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I have the Hogwarts set, mostly for the novelty of a UK-style excursion train amongst my fleet (There was a UK steamer whose name escapes me at the moment that toured the US in the 1970's). I have extended my HE out to 9 cars in order to mimic the look of the excursion trains operated in the UK.

 

I also have a pair of the TRAXX electrics play-acting as a freight electrification demonstrator. If any of the European high-speed trainsets were released in O' Id go for one, even though it would strain my storage capability.

 

---PCJ

Originally Posted by RailRide:

       

(There was a UK steamer whose name escapes me at the moment that toured the US in the 1970's).

 

---PCJ


       


The Flying Scotsman toured the US and Canada in 1969-70 or 71.  Unfortunately, it almost didn't make it back to Great Britain, so as much as I would love to see a British steam loco visit the US, it would probably be too risky.

For the Paris-Istanbul video: I love it!  It's amazing how much just a backdrop can do to provide an environment for trains to pass through.  A layout devoted to the entire OE route (although there were several) does sound like an interesting idea.

The Flying Scotsman toured the US and Canada in 1969-70 or 71.  Unfortunately, it almost didn't make it back to Great Britain, so as much as I would love to see a British steam loco visit the US, it would probably be too risky.

 

It's not as cool as having one operating, but there is a British streamlined 4-6-2 in the Green Bay railroad museum. It was used by General Eisenhower during WWII. 

Most of my European stuff has Been in g gauge. I've had lgb trains since the age of two and their focus on European stuff made it necessary to have European prototypes on the layout.  Of course, today there are plenty of opportunities to model us trains in g, but we've become enchanted with Swiss narrow gauge, so all of our prototypes are of trains from that country. 
Most of our o gauge is if American prototypes, but I've added a mth crocodile and two axle wagons to our collection.  I'd like to do Swiss o scale or even no1 scale, but it's not in the budget.  Nor do I have the space.

The Eastern New England chapter of the European Train Enthusiasts is a group that shows a European modular layout every January at the Big E Show in Springfield, Mass.  They're always in the hall that's the closest to the parking lots.

 

Their catenary system is incredible:

 

 

The layout is in HO, but it's excellent.  I look forward to visiting it the whole day while walking the rest of the show.  They're nice guys, too.

 

If you're into European trains, be sure to look for them next time you go to the Big E.

 

Steven J. Serenska

Last edited by Serenska
Originally Posted by Adriatic:

On another note: from what I understand, modeling in Europe is a bit more exacting in that they model specific places more. Even on fictional railroads they will keep architecture, and trees etc. area correct for its more localized there.

I think we call it 'scale' model railroading in the USA. I know guys that model a exact date, month, day and time!!!! It is more in HO than O with our mix of traditional, semi scale, high rail and 3RS folks.....but still very common. My O 3r layout is set in 1954-57 in WV....so all buildings, trees etc etc have to fit that location and era.

I have a collection of HO European engines and cars.  I usually picked up a car or engine during travels to Europe.  I have several friends who are members of the European Train Enthusiasts (ETE).  They run Marklin HO and are very active in the SF Bay Area.  

 

There was a very nice O gauge 2-rail layout exhibited at O Scale West for a few years.  The builders had moved to the USA (or perhaps Canada) from England.  I have several friends who run European G gauge trains.  Again, most of these people immigrated from Europe.

 

Here are some photos of the O gauge display at O Scale West in 2010.

 

 

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Originally Posted by Adriatic:
Originally Posted by JohnS:

A show stopper! The crown area layering, skyline tint, and lighting blend is awesome. Pink, or peach fluorescent? or is it all it the paint.   

started out as mahogany to match the room. then all paint, the artists paint backdrops for the movie industry. also there are NO lights, it is all paint 

 

 

8 005

 

 

 

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Last edited by JohnS

Wow you doubled my liking this. And after seeing the stain, I think I remember posts on the build now too. But painted mahogany!? If it wasn't so "right" as is, Id have issue with that. Having done mahogany libraries, you don't sand it, you stroke it gently. I couldn't accept the scholarship for theater lighting I earned, had to go with the one for art. I thought the molding might have been gutter lighting, really hard to tell, it looks like planes of peach, and pink light. I didn't want to zoom, and see. It might spoil the memory of this absolutely awesome shoot   

Yes,I've got Fleischmann and Marklin HO from the 60's and 70's. I also have a small collection of modern Marklin I gauge. I've bought some of the MTH O gauge items. I travel to Germany a lot on business and always attend a train show or two and always visit the incredible train shops. Trains are much more popular and visible than in the US. Every German toy shop has a massive model railroad department. It's a whole different world and I like it!

I own plenty of European O gauge/O scale models from Rivarossi/Lima, Lenz and other manufactures. My focus is on Continental European, but not necessarily Central European nor Alpine. Some of the European rolling stock and motive power have been converted from 2-rail to 3-rail, because on Gargraves tracks I can run both systems. Additionally my collection of scratch-built European passenger coaches is growing exponentially. Recently I made a 40" long monumental station building with classic Herman architecture. If someone is interested I can share here few video links dispaying my European trains.

I used to have a OO gauge British layout but I sold all my stuff when we got into 3-Rail O gauge. 

 My youngest son has a few Hornby OO gauge engines such as Flying Scotsman.

We also have the Lionel Hogwarts set and Thomas, Percy and James.

 

I would like to see a Lionel Legacy LNER Mallard. I could go with a ACE or Darstead model. It would be nice though to see what Lionel could do after the nice GWR Hall.

 

Nick

Beta Nu Sigma Phi:

 

Are there any models of Finnish trains, preferably in 0 scale but if not, in any other scale? I don't think I have ever seen any - maybe Marklin or Fleischmann makes them? I've ridden trains in Finland but never seen any models. I took the auto carrier train once up to Rovaniemi and drove back to Helsinki in my Calibra. 

 

The Rautatieasema (Railway Station for the English speakers) in downtown Helsinki is one of my favorite places. I used to walk around the shops a lot. There were some good music shops where you could get a nice variety of Finnish rock and roll. My favorite Finnish bands are Leningrad Cowboys, Kolmas Nainen, Hanoi Rocks, Hurriganes, The Flaming Sideburns, Freud Marx Engels & Jung, Lapinlahden Linnut, Hassisen Kone, and Eppu Normaali. When I was living in Helsinki they also had some great rock and roll TV ads for Koff beer. 

 

By all means post your videos.

You must forgive the lack of a tender but here is the most aged engine I have. A Bing 0-4-0 pulling some Hornby with floral wire. I also have an ETS set, some Exley coaches, Leeds M C and Bassett Lowke. I have some MTH LMS coaches and several Lionel Shakespeare Express and Hogwarts sets. I have yet to get the Albert Hall set but I don't like the lighting set up on the engine it is closer to Hogwarts than Shakespeare. I do really like this stuff and and am on the look out at train shows most people have no idea what it is or is worth I have found.

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Originally Posted by Boomer:

Yes,I've got Fleischmann and Marklin HO from the 60's and 70's. I also have a small collection of modern Marklin I gauge. I've bought some of the MTH O gauge items. I travel to Germany a lot on business and always attend a train show or two and always visit the incredible train shops. Trains are much more popular and visible than in the US. Every German toy shop has a massive model railroad department. It's a whole different world and I like it!

Boomer, since you are familiar with German railroad models, I'd like to ask if there is much available in O scale German narrow gauge.  I've always been fascinated by the German NG lines.

 

I messed around with 2-rail O small-prototype British scale for years, and still have several items of rolling stock that I wanted to keep. The layouts were a typical Brit small-space branchline theme. Continuing in European O scale or HO scale is such an expensive proposition these days, that even Lionel Vision Line prices look attractive. It's no surprise that the vintage Euro market seems pretty busy on that auction site.

 

Over the years I gradually became more tinplate collector-ish, then got myself a Polar Express 0-27 set , then a Lionel docksider, then a MTH EP5, and now enjoy the electro-mechanical chunkiness of modern North American 3-rail.  Operating barrel cars don't go well on sleepy British branchline layouts.

 

My current European interest is chasing down Marklin HO catenary wire to run my EP5 under, as per our helpful forum member's ideas.

 

If there's a layout that makes me want to drop everything and go Euro, it's this one, even though the locomotives are miraculously running with pantographs down.

Originally Posted by Southwest Hiawatha:

Beta Nu Sigma Phi:

 

Are there any models of Finnish trains, preferably in 0 scale but if not, in any other scale?

Yes, there are, but limited editions, some are photo-etched brass kits, some are  bodyshell molds on Roco underframe and some are 3D prints. For Finnish N scale 1:160 models ask www.n-club-finland.org and for Finnish HO scale 1:87 models ask www.fremo.fi but the expert manufacturers in both mentioned scales are www.mestarimallit.com...

Among other European O gauge projects myself I am designing currently Finnish passenger coaches (pikajuna, intercity) and Russian passenger coaches (RepinExpress, TolstoijExpress, TransSiberiaExpress) as frequently observed on the Helsinki Cetral Rwy.St.

...video clips next time!

Last edited by BetaNuSigmaPhi
Kiitos.
 
Originally Posted by BetaNuSigmaPhi:
Originally Posted by Southwest Hiawatha:

Beta Nu Sigma Phi:

 

Are there any models of Finnish trains, preferably in 0 scale but if not, in any other scale?

Yes, there are, but limited editions, some are photo-etched brass kits, some are  bodyshell molds on Roco underframe and some are 3D prints. For Finnish N scale 1:160 models ask www.n-club-finland.org and for Finnish HO scale 1:87 models ask www.fremo.fi but the expert manufacturers in both mentioned scales are www.mestarimallit.com...

Among other European O gauge projects myself I am designing currently Finnish passenger coaches (pikajuna, intercity) and Russian passenger coaches (RepinExpress, TolstoijExpress, TransSiberiaExpress) as frequently observed on the Helsinki Cetral Rwy.St.

...video clips next time!

 

Originally Posted by Adriatic:
Originally Posted by BetaNuSigmaPhi:
 If someone is interested I can share here few video links dispaying my European trains.

I think many of us would enjoy that.

On the below video you can see a 2-rail DC analog operated Lima/Rivarossi train and another 3-rail AC conventionally operated train consisting of a converted European diesel and scratch-built EuroFima type passenger coaches of various European state railways. The coaches can be equipped with MTH truck and 3-rail couplers or with Atlas trucks and Darstaed/ACE/Merkur-compatible metallic hook couplers (alternatively also with plastic Lima/Rivarossi-compatible "Buck Eye" couplers).

On the inner track you can see a Finnish diesel with Russial fuel tank cars and Finnish gas tank cars, all scratch-built O gauge...

Now, back to the European passenger coaches, here few explanations about the differences. Roughly there are three lengths of modern European passenger coaches:

- Rivarossi 59cm (approx. 23") exact scale but too long for tight curves

- Lima 48cm (approx. 19") slightly reduced length, fits on O-80 Gargraves curves

- Merkur 42cm (approx. 16½") extremely reduced length, fits on O-72 Lionel curves

- Merkur 39cm (approx.15") pre/post-war coaches, fit on O-63 Gargraves curves

- Darstaed 35cm (approx.13¾") pre/post-war coaches, fit on O-48 Atlas curves

Darstaed

I prefer 42cm length for my scratch-built projects, because the express trains looks sufficiently realistic while pulling 7 coaches.

Originally Posted by Balshis:
 

Boomer, since you are familiar with German railroad models, I'd like to ask if there is much available in O scale German narrow gauge.  I've always been fascinated by the German NG lines.

 

Fleischmann had a line of On30 trains, their Magic Train line.  Unfortunately I have heard that it has been discontinued, but they can still be found on German Ebay.  I have a nice little side rod diesel switcher from them, and I might get the little 0-4-0 steamer that they did. These smaller narrow gauge trains are often called Feldbahnen. There are also some models of Swiss meter gauge Alpine trains out there.  Back in the 70's Marklin had a line of AC powered On30 trains running on their center stud rail track.  Pretty hard to find those though.

Last edited by John23
Originally Posted by Adriatic:

Thank you for taking the time to make me smile

The Finnish loco looks great. That was the one I found myself waiting to see again, and again, each time it came around.

On the 8th and 9th page of an old online catalog http://issuu.com/johannis_likos/docs/catalog2011v1

you can see my Finnish scratch-built flatcars and logcars for wood/pulp industries.

On the 10th page of the same catalog you will see my self-designed covered freight cars of the Finnish state railways.

On the 3rd page of another old online catalog http://issuu.com/johannis_likos/docs/catalog2011v2 

you will see the same type of covered freight cars, which have been vandalized to display modern Finnish era.

Last edited by BetaNuSigmaPhi

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