Press release from 23.01.2025: Introducing the model railroad layouts for Faszination Modellbahn Mannheim 2025!
Track II m (G): Sauerland segment layout + alternate connection point HilMa
The core of the layout is a prototypical roll car layout that demonstrates the transfer of standard gauge freight cars to narrow gauge roll cars.
The motifs are based on the Plettenberg and Hohenlimburger Kleinbahn in the Sauerland region. This includes a small depot with a two-track wooden locomotive shed for the narrow-gauge traction units, behind which the new fiddleyard adjoins as a stabling facility for train compositions.
In addition, another station layout (Elsemühle station) with transfer facilities and some sidings is shown. There is also a sand drying shed and a storage shed of a railroad maintenance depot.
A special eye-catcher is the three-rail turnout with an additional threading out of the meter gauge. The turnouts installed within the elaborately designed road surfaces are designed as prototypical road turnouts.
In addition, the Sauerland segment layout is supplemented by a standard-gauge layout section called “Awanst HilMa” (HilMa alternate connection point), newly built by Gerhard Seelbach.
Operator: IG Spur II Wolf Groote & Gerhard Seelbach, D-58840 Plettenberg
Size: 21 x 6.5 m
Track 2m (G): Kleintal Birkenmoor
The layout shown consists of two parts, part 1 is a part of the LGB Freunde Rhein/Sieg club, part 2 is a part of a layout of a club member from Neu-Ulm.
The Kleintal layout is located in Phantasieland on the North Sea coast, in the immediate vicinity of the sea. A small interurban station in the village of Kleinbach on a meter-gauge narrow-gauge railroad forms the center of the layout. From Kleinbach you can reach a small railroad depot or the passenger and freight trains can reach the next village “Birkenmoor”. Here you reach a small, 2-track station on a partially electrified, meter-gauge narrow-gauge railroad with its surroundings. The station has a small locomotive station with a shed and a wagon ramp for loading standard-gauge freight wagons. Various sidings for goods handling are served around the station: a factory with its own wagon turntable and the rest of a field railway siding as well as a fall platform for ballast with a field railway siding. In addition, the station is connected to a freight port with a functioning loading crane. There is also a pier for a ferry at Birkenmoor, and typical narrow gauge freight and passenger trains as well as a small railcar run on the layout. Various locomotives are used for shunting in the Birkenmoor section of the layout. The entire layout is digitally controlled. Operator: Club der LGB-Freunde Rhein/Sieg, 41239 Mönchengladbach Layout size: 21 x 3 m
Gauge 1 and 1e: Narrow-gauge traffic in the Jagst Valley with rolling stock traffic The combined gauge 1 and 1e layout recreates narrow-gauge traffic with rolling stock traffic in the Jagst Valley from Dörzbach to the sugar factory on a fictitious standard-gauge line. The passenger service ends in Dörzbach and starts in a fictitious station with a three-rail track. Dörzbach station is a faithful replica of the original. The narrow-gauge line passes the Berlichingen bulkhead works and a warehouse. Here, as in Bieringen in the Jagst valley, G-wagons have to be transferred from the rolling stock to a standard-gauge track for loading and unloading. This standard gauge track is only in front of the warehouse for loading and unloading. This procedure was necessary because the Jagsttalbahn had too few rolling stock. To make matters worse, a country road crosses the standard and narrow-gauge tracks between the rolling stock pits. This situation is also recreated. Beet wagons loaded along the line are taken to a sugar factory via another pit and emptied there. This sugar factory has a complete interior; molasses wagons, sugar wagons and wagons from sugar factory customers are shunted on the access road. Operator: Pi`s Modellbahnfreunde, 74613 Öhringen Builder: Thomas Pauli. Construction time so far over 10 years. Layout size: 14 x 6 m
Track 1: Tinplate toys from Nuremberg 100 years ago
The Friends of the Freinsheim/Pfalz Toy Museum (Bing Museum) present a rare 1-gauge layout from the years 1900-1928. The models are mainly from Bing and Bub.
The layout impresses with its large suspension bridge with a length of 2.2 m and 2 circles with long trains! Some trains run with real steam. Streetcars and rack railroads are shown inside! Many technical gadgets can be triggered by visitors with buttons, such as the level crossing, the guard coming out of the house, the dispatcher raising the flag, etc.
There is also a roller coaster and funfair models on display, all in operation, some powered by Sterling motors.
Another highlight is a train depot with a turntable! The presentation is decorated with historical trees, bushes and tinplate buildings
Operator: Freinsheim Toy Museum, 67251 Freinsheim
System size: 11 x 2.5 m
Track 0: Gate 4 operating diorama
The model railroad layout is an operating diorama in gauge 0. The theme is a subordinate single-track factory siding with shunting facilities and a terminus of the aforementioned single-track branch line. Shunting is done by means of 4 points and a crossing either into the factory building or the double-track siding for liquids of various kinds. This module demonstrates that even in 0-gauge with little space, extensive driving operations can be represented in an exemplary landscape. In terms of era, the layout is in the style of the late sixties of the last century on DB tracks. The added fiddleyard allows for varied train operation. Operator: H-gauge Nuller Willich, 47877 Willich Layout size: 8 x 2 m
Track 0: Merzebach
Merzebach is a German fantasy model railroad from Era III. A village with a station was built on the right-hand side of the layout. The station yard consists of an entrance track, a segment turntable, a shunting track, a loading and unloading track for the furniture factory and a track to the furniture factory. From the station, the train crosses a bridge over the level crossing through a rural landscape past a farm towards Fiddleyard, where it is turned around. The layout consists of 10 modular barges and 1 fiddleyard, 3 more modular barges with a station with shunting facilities will be added in the future. Operator: VAMES Gauge 0, NL – 7314 HR Apeldoorn Layout size: 11 x 0.8 m
Gauge 0: A lot of driving on this layout
On an area of 36 m² Claudius Schüle from Karlsruhe shows his gauge 0 layout. Nostalgia fans will get their money’s worth with this Tinplate layout. Märklin, Bing, Lionel and various other manufacturers from 1935 to 1953 can be found on this layout, which has numerous sidings. Unlike two-lane plants, the plant fills the entire area. A lot of driving is guaranteed on this layout!
Here, visitors can also have a go at running their own 0-gauge models on the nostalgic tracks. So the models of the visitors are also in the spotlight! Locomotives can run in 3 wire AC or DC Märklin style, so no steam vehicles. Clockwork locomotives are also welcome.
Operator: Nostalgie Spur 0 Karlsruhe, D-76199 Karlsruhe
Plant size: 10 x 3 m
H0 gauge: Fantasy model railroad layout
The model railroad layout of the MEC Pfullendorf is a two-track main line in pure fantasy design. The 6-track station is richly decorated with an old town backdrop and is 8 m long. It is based on an external subway station where a festival with a carnival and beer tent is taking place on the outskirts of the city. Vehicles with the Car System are also on the road. The layout of the route on both sides of the station is depicted as rural with many bends. A turning module shows an ancient old town with a modern open-air cinema located in front of the town wall. Here, home-made films are shown live on a screen via a projector. The second turning module has a 4-track staging yard. In addition to a dam wall with E Werk, everything is landscaped with a spacious petting zoo. We also show a sawmill, a restaurant with an illuminated wine cellar and a nursery. Operator: Pfullendorf Model Railway Club, 88639 Pfullendorf Layout size: 10 x 6 m
H0 gauge: Modular layout of the Endersbach model railroad group
The modular layout of the Endersbach e.V. model railroad group has no real model. The individual modules show self-contained themes, which can be combined almost at will and still give the viewer a harmonious picture. The entire layout is designed as a double-track main line and leads past lovingly designed landscapes. The two three-track through stations are the operational centers. These allow for interesting and varied operation, including reversible trains. The aim of the model railroad group is to present the viewer with a wide variety of train sets from different eras. The modular layout is fully digitalized and is controlled centrally and automatically using Rocrail® software. Operator: Endersbach model railroad group, 73249 Wernau
System size: 13 x 6 m
H0 gauge: Modular layout single-track main line
The layout consists of 66 modules and has a total length of around 90 m. A single-track main line with 6 different operating stations can be seen. The vehicles used correspond to Era 3. The locomotives are prototypically implemented at the two terminal stations. In between is the multi-track “Kirchzarten” junction station, which reproduces the prototype station as it was in the mid-1970s. The stations allow a variety of shunting movements. In addition to the prototypical train sets, freight traffic is also demonstrated in the form of local freight trains with delivery to loading points and sidings in the stations and transfer trains that deliver freight wagons to neighboring stations or loading points or pick them up there. Operator: Eisenbahnfreunde Breisgau, 79100 Freiburg Layout size: 20.5 x 14 m
H0 gauge: BEANS US-Modelrailroad
The elongated HO layout with center backdrop from Beans, H0 is set in Iowa. The all-round layout can be driven on both sides over the full length of 17.50 m and offers two independent themed areas separated by the center backdrop. One side is characterized by the small Lotzburgh country station with a few loading tracks, a small depot, a farm and agricultural businesses with sidings. On the second side is the town of Dakota City with a marshalling yard, many businesses, a container yard and a larger diesel store. The attraction of the layout lies in the combination of the long trains running on the main line and the busy shunting traffic due to the many sidings. Operation is digital with radio hand controllers. This means that the “engine driver” accompanies his train around the layout and has an attractive view of the different scenery. US trains from all eras can be operated. Operator: IGM BEANS US-Modelrailroad, 42109 Wuppertal Layout size: 18 x 3 m
H0m gauge: Railways through the German low mountain range
The single and double-track model railroad layout of Era III and IV has no fixed model. It is based on models that can be found in the German low mountain ranges (Eifel, Bergisches Land). Stations are located on the single-track sections for the purpose of train crossings.
To the right and left of the tracks you will find a brewery, timber operations/sawmills, reservoir with power generation, fair, weekly market, restaurants, farms and a replica of the Moselle bridge of Bullay.
To involve visitors, the model railroad layout has various push buttons that can be used to set figures or the like in motion on the layout.
The modular system is operated digitally. If visitors (especially children) are interested in operating a station or running a train themselves during the exhibition, this is possible under supervision.
Operator: Rhein-Sieg Railway Club, 53721 Siegburg Layout size: 20 x 6 m
Gauge H0: Modular layout Wajcha Poznan
The modular layout by Wajach Poznan from Poland consists of seven segments. At both ends there is a hill into which the trains can enter and the cars with the Car System also have their loops. The trains run in a closed circuit on a double-track line! There are six tracks behind the scenery so that trains from eras I to VI can be shown. The model railroad layout has interactive buttons with which visitors can set the Viessmann figures in motion. The landscape design of the model railroad layout with a beautiful viaduct bridge is very detailed! Operator: Wajcha Poznan, Poland – 62-030 Swarzedz Layout size: 11 x 1 m
TT gauge: Berk’sche Bimmelbahn – Kranichfeld-Bad Berka section
The theme of the layout is the railroad line Weimar – Kranichfeld in Thuringia. Built from 1886 to 1888, the line experienced an eventful history and is indispensable in the Weimarer Land.
The ride starts at Tannroda station. The passenger train brings mainly students from Bad Berka to Kranichfeld. Arriving at the Kranichfeld dead-end station, the real work begins for the locomotive crew. This means that after the passengers have disembarked, they are shifted. In the best case, a second locomotive is available. So uncouple the previous locomotive, couple the new locomotive at the other end.
In the GDR Reichsbahn era, the most important locomotive was the BR110 and its sub-types. But other typical Reichsbahn locomotives also run on the layout, such as the Ferkeltaxe, V60 and V36. Steam locomotives could also be found on the line. The most important locomotive is the BR 58, it shares with BR86, BR56 and BR92 the transportation of goods and passengers on the Berk’s Bimmelbahn.
Operator: TT-Modellbahn-Freunde Weimar, Mr. Ronald Jansig, D-994236 Weimar
Plant size: 9 x 5 m
N Gauge: Diverse railroad operation
The N-Club International (NCI) organizes the construction of plants from modules of its members. The standardized module transition means that new layouts can always be displayed. The focus is on train traffic and the small details along the track.
An analog and a digital layout will be on display at Faszination MODELLBAHN. Once again, a member of the model railroad club “spur-N-schweiz” (sNs) with Swiss modules and another club member from England with his modules on the German THW (Technisches Hilfwerks) provide international flair in the analog layout.
The focus of the large analog layout is the double-track main line and the terminus station “St. Dominic”, which is connected via a more than 7 m long T-junction main line. On one side of the branch, the replica of the “Bridge of Remagen” follows after a curve, followed by some modules with German motifs and the already mentioned Swiss section. After a branch to the operational station, three modules follow, two of which will be on public display for the first time. The third module is the replica of the “Ladenburg Bridge”.
The digital layout takes up the classic theme of “double track main line with (single track) branch line”. The plant is controlled by hand controllers in a kind of “block station operation”. The line offers four different stations on an area of about 10 x 9 m – a terminus station, a separation station, a single-track through station and a double-track through station. The terminus station “Buchhorn Hbf” as well as the adjoining line have also never been shown by the N-Club. Varied operation is provided by the branches and the single-track section, even without a service station. Many details on the modules (e.g. also a button-pushing action) also invite you to take a closer look.
Operator: N-Club International e.V., D-70599 Stuttgart Plant size: 14 x 6 m
N gauge: VAMES N track
The Vames N-Bahn is a single-track line with a rural atmosphere from Era III/IV. Various details and scenes can be seen and discovered on the 25 meter long modular layout. Peace, nature and places where you would like to be are the focus of the railroad. The scenes are based on North German themes from our own imagination. Scenes such as a flock of sheep on the heath, with a cozy beer garden at the brewery. An operable bridge over a river. Various crossing stations and farms and much more! The club members operate the layout with Z21 and are happy to answer visitors’ questions and provide information about the construction and technical details, such as the reverse loop electronics of the layout! The VAMES N-gauge railroad has never been presented outside the Netherlands! Operator: VAMES N-gauge, NL – 1322 BB Almere Layout size: 11 x 5 m
Z gauge: Small railroad big time
During Faszination Modellbahn Mannheim, Z-Freunde International will be presenting several interesting modular layouts and dioramas.
Operator: Z-Freunde International, D-56856 Zell
Plant size: 12 x 6 m
You can find images for use free of charge for your reporting under:
www.faszination-modellbahn.com/presse/
Contact: Messe Sinsheim GmbH, phone +49 7025 9206-100, e-mail: presse@messe-sinsheim.de