I don’t want to maintain a large list of links because nothing is so annoying as clicking on outdated links. (So I let other people do it… ☺) These links point to sites lots of extra information about the subjects of these pages. Some of them have also lots links. [↑]
Real small model railways
I’m not the only one who is interested in small model railways. Here’re some links to other sites showing pictures of real small model railways. Not intended to be complete! [↑]
This site contains lots of model railways feet with a North-American prototype. All layouts have an overall size of 4×6 feet or 4×8 feet. I think these layouts are suitable to be modified for an European prototype. Please note the diagonal patterns of streets and rivers to make the layout look larger.
Carl Arendt was a true master of building very small model railways. His site contains several catching ideas, such as “The Squarefoot” of 28×36 cm² (11″×14″) at 1:22½ scale.
Im memoriam: It is with great sadness that we observe the passing of Carl Arendt (✝2011). A man who was passionate about micro and small layout design and was always happy to give advice to those who asked.In his passion to promote the hobby he took great joy in showcasing the work of others. No matter if the layout was amateurishly or professionally finished, as long as the spirit of Small Layout design was there he was willing to give the modeller and their layout centre stage. Carl is an inspiration to many around the world and he will be sorely missed.
Source: Small Layout Design Discussion Group[ωωω]
Lots of very small model railways are being build in Japan because space is limited. Real masterpieces. Don’t be frightened by the Japanese language and take a look by yourself.
Another japanese site with very small model railways. Some layouts are built within small cupboards and cases. Don’t be frightened again by the Japanese language and take a look by yourself.
This site contains a wide collection of track plans. The purpose of all designs is prototypical shunting of goods cars from and to various industries. Fine ideas for people who want to build shunting layouts themselves.
Another, great Swedish site describing, amongst others, how a small narrow gauge model railway, named Rake Mining Co.[ωωω], has been designed and build. A step-by-step description shows how this little layout has been build. Even experienced modelers can learn from this site.
Much about designing shunting layouts British style, my favourite style. Describes how a small shunting layout is planned, build and operated. Contains links to other plans for shunting layouts on the web.
Non-commercial links
These links are just a selection of my favorite sites with non-commercial societies, clubs etc. These are more or less related to the subject of small model railway design. [↑]
A personal homepage showing, amongst others, an excellent model of the Schynige Platte rack railway in Switzerland. Almost everything is scratch-build: rolling stock, structures and landscape, all with extremely convincing results.
Small-Layout-Design is an e-groups mailing list intended for the average model railroader who does not have an entire basement or even an entire room to devote to a layout.
My favourite model railroad club, the “Freundeskreis Europäischer Modellbahner e.V.”, is striving to be the best in its class. Has many active mailing lists in German for members. The goal of the club is to promote the hobby of modelrailroading, in particular its creative and active aspects, as well as the personal contacts between modelrailroaders on a interregional and international level.
For lots of links about DCC see the 'Resource Page', also caters a mailing list about DCC.
Some commercial links
These links point to the manufacturers whose products I’ve used in my plans. The choice of manufacturers is my personal one based on my perception of market share, popularity and usability. [↑]
Almost all plans have been designed with WinRail software. I didn’t select this package based on a careful analysis, but it does what it should do. It’s performing well with sectional track systems, but manipulating flextrack can be quite cumbersome.
This Japanese company makes modelrailway dioramas, produces layouts and bus dioramas with a distinct Japanese flair. These products are little gems and most of them are for sale. The layouts are certainly an inspiration when designing new plans. Most railway dioramas are in N-scale, the most popular scale in Japan.
Most trackplans are made with Fleischmann Profi-track. This track system always seems to fit in small spaces. The radii of the trouts are large, compared to other systems. But the rails are Code 100 and the looks of the frogs of the turnouts aren’t that good.
Peco track is known for its superior class in ready-made tracks. The geometry of the sectional track system Setrack is toylike, but is usable when space is a premium. Things get interesting when combining Setrack with the much better Code 100 Streamline turnouts. But you’ll need to cut your own lengths out of (flex-)track to make things fit.
Roco-Line by Roco is very popular in Europe, because it’s probably the most available two-rail track system. The geometry is not bad and there’s a wide choice of turnouts. I particularly like the large radius turnouts, single- and double-slips. My primary objection against this system is the way the turnouts are operated with a moving tie somewhere in the middle. Not prototypical.
Märklin is the largest manufacturer of modeltrains in Europe. Most builders of model railways on the continent have started with a Märklin trainset. That’s why I’ve designed some plans with the different railsystems of this supplier. The large assortment of different track lengths makes almost all plans feasible.
One plan makes use of LGB track (scale 2m). I don’t have much criticism on these tracks because, for garden railways, reliability is more important than realism. I didn’t hear much complaints about LGB-track, except for its hefty price.
Links to my favourite swiss railway companies
Here are the links listed about my favourite railway companies in Switzerland. Switzerland has a lot of small railway companies. These companies are worthwhile a visit when on holiday. They’re also very inspirational for your own model railway.[↑]
This is my favourite railway company in Switzerland. This line only serves the freight traffic in an industrial zone[ωωω] near Basel. Almost every industry has his own rail connection. You can easily visit the area by foot; it has a direct connection by tram from the center of Basel. I plan to model this kind of company.
You can hire a real steamtrain at this railway company. It is one of the few railway lines in Switzerland without catenary. Contains also information about the normal operation on the ST. I plan to model this kind of company.
Another independent Swiss railway company that I like very much. The normal gauge OC measures only 3.9 km and can be seen as a freight line with some passenger traffic. In 2007 the OC merged with two of my other favourite Swiss railway companies: the YSC and the PBr.
The Bergbahn Rheineck-Walzenhausen is a “micro” railway company in Switzerland. Almost 2 km track and one railcar are all what this mixed rackrailway has to offer. The remarkable history, first a separate funicular and tramway, in 1958 combined into one rackrailway, makes the RhW unique. In 2006 the RhW merged with three other swiss railway companies: the TB, the RHB and the former AB. The terminus in Heiden of the Rorschach-Heiden-Bergbahn (RHB) is interesting for railway modelers [Seifert, Cyrill: Bahnhöfe der Schweiz].
Links to other railway companies
Here are some links listed about large railway companies in Europe. These sites contain information about modern freight traffic by rail. [↑]
The largest Dutch/German railfreight transporter has also a list of goods cars in use. The Dutch language site contains some interesting articles for the dutch speaking enthousiast.
Siemens Mobility[ωωω] sells several shunting locomotives. I don’t expect that a lot of people will buy, but the website gives a good insight in the catalogue of a supplier of locomotives. [↑]
![[logo]](images/links.gif)
Gateway NMRA [ωωω]
Micro Layouts for Model Railroads [ωωω]
ModelRailroad World [ωωω] (Japanese/English)
O. Moro Design [ωωω] (Japanese/English)
Modelbouwwerk [ωωω] (Dutch)
Andrew Martin’s Layout Design… [ωωω]
Trains, big and small [ωωω]
The Model Railway Shunting Puzzles Website [ωωω]
Ernst Furrer’s Homepage [ωωω]
Small Layout Design Discussion Group [ωωω]
FREMO [ωωω]
Modulegroep Swiss Trak [ωωω] (Dutch)
Funimag Magazine [ωωω]
RailServe [ωωω]
WinRail [ωωω]
Diorama Display Factory [ωωω] (Japanese)
Fleischmann [ωωω]
PECO [ωωω]
Roco [ωωω]
Märklin [ωωω] (German; English: Märklin USA)
LGB [ωωω] (German)
Dreispitz [ωωω] (German)
Dampfzug Sursee-Triengen [ωωω] (German)
Orbe-Chavornay [ωωω] (French)
Bergbahn Rheineck-Walzenhausen (RhW) [ωωω] (German)
SBB Cargo [ωωω] (German; French: CFF Cargo; Italian: FFS Cargo)
Railion [ωωω] (German)
SNCB Logistics [ωωω]
Siemens Mobility [ωωω]
