Signal Cabins

[Alan Kettlewell]

Morning All,

 

My layout (link in the signature area below) is a based on a fictitious location around the southern regions of Germany, near the borders with Austria and Switzerland.  I'm modelling a modern era and as I'm developing the main station area I'm wondering about whether to model the signal cabins as 'in use' or model them as derelict.  I have two nice models to make so I'd like them to be on the layout.

 

I'd be grateful for any info from knowledgeable members about whether there are any still in operation or if they've all been closed now.  My station is based on a mainline junction .  Many thanks.

 

Cheers ... Alan

[Ian Morgan]

From what I saw around Munich, apart from the main city stations (like this one at Pasing https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianm42/23881099003/in/album-72157663184616950/), the signal cabins were located within the station buildings, if there were any. For instance, this one at Petershausen, before recent rebuilding: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianm42/16790672458/in/album-72157651193916387/

 

There is this a small one at Neuaubing that controlled the entrance to a railway installation:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianm42/16472875071/in/album-72157650643030406/

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Alan,

Firstly, I'd recommend a read through this site: http://www.stellwerke.de/ as it seems pretty well informed to me (with my very basic German and Google 'Translate') but my observations seem to concur with Ian's above.

 

This is a smaller box, no prizes for guessing this location.

 

The main box (power box?) at Munich.

 

I'm not certain but this appears to be Nurnberg Rbf (Goods yard box) - built into the top of an administrative building.

 

Hof Hbf.

 

A traditional box at (I think!) Treuchtlingen - not sure it's in use.

 

Finally, the sort of box built into a station building, definitely still in use at Mottingen between Nurnberg and Nordlingen.

All pics Sept. 2014.

 

So, from these, I'd say you can certainly use your boxes, whether they be 'modern' or more traditional looking. I've travelled along some routes that are still fully traditionally signalled and while I love German Semaphore signals, I'm not keen on those strange 'counterweight' "things" they also use, sorry!

Cheers,

John.

[Joseph_Pestell]

That submarine has got well off course.

[Allegheny1600]

Hasn't it just.

Must be Russian - it's HUGE!

[eastwestdivide]

This one at Lindau 2014 - not sure if it was in use, but it was in good nick apart from the graffiti.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1596/entry-14232-7-four-more-countries-including-a-little-one/

[Ian Morgan]

Here is another with the signal cabin built into the station buildings. The levers are still there, but the building is now home to a model railway club.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianm42/15930581423/in/album-72157650789751616/

 

Further north (near Munchen-Gladbach) was this more convention signal cabin at Ratheim back in the 1980's.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianm42/albums/72157663942820363

 

Nothing left at Ratheim now though.

[Alan Kettlewell]

Many thanks for all the replies, pictures and links etc.  Building a signal cabin into the station building isn't an option for me as my station sits on a road bridge angled over the top of platforms (pictures are in my layout thread).  The models I have are ground based buildings anyway and one is the type that spans over the tracks.

 

I'm inclined to think that there probably aren't many (or any) conventional cabins still operating at main line station throats and so I'll probably build my two models to look derelict.  I did see some like this on a recent trip through Germany so I know this approach will look authentic.

 

Thanks again.

 

Cheers ... Alan

[Ian Morgan]

This one at Landau was still in use in 2005:

 

 

 

Edited August 15, 2023 by Ian Morgan
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