Newsletter of the
PORT ELIZABETH MODEL RAILROAD CLUB Every gauge welcome!
February 2022
With frost on the ground and smoke clinging to the mountainside, SAR 4-8-4 Class 25NC #3472 recreates the golden age of steam on the Bethlehem-Bloemfontein line at Slabberts on 27 May 2006.
IN THIS ISSUE: PEMRC Calendar
Committee 2022
Annual General Meeting 2022
LNER Class 43 HST Farewell Tour™ Train Pack
Tips for a successful gathering
THE NORTH STAR CHRONICLES report on Knysna layouts 5 DIY Urban Buildings
Vespasienne
Track plans
Steam over Cumbres SAR MODEL
Gallery
PEMRC Layout Visit
PEMRC Workshops
PEMLS Event
PEMRC CALENDAR Date
Time
Sun
Feb
6
2022
12-13
12
26
Feb 2022 Feb 2022 Feb 2022
Sun
March
6
2022
12
19-20
26
15-18
March 2022 March 2022 March 2022 April 2022
9-13
Detail PEMLS Public running day P E Model Locomotive Society Londt Park, Sunridge Park The Festival of British Railway Modelling 2022
All day
at Doncaster Racecourse The exhibits will feature N, OO, EM, O, 3MM, P4 and more.
tba
9:00
9-13
tba
PEMRC Layout visit at: ………………………… Workshop at Mike van Zyl 13 Lionel Rd, Walmer Downs PEMLS Public running day P E Model Locomotive Society Londt Park, Sunridge Park PEMRC Layout visit at: …………………………….. The London Festival of Railway Modelling
All day
9:00
All day
Alexandra palace, London, UK 40 working layouts hand-picked by the Model Railway Club All major gauges and scales catered for Workshop at Mike van Zyl 13 Lionel Rd, Walmer Downs Sandstone Easter 2022 Festival of Steam Trains www.sandstone-estates.com
COMMITTEE 2022: Chairman:
Mike Smout
ma.smout@mweb.co.za
082 801 1347
Treasurer:
Attie Terblanche
terblalc@telkomsa.net
082 532 3670
Clubhouse: JP Kruger
juanpierrekruger@gmail.com
082 321 2233
Editor:
pemrailroadclub@gmail.com
082 739 7679
Workshop’ & Shop: Mike van Zyl
carpencab@gmail.com
073 374 3280
Layout visits: Graham Chapman
chapman22@telkomsa.net
072 103 4625
Library:
Roel van Oudheusden
Pierre van Loggerenberg pierrevanloggerenberg3@gmail.com
084 802 3831
Subscriptions for 2022 are R500 for the year. EFT is preferred, but the Treasurer may accept cash. Bank account: FNB Walmer Park, branch code 211417, Account no. 62386122057
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2022 The AGM of the Port Elizabeth Model Railroad Club was held on Saturday 22 January 2022 at 10am at the residence of Roel van Oudheusden. The full Minutes are included as a separate attachment to the email used to distribute this newsletter to members. This is an abridged version: Agenda: Present: A record of 14 members were present: Roel van Oudheusden; Antonie Wentzel; Mike Smout; Graham Chapman; Mark Viviers; Mike Smith; Mike Parsons; Albert Brown; JP Kruger; Mike van Zyl; Amie van Rooyen; Carel van Loggerenberg; Pierre van Loggerenberg; Attie Terblanche. Chairman’s Report (attached) Treasurer’s Report (attached) . Shop Report. There has been no activity in the shop. Shop report given by Graham Chapman. Shop has not operated the past year as the Club was also not functioning; said he should not have volunteered as he does not have necessary expertise. Mike Smith suggested bringing dead stock to meetings to help get rid of it. Last sale of R105 was in February 2021; only now accounted for to the Treasurer. From March 2021 – present, there have been no more sales. Brought the records etc. from the shop. Suggested that stock should be sorted – what can be given away, what still has value to reduce storage. Success of shop depends on having a space like a clubhouse, or a regular meeting spot. Mike van Zyl says his place is available again one Saturday per month, beginning last Saturday of February. Volunteered to run the shop on behalf of the Club, on that Saturday on invitation basis. Members welcomed the suggestion. Him plus one or two members will go through stock items, keep high quality stock and get rid of scrap. Club House. Mike Smout: we are no longer running trains at meetings, despite having a layout. Mike van Zyl suggested at a previous meeting that all members bring something to discuss as a topic. Mike Smout asked that the layout be set up, out and working. Club held together by Roel’s superb newsletter. Should look for a 6 / 12 month lease where layout can be set up until a clubhouse can be found. Meeting at the layout will attract more members. Knysna Waterfront has a layout under glass so it can’t be touched. Owner owns the building, so does not have same costs that our club would have.
Members agreed that an affordable temporary option should be investigated. Roel would follow up with the Moffatt on Main shopping Centre. Humerail is out as it is commercial property, although empty and very expensive. JP: Progress on Club House: Covid put a big spanner in the works. Discussed where exactly building would be placed. Site has been moved back to where the storage sheds are for the carriages other side of the fence. It is a good location for accessibility for general public, to the restrooms, safety. General location is much better than what was originally specified.
Architects have done all
documentation, Monday morning final measurements will be done for submission. Back-log of planning office is crazy, council has not met for last 2 years to approve plans. Some have built with the premise that it will be approved afterwards. Council has to approve this building as it is not just a clubhouse, but also a space where general public will be coming through and it is on Council property leased by PEMLS. The latter has to resubmit their plans for the ablution alterations since 12 month has passed and the approval has lapsed. Architects have been paid by JP by doing work for them. Waiting for submission fees to be advised (about R10 000 – R11 000). Plans will be submitted to Council by Tuesday 25.1.2022. It’s been a blessing that nothing went through before Covid. Much trickier with council property. The PEMLS get portable toilets on their open days so ways exist to get around it for now. Council reassessing all council property at the moment. Impossible to predict timeline, but highly doubtful that approval will happen before July. Members thanked JP for all the huge work around the architects. Eventual building costs difficult to determine, looks like reserves has shortage of around 40% to do project. Mike Smout suggested building 2 thirds of it which would still be functional. What can be done to raise more funds? Next year is PEMLS’ 60th anniversary, planning on having national steams over Easter weekend 2023. Could have a marquee up and get the current layout running if club house not built by then. Four security guards on a rotational basis will be arranged. PEMLS is the lessee of the Londt Park site and the application will be in their name. The individual PEMRC members have to become associate members of the PE Model Loco Society and the rate is R100 p.a. Election of the Club Committee for 2022. Chairman:
Mike Smout
Treasurer:
Attie Terblanche
Clubhouse:
JP Kruger
Editor:
Roel van Oudheusden
Shop & Workshops: Mike van Zyl Layout convenor:
Graham Chapman
Librarian
Pierre van Loggerenberg. The about 400 books are stored in boxes at his place. The library cannot function without a permanent venue. Pierre will act as custodian till then.
Subscriptions for 2022. Subscriptions have to be increased substantially since @ R300 pa = R25pm. JP proposed it is raised to R500 per year seconded by Mike Smout and others. Roel suggested that fees go to R400, plus R100 Associate membership fee of the PEMLS. Payments can be split to two tranches. Layout visits 2022. Graham will arrange. Mike van Zyl asked to be exempted from this and that there must be liaison so it does not clash with the last Saturday of the month. Member layout visits are usually the second Saturday monthly but is not cast in stone and can also be either morning or afternoon which ever suits the member. The Editor needs to be informed at least a month in advance in order to publish the date in the newsletter. GENERAL: Members want a regular update in the newsletter of the progress with the Club House, preferably monthly basis, or as and when there is news. Meeting closed at 11:13. A big thank you to Linda van Oudheusden who took the minutes and photographs!
Contact Chris Lourens: chris.modelscenic@gmail.com
The 2022 attendees - Left to right and top to bottom: Mike Smout (new chairman), Roel van Oudheusden (Editor, Pierre van Loggerenberg (Librarian), Antonie Wentzel, Carel van Loggerenberg, Graham Chapman (Layout visits), Mike van Zyl (Shop & Workshops), Mark Viviers, JP Kruger (Club House), Albert Brown, Mike Parsons, Attie Terblanche (Treasurer), Mike Smith, kneeling in discussion with Attie and inserted portrait is Amie van Rooyen. Scribe and photographer: Linda van Oudheusden
CLASS 43 High Speed Train (HST), THE LNER FAREWELL TOUR™ TRAIN PACK by HORNBY
Officially the fastest diesel trains in the world, the High-Speed Trains were introduced by British Rail in 1976, operating 125mph (200kph) services on the Great Western Main Line and the East Coast Main Line before being introduced to other lines later. When originally built by BREL at Crewe Works, the InterCity 125 units consisting of a pair of Class 43 power units and a rake of Mk3 coaches, were considered to be diesel multiple units and allocated as Class 253 to the Western Region and Class 254 for the Eastern Region, as it was envisaged that the sets would remain in fixed formation. The original Inter-City 125 livery of yellow wraparound ends, with the Rail Blue design being cut diagonally with grey towards the back of the loco, lasted into the early 1980s. After an iconic life of service on the East Coast Main Line, LNER removed its Inter-City 125s from service at the end of 2019. To celebrate LNER announced a farewell rail tour using power cars 43206 and 43312 along with 7 Mk3 coaches. The entire train was repainted in the original blue and yellow livery and
the
tour
lasted
for
four
days.
https://youtu.be/XDiCJILUJus In-order to allow running at 125 mph on Britain's Victorian era railways, new rolling stock was needed by British Railways. Significant improvements over the Mk2 included new secondary air suspension between the bogies and the coach body as well as aerodynamic skirting on the underframe. Mk3 coaches are 75ft (23m) long, enabling far greater capacity than older coaches. Mk3 coaches also incorporate disk brakes and wheel slip protection enabling faster deceleration. The first Mk3 coaches to be delivered were used as part of the HST prototype along with the two Class 41 diesel power cars in 1972. Mk3 coaches entered service in 1975 along with the Class 43 forming the iconic InterCity 125 trainset. After the HST Mk3 coach variant was introduced, further Mk3 coaches were introduced to the West Coast Mainline
for use as part of locomotive hauled trains. Whilst Mk3 stock is standard for HST units, the standard locomotive hauled stock is Mk3a. Mk3a stock differs from Mk3 stock due to the inclusion of buffers as well as a different electrical system that uses motor generator units in each coach to power air conditioning and other ancillaries Mk3a stock was built until 1984, before 3B stock with improved seating and lighting was built from 1985 to 1988. LNER (BR), Mk3 Trailer First Open (TFO) (Farewell Tour), Coach M, 41170 LNER (BR), Mk3 Buffet (TRFB) (Farewell Tour), Coach J, 40720 LNER (BR), Mk3 Trailer Standard Open (TSO) (Farewell Tour), Coach E, 42242 LNER (BR), Mk3 Trailer Standard Disabled (TSD) (Farewell Tour), Coach F, 42363 LNER (BR), Mk3 Trailer Guard Standard (TGS) (Farewell Tour), Coach B, 44098 End of the Line - A HST Story by East Midlands Railway https://youtu.be/rRWtvMFSYX4 “For colleagues right across EMR, our HSTs are so much more than just trains – they’re part of the railway family. In celebrating their legacy following their retirement from the Midland Main Line on Saturday 15th May 2021, we teamed up with AV IT Media to produce a special EMR documentary, featuring some of our people, as an opportunity to share their fond memories of these iconic
trains
through
the
years. A huge thank you to our EMR colleagues who volunteered to feature as part of this documentary, alongside those who provided photos and historical video footage of our HSTs through the years. A final thank you goes to our partners at AV IT Media who have gone above and beyond to produce such a fantastic documentary and a fitting end for these iconic trains”.
TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR A SUCCESSFUL GATHERING by Jerry Dziedzic Seven operating session tips will help model railroaders step back from, or maybe step into, their layout by sharing the experience with others. For starters, operation gives a model railroad purpose. A layout compares with a theater’s stage, its props the scenery and rolling stock. In an operating session, this stage springs to life, re-creating the past or present glory of the railroading that inspired the layout’s creation. Perhaps you’ve begun operation and are considering hosting visitors. Here are some suggestions to have a successful operation session. Start small. Invite friends familiar enough with your operating scheme that they grasp what you want to accomplish. Walk through each job that expresses your vision for the layout, from a brace of GP40-2s leading a fast freight to a branch line local plodding behind a 2-8-0 steam locomotive. How many cars does the train handle? Which yards or towns does it work? Test it. Run each job through its paces. Does the locomotive operate smoothly? Is the trackage reliable so movements are free from derailment? Do the cars couple and uncouple easily? Is the work easily seen and performed? How much time does the job require? Starting small and testing helps work out the bugs. Script it. Prepare short descriptions or job briefs. Spell out where each train originates and where it ties up. Which locomotive is assigned and how is it addressed? Which yards and industries does the train serve? Make this information fit on a shirt-pocket-size card in readily legible print. Visitors appreciate good documentation. Line up. Assemble a line-up, or operating plan. List all the jobs an operating session includes, shown in the order they will be filled. This need not be a rigid schedule, but it should anticipate the duration of each job. For example, a single crew could handle two consecutive 90-minute jobs in a 3-hour session. Clean it. Poor conductivity will defeat the best-laid track. Wheel and track cleaning technique varies widely. Use your method of choice to tune up the layout, especially locomotive wheels. It takes very little dirt to interfere with locomotive performance. Tidy up. Make a good impression with a neat layout room. Even a completed, fully scenicked layout is a work in progress, so clear aisles and put away tools and other objects that clutter layout surfaces. House rules. Let visitors know what to expect. Is yours a non-smoking home? Do you allow snacks and beverages in the layout room? Does the layout room have an outside entrance? Do you require use of uncoupling picks? Do
you prefer to handle super detailed equipment personally, including rerailing? Make fire extinguisher locations, escape routes, and other emergency plans well understood. Operating tips conclusion Preparations like these were made for a bright fall weekend on which some nearby layouts, one my own, hosted a small number of out-of-town friends. In advance, we each sent an overview describing a layout’s place and era. Operation ranged from coal drags and milk runs to time freights and double stacks, spanning the post-war period to the 1990s. We offered the guests key jobs, assuring them that local helpers would assist without intruding. Don’t we all strive to make a layout so convincing that a visitor feels he becomes a participant, not a witness? People put the drama of operation into railroading, no matter which the era or the scale. They make machines and physical plant come alive. Engineers, conductors, dispatchers, and operators: There’s personality in each role, allowing for plenty of good-natured ribbing, too. This camaraderie makes a session more a symphony than a script, becoming a satisfying experience for all.
Mini World Models Shop online and use this special coupon to claim your unique
PEMRC
member
discount
Thank you to Mike Smout who had forwarded me a copy of THE NORTH STAR CHRONICLES a newsletter primarily for the model railway fraternity edited by David Cairns of the Highway Model Railway Club in Durban. David has granted us permission to reproduce freely from his newsletters and we are now reciprocating. Website for newsletter back copies www.northstarrailway.com The following appeared in the January 2021 issue of The North Star Chronicles: “This month two layouts are featured, both of which were built for display purposes in shopping centres. By coincidence, both layouts are located in Knysna! As an aside, following his retirement to Knysna, Brian Messenger has been compiling a data base of people in the Garden Route area interested in model trains. At present the list stands at 22. Between Sedgefield and Plettenberg Bay there are 9 layouts in varying scales and gauges: N, HO, HOn3 and O scale. British, SAR, American, Rhodesian and continental prototypes are modelled. Reverting to the display layouts, the first is N gauge, only the second to be featured in the North Star Chronicles and the
second is Märklin HO. What is different, however, is that although the first layout belongs to an individual, it was built by the members of an informal group. The Knysna Model Railroaders layout in the Garden Route Centre It is amazing what you can catch when you go fishing! In April last year, following the insertion of an advert in a local newspaper, eight model railroaders got together to form an informal group. The group has no constitution, no rules and there are no subscriptions so does not really fit the requirements to be labelled as a ‘club’. Subsequently, two of the original members moved on but were replaced by two new members. Thus a fishing expedition revealed that there were 10 model railway hobbyists who did not know one another in a small place like Knysna. How many are there in the bigger metropolitan areas who are not being reached? The group was fortunate in that one of the members owned a shopping centre where there was some spare space to accommodate a layout. In addition, the member concerned had a lot of surplus N gauge equipment which in view of the area earmarked for the layout (7.5m x 2.1m) and that it was to be for public display, made the scale/gauge decision an easy one. The glassed off area in the shopping centre. It was decided that the layout would be assembled in a space above the shopping centre in the main road Knysna. Once completed, it would be divided into sections, carried downstairs and re-assembled in the glassed off area.
Initial ‘back of a cigarette box’ draft of the track plan:
The final track plan – photo taken glass
by
editor
through
A “track plan” in a 1 inch to the foot scale was created by one of the members. The layout features three loops which are powered by straight DC. The industrial area may be operated by locos fitted with motion only (no sound) DCC decoders if they can be made to run properly. A trial fit of the baseboards
Track base building has begun It will be noted from the foregoing two photographs that the baseboards are 50mm polystyrene on a plywood base.
The backdrop receiving attention
Above: Getting ready for tracklaying;
Below: Men (and women) at work
The more or less completed layout prior to installation in its permanent location
The layout has been complete and ready for the move to its permanent location for some time. Painting of the impressive backdrop and a delay in fitting the final panels to the top of the glass case held up the move. However, it commenced in the last week in December 2020. Inevitably there was some damage to the scenery which had to be repaired and of course track and electrics had to be joined up.
The layout in its final location with its backdrop. Thanks to Brian Messenger for the photographs.
The Waterfront layout As with many areas and businesses, the Covid 19 pandemic has hit Knysna hard. Following the closure of the wood processing and furniture manufacturing factories, the town has become heavily dependent on tourism. Several of the shops and restaurants on the Waterfront have closed as a result of the Covid lockdown and the centre’s owner was looking around for an attraction to bring visitors to the centre. A Märklin layout which had been fully scenicked came up for sale in Cape Town which he purchased along with several other collections of Märklin equipment from Johannesburg. The next step was to build a 10m x 2.5m display cabinet to house the layout and collections.
Storage drawers below the display cabinet for the electrics.
Brian Messenger (blue T-shirt, Peter Meese, waterfront centre owner, leaning forward and A Another showing how much empty space there is inside the display cabinet for expansion and thus using all the model railway equipment in the plastic containers Even in its unfinished state the layout is doing the job for which it was intended. Nearly every visitor to the centre stops to have a look at what is inside the display case.
This process will continue as the layout is extended to fill the empty space and word spreads about the display. There is just one issue with respect to this display
which
deserves
comment. In contrast to the Garden Route Centre layout which has glass panels as a ‘roof’, the Waterfront layout does not have any form of cover.
I believe this is a mistake – not so much from a security angle as this aspect is catered for with roll up doors to the area concerned.
The
issue
which concerns me is that keeping the display clean and free of dust with an open ‘roof’ is going to be a nightmare.”
The Johannesburg man referred to in David’s article is Rinke Blok from The Modeltrainshop Images of this layout in the Knysna Waterfront Centre were previously distributed
by Antonie
in
the
PEMRC WhatsApp group on 13 September 2021:
To download this special issue of Trains,
click
here,
or
right
click
on
the
cover image to copy or open the link
in
your
browser. You
get
pages
100 with
beautiful images and
lots
history, and more.
of detail
Five urban buildings as DIY card models: The house with its souvenir shop, the transformer, the urinal, the kiosk and the Morris column.
Vespasienne
A pissoir (also known in French as a vespasienne) is a French invention, common in Europe that provides a urinal in public space with a lightweight structure. The availability of pissoirs aims to reduce urination onto buildings, sidewalks, or streets. They can be freestanding and without screening, with partial screening, or fully enclosed. In the spring of 1830, the city government of Paris decided to install the first public urinals on the major boulevards. They were put in place by the summer, but in July of the same year, many were destroyed through their use as materials for street barricades during the French Revolution of 1830.
Sketching with Steve: Finding the best approach for a track plan Even in a small space such as this 9-by-12-foot spare bedroom, a model railroad builder has options. Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of two different design approaches. Finding the best approach for a track plan isn’t always easy. Even if you’re building your layout in a small room, you still have an almost infinite number of choices, decisions, and trade-offs to make. What scale? Around-the-room or island shape? Duck under/gate or walk-in? Staging? And if so, what kind? To illustrate my thought process when planning a layout, I started with a generic 9 x 12-foot spare bedroom with a 2 x 5-foot nook representing a closet with the doors removed. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of two design approaches. My goal was not to model the same line in both plans, or even to include the same features in both. Rather, it was to explore what kind of operating interest I could wedge into a small room using two different track configurations: an around-the-walls loop with an entry gate or duck under, and a dog bone with no obstructions to entry. Would my sketch show one or the other approach to be obviously superior for small rooms? Common factors in both designs:
To make the comparison fair, there were some factors that would have to be the same, most obviously the scale. I chose HO scale because I wanted to test which configuration works better in a small space, and a 9 x 12 room puts far fewer constraints on N scale than it does HO. Second, I wanted continuous operation; when operating a small layout, it’s good to be able to put some laps on the odometer to make the layout feel bigger. I wanted to include staging from which trains could enter the layout in either direction. That way, I would need to fit in only one staging yard to represent both “ends” of the railroad when operating point-to-point. Finally, I adopted an 18” minimum curve radius.
Approach no. 1: The Loop My first effort was the layout I labelled “The Loop.” This plan would rely on a duck under, lift-out, drop-down, or swing gate to provide a continuous operating connection while allowing access to the centre of the room. Its placement would be determined by the sweep of the door into the room. So the first feature I placed was a curved, stub-ended staging yard in the closet. In order to have the yard serve both ends of the layout, I needed to place a wye at the yard throat. I quickly realized I couldn’t do that without severely abbreviating the yard, so I incorporated the yard ladder into one leg of the wye. Adding a drill track will let trains in any
yard track back into the wye to cross the bridge. I used 18-inch curves to make the wye as small as I could, I was still disheartened about how much space it took up in the room. I adapted the best I could by placing some industries on the other side of a backdrop from the wye, like the oil terminal. The main line curves along the backdrop, paralleling one leg of the wye until it joins it to cross the bridge. The other exit from the wye emerges between some city buildings to join the main line farther up, limiting the number of turnouts I could place for spurs or passing tracks. In order to access the top-left corner of the room, I branched the track to the power plant off the line from staging rather than off the main – not ideal. If I were building this plan, I would join the mine branch to the main by crossing the staging lead on a diamond. Placing the power plant immediately gave me the idea of making it a loads in-empties out arrangement with a coal mine in the opposite corner of the layout. In a layout this small, most freight would realistically originate from or terminate in staging, so a loads in-empties out arrangement adds some nice operating variety. Layers of low-profile buildings behind the power plant provides the feeling of a large city in a small space. The next town along the line is rather close to the city scene. In order to keep it from feeling too close, I put a river traversed with a stone arch bridge between them for a visual break. I also placed a depot in the town, but no industries, and no depot in the industrial city. That way, neither a freight nor a passenger train should stop in both locations. Leaving room for the door to open means the shelf on the room’s only long, unbroken wall is only 9 1/2 feet long, which is unfortunate for my plans of putting a working yard there. If I include a narrow industry between the main line at the back of the shelf and the yard, that leaves room for only a short three-track yard. Since an industry spur wouldn’t branch off a classification track, I put an engine house on the switchback. A longer yard and a drill track would be nice, but there’s just not enough length. Approach no. 2: The Dog bone Now let’s look at the plan on the right, “The Dog bone.” To avoid a duck under or gate, this layout would need two turn back loops to provide the continuous operation option. The only way I could see to accomplish this was to put one of the loops into the closet. I tucked three long staging tracks inside the loop and put a double crossover at its throat so it could serve both “ends” of the main line. If I placed the other loop as close to the door as I could, that didn’t leave a lot of room between the loops for industries. I could have put a stub-ended classification yard there, but I wanted more operating variety. A car float that can be fiddled during the operating session provides another source and destination for freight cars. Trains can originate from staging, transit the main line, and terminate at the car float or its small adjacent yard. That operational scheme appealed to me. Since the main line would be passing through each scene twice, I decided to stagger stations so as to place them as far from each other as possible. Elevating the track along the back of the shelf on the left let me cross it over the main on the right so its spurs and structures could be in front on that side.
I wrapped a passing track around the outside of the turn back loop on the right side, which also gave me a good place to attach industry spurs. There’s plenty of room inside the loop for industries or a short yard. Since access to the back side of the loop would be difficult, I decided to put a town scene on an emergency lift-out structure and keep my industries to the front of the loop. A narrow three-track shelf behind the door can serve as fiddle staging or perhaps represent an interchange. Finding the best approach for a track plan So, which approach is the winner here? Though I’m not really happy with the lack of a large classification yard on the Dog bone, I think it has fewer compromises and more visual interest than the Loop. It has a longer main line with more distance between stations than the Loop, and the Dog bone’s three depots add the option of local passenger service the Loop lacks. What other mainline configurations could fit in this size room? A 5 x 8-foot island would fit in the middle but wouldn’t take very good advantage of the space. At the other extreme, a helix in the closet could link two or three scenicked decks with a large lower staging yard. And N scale would open up even more options. There are almost endless possibilities, even in a spare bedroom. Break out your graph paper and sketch out all your ideas before settling on one.
Ideas and inspiration are a click away in
Modeller’s
Interchange! This picture is not related to the article above but of an around the room layout in N scale with a peninsula and a duck under: This image by Adam Bunkelman of his model railroad won the Walthers recent Facebook layout photo contest. Adam and his dad have spent 26 years building this impressive pike. You can view the original post here
SARMODEL was established in 1996 as the very first website on the internet that was dedicated solely to modelling Southern African railways. Since then, we have extended from a purely informational site to providing our many designs via Shapeways, to establishing a 3D printing farm and producing our designs in-house. Already well known for our extremely detailed and accurate bogies, we extend the same design philosophy to all of our models within the constraints of scale. Our 3D designs are produced from factory engineering drawings, by a modeller, for other modellers; you won't find any toy trains here! Our models are all 3D printed using state of the art high resolution UV resin printers. They will require minor sanding where the supports have been removed. The models are printed to order, so there may be a few days delay before your order is shipped Our pricing is in New Zealand dollars, aka the South Pacific Peso. It's usually valued at quite considerably less than the US dollar, so don't be frightened. We are able to display an approximate conversion for some of the more common currencies, but this is an approximation only. All billing and payments are in New Zealand Dollars. If you don't see any prices in your currency, Google has a handy currency converter. Please note that we are now able to ship to South Africa via Aramex Courier Services. Shipping to all other worldwide destinations is available at this time via Aramex and NZ Post. For a shipping quote, please create an account with a valid address, log in and add items you want into your cart. The shipping options and costs will automatically display. Some of the many Products available on the website RR TPN-2 Petrol Tanker
Add correct interior detail to your Lima passenger carriages. Note that this kit is for the 2nd Class carriages ONLY. Please see the Lima C-36 Interior Detail Kit for 1st Class carriages
South African Railways – Spoornet HO scale Commonwealth 2286 Blue Train bogie in 16.5mm or 12mm gauge
Justin Wood (PEMLS) starting his New Year attending to the “Apple Express” on Sunday 2 January 2022 at Londt Park (Photo by Alan Todkill)
Dream trains No shipping costs for combined orders of R2000 or more. Shop online and fill your cart, even if less than R2000, then contact PEMRC Graham Chapman, to combine your order with fellow club members and all will save.
GALLERY A Union Pacific turbine on the turntable at the Green River roundhouse on Hilton Glavish’s HO scale layout. Beyond the Green River in the distance, another turbine pulls a reefer train bound for Ogden, Utah. The backdrop and the water are both painted with oil paints on medium density fibreboard. © Hilton Glavish
There’s not much of a better way to take in the stunning scenery of remote British Columbia than riding the back of a caboose with a cup of coffee in hand. Mike May’s HOn3 White Pass & Yukon layout depicts a railroad that lasted a few years longer than its prototype. © Mike May
Extra 1610 west has completed its coaling stop at Thurmond, W.Va., on Ted Pamperin’s New River Subdivision, en route to a classified military destination. Since the layout is set during World War II, military bridge traffic is a frequent sight on the HO scale layout. © Paul Dolkos
Clinchfield unit coal and reefer trains pass at the McClure, Va., paper mill on the upper deck of the Blissfield Model Railroad Club’s HO scale layout in Blissfield, Mich. The club members designed the multi-deck model railroad for prototypical operations. © Jeff Watts
As larger railroads started retiring steam locomotives in the 1950s, some found new homes on logging lines in the Pacific Northwest. One of those survivors, 2-8-2 Mikado no. 49, lugs a mile-long log train over Salmon Creek trestle on Tyler Whitcomb’s N scale Tenino Western. © Tyler Whitcomb
Streetcars circle past the iconic Fisherman’s Wharf sign while tourists stroll the San Francisco tourist attraction on Harvey Simon’s HO scale San Francisco F Line traction layout. The trolley line, first seen in the July 2018 issue of Model Railroader, has now reached its destination, passing many recognizable San Francisco landmarks along the way. © Harvey Simon
© Jim Kleeman
it pauses at dawn in Granger, Wyoming. Taken on 6 May 2019
A crew member admires the Famous Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 #4014 “Big Boy” as