Introducing the gauge H0 model railroad layouts!

Gauge H0: Modular layout Wajcha Poznan

The modular system from Wajach Poznan in 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 Marcin Magner, Poland – 62-651 Poznan
Pool size: 12 x 1 m

H0 Gauge: Double-Track Main Line of the Ehingen Railway Enthusiasts

The model railroad enthusiasts from Ehingen an der Donau are bringing 38 modules from their large segment layout. The layout, designed as a double-track line with appropriate turning options, ensures lively and varied exhibition operations.

The glass double spiral, at one end, also serves as a yarn storage unit. This makes it particularly easy to observe the various sets of yarn here.

The modules were designed individually by each club member with great attention to detail and blend together very well in the overall display. A specific time period was deliberately not specified. The stations at Ehingen and Munderkingen on the Donautalbahn offer recognizable features.

The digitized trains run on Märklin C and K tracks. They are controlled via Märklin Central and Mobile Station, and in some cases also via cell phones. Automation was deliberately omitted to enhance the gaming experience. Turnouts and signals are set on-site using a track-diagram signal box or push buttons.

The structure is 80 cm high throughout. This makes it easy even for children to explore the many small scenes.

Operator: Ehinger Eisenbahnfreunde e.V., D-89584 Ehingen/Donau
Pool dimensions: 40 x 0.60 (up to 1.20) m

HO Gauge: North Module System with freight transport and Faller Car System

The club was founded in 1989 with the goal of bringing together DC and AC enthusiasts. We chose the Nord-Modul system.

The standardized modules can be combined with each other in almost any way. The model railway layout in 1:87 scale (H0), which is individually assembled for each exhibition, is built from up to 168 individual modules. The trains run in two- or three-line operation as required, and analog or digital control can also be used. The length and depth between the headers and the design of a module is determined by each builder. Overall, this design saves space and offers endless design options.

Among other things, the layout features cities, villages, industrial facilities, and a brick factory with a light railway. A “turning module” depicts a freight company equipped with the Faller Car System.

Operator: Modulbaufreunde Ladenburg, 68229 Mannheim
Pool size: 10.5 m x 6.5 m

H0 gauge: De Provins a Villiers-Saint-Georges

The operators of the model railroad layout from France will present a digital model railroad layout in HO scale measuring 9.1 x 3 meters, which can be viewed from all four sides and offers visitors a comprehensive experience.

The layout is a faithful and historical replica of the line that connected Longueville with Villiers-Saint-Georges as it existed in the 1960s and 1970s. It was a typical branch line that ran through the French countryside and was still used for both passenger and freight traffic at that time.

Each element – buildings, bridges, landscapes, vegetation – was handcrafted and customized based on archival documents, field studies and historical photographs.

The landscape is characterized by several special features: Authentic rural landscapes of the Brie region with open fields and charming villages. A faithfully recreated railroad station with passenger station, goods station and sidings. Typical engineering structures such as small bridges and level crossings.

Realistic operation with alternating passenger trains and freight trains that reflect the timetables and rolling stock of the time. The layout is operated with digital control (DCC), which guarantees smooth and dynamic operation.

Visitors can enjoy a historic and immersive journey and discover the atmosphere of a real French regional train brought to life in miniature.

Operator: Club de Modelisme Ferroviaire de Provins, France–77160 Provins
Pool size: 9.5 x 3.5 m

H0 gauge: West ramp Arlbergbahn – Hintergasse station

The model railroad layout is part of the large modular layout of the MEC Bregenz and shows some distinctive sections of the west ramp of the Arlbergbahn in the style of the 50s with the Hintergasse station.

The layout shown here consists of 14 track modules incl. Operating station with a total length of 20 meters. Hintergasse station serves as a crossing station.

The trains running on the layout are as close to the prototype as possible, which were typical for the Arlberg west ramp. The landscaping and the buildings are self-made.

Operator: Bregenz Model Railroad Club, Austria-6900 Bregenz
Plant size: 9 x 2.6 m

HO scale: Single-track fictitious branch line with terminal station and depot

A single-track branch line with a rail yard, set in a scenic location somewhere in the southwest, featuring a railbus and a steam train. A spa hotel, a large medieval market, a campground with a swimming lake, a small train station with beet loading and a gantry crane. A church with a cemetery, a castle, vineyards, and an authentic replica of Y-Burg in Kernen–Stetten.

The railroad is part of the whole, but it is not the dominant theme.

The two-wire layout is controlled by a Märklin CS3 in semi-automatic mode, leaving one control function for a train dispatcher. There is a lot of activity on the layout, featuring a large number of hand-painted figures. Era: Transition from 3 to 4. The background was painted in oil by Mr. Christoph Laubmann according to our specifications.

Operator and Builder: IG Modelleisenbahn Kernen, 71394 Kernen
Pool size: 8 x 2.2 m

Track H0: Module assembly Limitless

The idea for a modular layout group came to Markus Horn during a Märklin Insider get-together; our goal was to give members the freedom to design their modules however they wanted. The only requirements were the size of the modules and that Märklin C-track be used.
The rest is up to the builder’s imagination and vision. This has resulted in modules that are simply amazing.
From mountains to cities, from a small idyll to a chemical plant, and from Bundeswehr barracks to a locomotive museum—there’s a lot to see on the layout.
Both standard, off-the-shelf materials and custom parts created from recycled materials were used.
A double-track main line runs from a storage yard through all the modules, with trains and cars from every era running on it. The entire layout is controlled via the ESU Ecos. Numerous lights that operate independently of the electrical circuit, along with several push-button controls for spectators, round out the experience.
Märklin MS2 train operations are also available on branch lines, independent of the main line. Both the Faller Carsystem and Viessmann Carmotion can be found on the modules.

There are many little things to discover, but also large masterpieces, such as a marketplace with 7000 stones and a cemetery wall with 3000 stones from Juweela were painstakingly built on the module by a builder.

Modulbaugruppe Grenzenlos, it’s called because we have 24 members from Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg, making us an international group of Märklin crazy model railroaders. Some YouTube stars from the model railroad scene are also part of it and can be met live and talk shop about their modules.

Operator: Modulbaugruppe Grenzenlos, 78073 Bad Dürrheim
Pool size: 13 x 8 m

HO Gauge: Äpfingen Station on the Öchsle Narrow-Gauge Railroad

The Modellbahn Bodensee Friedrichshafen club has created a small masterpiece.

A tribute to Upper Swabia featuring a faithful replica of the Äpfingen train station as it appeared in the 1960s (Era III). This station is part of the Öchsle Narrow-Gauge Railway, which was also home to Locomotive 99633, known as the title locomotive of the SWR television series *Eisenbahnromantik*.

The layout can be viewed from both sides: on one side is the Äpfingen station, and on the other is a section of the line between Äpfingen and Herrlishöfen.

Many small details (including a cornfield made up of over 5,000 individual plants) invite viewers to linger and discover more details, such as a fully furnished train station building, birds in flight, and so on.

The station buildings were built from scratch based on original photographs. The tracks were also custom-built, since steel-sleeper tracks are not available on the market.

Realistic train operations and a bus system round out the overall picture.

Construction of a modular plant:

Of course, we’re not neglecting our modular layout either. It’s supposed to grow right before our eyes at the model-building fair. Last time it was a small-scale trial, but due to the positive feedback, we’ve decided to make it a bit bigger this time. This will allow us to show visitors even more, and—just like last year—they’ll be able to ask questions, get tips and suggestions, and learn about various techniques. Not only in landscape modeling, but also in technical areas such as electrical systems and digital technology. By building on-site, it’s easier for interested visitors to ask questions, and we can demonstrate solutions or construction techniques right there. With a combined total of over 75 years of model-building experience among our members, we’re a knowledgeable resource for visitors.

Operator: Modellbahn Bodensee Friedrichshafen, D-88074 Meckenbeuren
Plant size: 6 x 3 m

H0 and N Gauge: Tram Layout and Groß-Enningen

HO Gauge: Our 1:87-scale tram layout is an automated compact layout on which up to three tram trains operate in block mode and stop at stations. They travel through an extremely intricately detailed cityscape (for example, nearly every store has an interior) and, after circling a spacious monastery complex, reach a residential neighborhood. Along the way, the trains pass many lovingly designed scenes for visitors to discover. Visitors can trigger numerous animations (such as the ringing of bells or an elevator) and lights themselves using push buttons on the layout. Another unique feature is the street intersections equipped with working traffic lights, which also feature realistic streetcar signals that, in turn, affect streetcar operations.

Measuring 1.25 meters by 2 meters, the layout has a track length of approximately 10 meters (Tillig tram track). A tram system naturally includes overhead wires.

N Gauge: The “Groß-Enningen” layout depicts a double-track, electrified main line on a 1:160 scale. Set against the backdrop of the 1980s (Epoch IV), six train sets run automatically at block intervals through a low-mountain landscape. The route, which winds back on itself several times, spans three levels and passes through an 8-track station.

A single-track branch line also connects to the station; it is operated as an automated shuttle line with its own shadow station. In addition, the station has a small freight section with switching tracks and a mini-depot.

A passing yard in the foreground of the layout, along with a hidden yard, complete the approximately 50-meter-long track layout.

The city consists of a new district near the train station, where there are mainly commercial buildings and more modern apartment complexes, and an old town on the hill. Both districts are designed with great attention to detail (e.g., working traffic lights in ”
” N gauge!) and feature elaborate lighting.

All of this takes place in a space measuring just 2.8 x 1.4 meters.

Operator: Würzburg Model Railroaders Club, 97082 Würzburg
Pool dimensions: 2 x 1.25 m and 2.8 x 1.4 m

H0 Gauge: Model Railroads and Transportation History with Hagen von Ortloff

Former host Hagen von Ortloff, known from the television series “Eisenbahn-Romantik,” joins Lutz Mäder, Rolf Brändle, and Eric Haake to present a model railway layout set in the 1950s and 1960s titled “Model Railroads and Transportation History—Presented Through Play.”

Trolleybuses manufactured over sixty years ago by the Esslingen-based company Eheim operate on this track. On the other side of the track, two Loop trams—one from Stuttgart and one from Dresden—run. Both circle the cardboard model of the world-famous Frauenkirche.

The highlight and centerpiece of the park is the Wuppertal Suspension Railway. And, of course, it features Tuffi the elephant.

The railroad, which connects all the other vehicles and circles the layout, is made by the Göppingen-based model railroad company Märklin. Also included are direct-current vehicles from the former GDR, which were often ridiculed by some West Germans but were certainly capable of keeping up with the locomotives and cars from the West.

Two circuits powered by crank generators invite you to play.

Fans of old tin toys will also find something to enjoy. The Alpine Express, the old cable car, and the Techofix Mountain Train all come to life once you wind them up.

Operators: Hagen von Ortloff, Lutz Mäder, Rolf Brändle, and Eric Haake
System size: 6 x 5 m

H0f Gauge: The Lerchental Forest Railway

The layout depicts the transport of logs through a remote mountainous region in Austria. From the Thomasberg loading point, the logs must be transported on forest railway cars down into the valley to the St. Martin unloading point. The route passes through a picturesque gorge, which is also traversed by a hiking trail. Due to the topography depicted, viewing the layout reveals ever-changing perspectives. Because of the sparse track layout and the regulations and restrictions that must be observed during operation, extensive shunting maneuvers are required. Coupling is always done by hand. There’s a story behind every scene, every building, and every vehicle! The buildings are fully furnished, and some can even be viewed from the inside by removing the roof. The layout features numerous details just waiting to be discovered.

Operator: Manfred Scholz Private Farm , Austria-8020 Graz
Layout size: 1 .1 x 1 m (Model Railroad Community Area, as of 1206)

H0 Gauge: Abra La Raya

The Abra La Raya train station is located in the Peruvian Andes. It is the highest point on the train route between Cusco and Puno—one of the highest railway lines in the world. During the trip, the train makes a brief stop here so that travelers can enjoy the spectacular Andean landscape or purchase local handicrafts at the small market. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks and vast highlands, Abra La Raya offers one of the most impressive views along the entire route.

Near the central monument to the Inca ruler Pachacútec Yupanqui, tourists mill about in a bustling tourist market or enjoy the view from the bus parking lot, while the local residents go about their daily work: Whether it’s feeding the cuys (guinea pigs) in the courtyard or supplying the nearby ore mine with trucks. And of course, there are alpacas!

The operation of the 1:87 scale model layout (H0, 2L RP25) is modeled after the real-life railway. Authentic train sets are used, some of which were built or modified in-house. A car system is also in operation.

Operator: Private facility owned by Tobias Mandt, 50968 Cologne
Layout size: 2 .5 x 1 m (Model Railroad Community Area, as of June 2012)

H0 Gauge: Lummerland in H0 – an island with two mountains

The Model Railroad Team Bodensee has created a fictional replica of the “Island with Two Mountains.” An island with two mountains and the deep, vast sea, featuring many tunnels and tracks and rail traffic.

Notable landmarks include the Lummerland train station, King Alfons’s castle, Mrs. Waas’s store, and the locomotive shed where the steam locomotive Emma is housed.

There is a volcano on the island that occasionally emits smoke. The vegetation consists mainly of palm trees and cacti.

On the platform, the passengers are waiting for Jim Button and Lukas the Train Engineer to arrive. High up in Lummerland Castle, Alfons watches over his island, which he can see from his balcony.

Operator: ModellBahnTeam Bodensee, 88048 Friedrichshafen
Layout size: 1 .5 x 1 m (Model Railroad Community Area, as of June 2012)