A, B and C for interpretation of results. Gage prongs must clear all obstructions below the rail head as in figure D. Use NO-GO prong of Gage to check Flangeway width at the Frog in figures E and F. 3. POINTS are checked against excessive Spread by applying light side pressure against the Gage side of the closed switch point rail as shown by the arrow. The opposite prong on the GAGE dropping fully into the gap between the open switch point rail and the adjacent stock rail ensures adequate Electrical Spread, while dropping only to the step on the inside of the prong shows adequate Mechanical Spread. Clearance of the outside of the prong checks Track Gage. Make this check along the entire length of the switch point rail. 4. WHEELS are checked by applying light side pressure in the direction of the arrow. Each wheel must be checked - reverse the direction of pressure and check the other wheel. See figures A, B, C and D for interpretation of results. Use the wide NO-GO slot to check Tire Width as in E and F. 5. CLEARANCE may be checked only with the Type I GAGE in the position of 1.B., seeing that no obstruction interferes with passage of the GAGE along the track. CAUTION: This check is valid only for tangent track and curves of very wide radius. Refer to NMRA STANDARD RP-7 for increased Clearances in sharper curvatures. 6. COUPLER HEIGHT is checked by mounting a coupler of your choice in the centre of the slot and matching all other couplers to this height when the GAGE is in the position of 1.B. above.
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LARGE PUBLIC LAYOUTS MINI WORLD LYON, VAULX-EN-VELIN, LYON, FRANCE Built entirely indoors over more than 3,000 m², Mini World Lyon is the largest animated miniature park in France! 70,000 hours of work were needed to make the first 3 worlds (city, mountain, countryside). The 4th, dedicated to the city of Lyon and its Miniature Festival of Lights, awaits you with spectacular scenography to make you (re) discover the highlights of the City of Lyon! You can view it here in Google Street view: https://www.google.com/maps/
30,000 inhabitants, hundreds of vehicles, 150 trains, 4,000 animals and all that is only in 2500 square meters. On a Sunday during spring 2012, Richard Richarté, who is the CEO of Mini World Lyon, was tidying-up his garage. He found an old model kit to be built and asked his daughter to help him. She accepted. By building the scale model and seeing his daughter’s enthusiasm, an idea began to emerge in his head. He then did some research on the Internet and found a video from Miniatur Wunderland. The next week-end, he went to Hamburg to visit the park. He was totally amazed by what he saw, and was starryeyed. He quickly realised that the animated miniature park concept did not exist in France. By talking about it to the others, he was quickly convinced of the concept success. He created the Company in June 2013 and started the necessary recruitments to get a dedicated team with multiple skills. He wanted to work as much as possible with local stakeholders and show the French flair. A new challenge was presented in 2017 to reproduce the city of Lyon in miniature, with lots of detail, magic and humour, to amaze even more the public of Mini World. The enlarged Mini Lyon opened to the public in December 2018 and includes its Mini Festival of Lights igniting the facades of mini buildings emblematic of the city and a spectacular scenography designed especially for it. 7
CLUB LIBRARY - TRACK PLANS Last month you only had half a view of the layout since the concept of the building was of more interest. Here is the total view of the layout #94 in the book “101 Track Plans for Model Railroaders. Rather rotate the view than strain your neck! (Ctrl+Shift+Plus)
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Track plans continued For those with limited space or to try something new:
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FAMOUS LOCOMOTIVE - German BR 18 201 The German express locomotive, number 18 201 of the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany, appeared in 1960–61 at Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works as a conversion of the Henschel-Wegmann train locomotive 61 002, the tender from 44 468 and parts of H 45 024 and Class 41. In 2018 it was the fastest operational steam locomotive in the world. The motivation for the conversion was a.o. that he research institute at VES-M Halle urgently needed locomotives that could do at least 160 km/h in order to test passenger coaches. For the conversion a DR Class 22 new-design boiler, parts of the unsuccessful high pressure locomotive, H 45 024, (outside cylinders, trailing wheels and rear section of the locomotive frame) as well as the tender of locomotive 44 468 were used. The inside cylinder of the three-cylinder engine was not however taken from 61 002, rather a new one was made. Other technical improvements were a Riggenbach counter-pressure brake and a Giesl ejector. The locomotive was streamlined at the front and over the boiler fittings.
In 1967 number 18 201 was converted to oil-firing. On 11 October 1972 during a trial run it attained a top speed of 182.4 km/h or 113.3 mph. As a result, it is the fastest, operational steam locomotive in the world, and also holds the world record for the biggest driving wheels (2.30 m in diameter) ever to be fitted to an engine with a 4-6-2 wheel arrangement. After expiration of the frame and vessel licences end of 2018 the title of "fastest steam locomotive ready-to-run" is actually vacant. Technical data of the 18 201 after conversion to oil burner (1967) Wheel arrangement: 2’C1’h3 Track gauge: 1435 mm (4ft 8½ inches) Top Speed forwards/reverse: 180/80 km/h Service weight incl. tender: 172MT (2/3 supply) Length over buffers: 25.145 m (82 ft 6 in) Axle load: 20.8MT Driving wheel diameter: 2.30m Number of cylinders: 3 Super heater area: 83.8m² Water capacity: 34000 litre Fuel: 13500 litre 10
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THE “FAMOUS” TRAIN ACCIDENT PHOTOGRAPH: More than a century later, prints and posters of the definitive photo of the wreckage still sell the world over. In 1991. When the Granville-to-Paris Express left Granville at 8:45 am on the morning of 22 October 1895, there was no reason for the crew and 131 passengers aboard to expect anything but an uneventful trip. After all, the train—consisting of a locomotive and a dozen luggage, postal and passenger cars—departed on time and was being driven by Guillaume-Marie Pellerin, a 19-year railroad man. But as the Granville Express made its seven-hour and tenminute passage, Pellerin found the train running several minutes late. In an attempt to make up time, Pellerin approached Gare Montparnasse in Paris at cruising speed, a decision that would require him to utilize the Westinghouse (air) brake to safely bring the train to a stop. When the Westinghouse brake failed, the locomotive brakes were insufficient, and the resulting accident has been immortalized in one of the most enduring photos in transportation history. However, Pellerin wasn’t the only crewman found to be at fault. Conductor Albert Mariette was pre-occupied by paperwork during the train’s approach to the station and made no attempt to apply the hand brake until just before the Express crashed through the buffer stop. From there, the locomotive ploughed 100 feet across the concourse, through the station wall, and onto the terrace outside before plummeting 30 feet down to the street below. Considering the spectacular scene, fallout from the accident was minimal. Although the locomotive and forward luggage cars were badly damaged all the passenger cars remained inside the station. As a result, only two passengers and three crewmen suffered serious injuries. There was, however, one fatality on the street, as a newspaper vendor’s wife, MarieAugustine Aguilard—standing in for her husband at his newsstand—was struck by a falling 12
piece of the station’s masonry. Both Pellerin and Mariette were fined—50 and 25 francs, respectively—and Pellerin was sentenced to two months in jail. More than just a dubious legacy, the duo’s negligence gives new meaning to the phrase, “The train is leaving the station.” The wreckage remained outside the station for several days and a number of photographs were taken but the one attributed to Studio Lévy and Sons photograph (at the top of the article) has become one of the most famous in transportation history. The photograph, which is now in the public domain, has been used: - As the cover page in the book An Introduction to Error Analysis by John Taylor. - On the album covers for Lean Into It by American rock band Mr. Big - As well as Scrabbling at the Lock by Dutch rock band The Ex with Tom Cora, - And for Warranty Void If Removed by French record producer Leon Inc. - In the comic book The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec. A near-identical train crash in the same location appears - As a dream in the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret and its film adaptation, Hugo. - Gordon's crash at Kirk Ronan in the Thomas & Friends episode "A Better View for Gordon" was inspired by the Montparnasse derailment. - As an imitation, built outside the Mundo a Vapor ("Steam World") museum theme park in Canela, and another one at the Shopping Serra Verde in Caldas Novas, both in Brazil. _______________________________________________________________________
TIME @ SAINT LAZARE TRAIN STATION, PARIS Saint Lazare train station. 4:40pm. Or 9:56. Or 12:10, 14:20 and then 5:55. All at the same time. At least now you know there’s this one place in the world where time sure is on your side… Under the clock sculpture in front of the Gare Saint Lazare in Paris the choice is all yours. It’s a beautiful notion, isn’t it, having all possible time(s) all to yourself? The French artist Arman designed this sculpture in 1985 and named it “L’Heure de Tous” (“Everyone’s Time”) – time for the rich man and time for the poor, time for those in a hurry and for the idle strollers, too… Excuse me, do you have the time? Someone suddenly asks, interrupting random thoughts on the matter of Time.
your
And then you smile to yourself and shoot bluntly: Sure… All the time in the world! 13
The façade od the St Lazare station building has not changed since it was built in 1837, but the technology of transport which uses it, has changed tremendously.
Claude Monet – Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare Saint Lazare - 1877
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Your Bucket List or next PEMRC Outing?... No video can do justice to the spectacle that was Stars of
Sandstone 2019, but this video makes the attempt! Ron Nell of Frameline Productions has put together a magnificent production of the 2019 event. To download, click here (527MB), or copy this link in your browser to view on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjteRU-Xls4, or click on the icon top right to go to the web page of the event. Sandstone Estates (Pty) Ltd is a large commercial agricultural enterprise covering over 7,000 hectares located on the border with Lesotho in South Africa's Eastern Free State province, close to Ficksburg and the Maluti Mountains. It is a hub of transport preservation.
The 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railway runs for some 26 km on the farm. Their collection of 2 ft narrow gauge locomotives and rolling stock is the largest in the world. Besides being an active collection and restoration point, Sandstone also acts as a training college for local young people in the restoration process.
COMMITTEE: Chairman:
Mike Smout
Treasurer:
Attie Terblanche
Clubhouse: Mike Parsons
Email:
ma.smout@mweb.co.za terblalc@telkomsa.net
Tel:
041 365 3456
Layouts:
JP Kruger
juanpierrekruger@gmail.com
Librarian:
Carel van Loggerenberg
annie3@telkomsa.net
Editor:
Roel van Oudheusden
pemrailroadclub@gmail.com
Workshops: Graham Chapman Shop:
Mike Smith
chapman22@telkomsa.net WhatsApp:
078 069 7699
Email:
mwsmi5@iafrica.com
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