Inspired by Beromunster

[MichaelE]

I'm of the opinion that an electric locomotive with pans should have them up while on the move, or what's the point of having them?

 

We are modeling electric locomotives as realistic as possible and that means 'pans up'.

 

Even if a bit out of scale I still think wires should be present between the masts so the pans can run in the up position. Without wire the same effect can sometimes be presented if one suspends disbelief and the pans are tied in the mid-up position so one at least gets a feeling the pans are under the wire.

 

My DB portion of my railroad runs with the pans tied just below the wire because my catenary is not yet finished. They would snag the first registration arm where the catenary starts if not tied down.

 

On the RhB portion of my railroad the pans run full up for the portion I've completed. I have curved the wire upward at the start of the catenary to gradually compress the pan until it is fully under the wire past the first mast.

 

Just my .02 pence worth.

[MOB 2002]

I’ve got to start with a warning that this post contains a compromise ... ok, a couple.

 

I’ve come to the conclusion that, once good track is easy to come by again, I’m going to be building a much larger layout in the loft. I’ve been measuring up and doing some drawings for another Seetal inspired layout with a scale length Beinwil am See track plan as the centrepiece. 
 

But, I want to keep this layout as it sits beside me in the office while I’m working. So, I’ve done some cheating on the overheads rather than shell out £400 or so on something that is admittedly almost perfect but now hard to justify.
 

When I looked closely at pictures of the prototype it dawned on me that the overheads are set to the maximum reach of the pantographs, presumably to keep it as far away as possible from traffic. So I’ve gone for no wires, but pans up. 
 

To do that I’ve spent about £35 on Kato masts designed for their RhB range and some gantries aimed at the Japanese market. The masts are just painted, the gantries on the other hand I’m bodging to swap the round posts for H section. I’ve also removed lots of bits and done some general mucking about. 

These pictures are still a work in progress, everything is only loosely positioned while I check clearances etc. I’m hoping to get some of them a bit lower still and I’ve got a couple of other bits and pieces to tweak.
 

Nevertheless, I thought I’d open myself up to criticism before I reach the point of no return.

 

Mark

 

 

[JimFin]

I would say that was a sensible, pragmatic and aesthetically pleasing outcome. The overhead wires are just a complete PITA and best avoided! I am still in therapy from my experience of installing them......

 

[Frutigen]

Good choice, I think. I’ve just looked at some Seetal photos and there are places where the overhead resembles the stuff you have gone for rather than the classic Swiss mainline designs, this was specially true in the older images. 
 

I’ve used the Dapol masts at the back of my layout, they have H section uprights but there’s not really enough height in them to put the pans up. Then again, my tunnels are about the same height anyway. 
 

Your layout is looking good, and I’m looking forward to The Big One. 
 

Edited January 11, 2021 by Frutigen

[MOB 2002]

The storm, combined with plenty of snow still on the ground for most of the day has opened up the chance of a good few hours with the layout this evening for the first time in months. 

 

I spent some time finally finishing off painting of the overhead masts and planting them, then tidying up the ballast.
 

The sharp eyed will spot some more building work in the background of Be4/6 No. 12320 on a short special below. That’s what I’ve been trying to focus on in grabbed minutes. The big achievement of today was the kit bodging (like kit bashing but with less finesse) of the engine shed from yet another Faller kit.
 

There’s nothing suitably Swiss in preserved steam to pose outside so 80 030, which is restored albeit in Germany, will have to fill the void. I’ve tidied up the ballast outside the shed, but nothing else yet. I also think it might need an interior.

 

I’m certainly not hoping for any more storm damage, but a few more hours with the layout wouldn’t go amiss over the winter.

 

Mark
 

 

[Gordonwis]

40 minutes ago, MOB 2002 said:

 

There’s nothing suitably Swiss in preserved steam to pose outside so 80 030, which is restored albeit in Germany, will have to fill the void.

 

Given that 01 202, a huge German pacific, and 241A 65, an even bigger French Mountain, are preserved within Switzerland I think you are pretty safe ground!

Edited November 29, 2021 by Gordonwis

[Frutigen]

Really nice work here, all the details help to make it look right. I like the way you’ve integrated the goods shed kit into the curved platform on one side and the road on the other. 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

I’d not seen this layout before, so have just spent a very pleasant few moments reading through the thread and watching the video - very enjoyable: the atmosphere created is delightful.  Having spent the past thirty years looking at 4mm OO / 3.5mm HO I’d also forgotten just how small N is until this year, which makes the layout (and the pictures) even more impressive.  I hope you continue to enjoy it as much as the comments indicate the rest of us are.  Thank you for sharing it here, Keith.

Edited November 30, 2021 by Keith Addenbrooke

[MOB 2002]

Progress hasn’t completely ground to a halt, but with a new job late last year, it has slowed somewhat. I’m continuing to work from front to back (which was probably a mistake) on the scenery and adding the last missing buildings.

I’m down to two (maybe three) structures to add along the rear. I’ve done a bit of final tree placement this evening and took a few photos to see if I was happy. It’s only a tiny layout, but I’ve been trying from the outset to make trains disappear as they climb away from the station apart from occasional glimpses; so the trees have a key role to play.

 

Although the layout is in dire need of a tidy up and dust, I also quickly took a shot along the back end to help me visualise the next steps. I’m aiming to get the bulk of this stretch done before I add the backscene.

 

Mark

[Bundah]

Managed to get myself a n-scale Hobbytrain DE 4/4 like yours in the video, although mine has the warning stripes, placing it early 80's thru to 87 or so.

 

Wondered if these locos ever pulled freight, or mixed passenger and freight ?

 

My (beginning) research so far has only shown it pulling a short passenger local rake ie EW coach and a baggage wagon only.  [From Ernies flikr, Bahnbilder, trainspo].

 

At the same time I also got too many of the Lima early tooling EW 1st class coaches, with the old logo.  I've read the EW thread and while I recognise these are not the best models, they'll do for now.  Just wondering if protypically I can add freight wagons, either mixed or alone ?

 

(And if anyone wants to trade something suitably Swiss / Seetal for my spare original tooling EW Lima wagons 0308, and is happy to send and receive from Australia, feel free to message).

 

Thanks in advance for any tips on train make-ups.

 

(Oh, a ballast train here, https://www.bahnbilder.de/bild/Schweiz~Privatbahnen~CJ+1435+mm/1131964/cj-schotterzug-mit-de-44-111.html but I guess after it left SBB service)

Edited June 27, 2023 by Bundah

[chb2488]

Hello Bundah

 

The rebuilt SBB De 4/4 were also used on freight and mixed trains, although mainly in the Vallée de Joux. Here‘s a link to W. Hardmeier‘s picture threads on Drehscheibe Online,  the relevant pages are in the third paragraph: https://www.drehscheibe-online.de/foren/read.php?099,9539277

 

CJ De 4/4 111 reused the electrical equipment of BDe 4/4 111 (originally MO ABDe 4/4 2) and isn‘t directly linked to the SBB De 4/4.

[MOB 2002]

On 27/06/2023 at 07:28, Bundah said:

Managed to get myself a n-scale Hobbytrain DE 4/4 like yours in the video, although mine has the warning stripes, placing it early 80's thru to 87 or so.

 

Wondered if these locos ever pulled freight, or mixed passenger and freight ?

 

Thanks in advance for any tips on train make-ups.

 

Sorry for not replying quicker - been in the 12in to the foot version of Switzerland for a bit.

 

The De4/4 were predominantly passenger locos, with the De6/6 Seetal Krokodil intended to be on the freight. But the De4/4 certainly worked mixed trains and occasionally freight, while the De6/6 turned up on just about anything. The much easier to acquire Ae6/6 took over most freight when the Kroks were retired.

 

Passenger stock would certainly have moved towards EW I in the last years of De4/4 operation, but sadly full first class carriages were rare appearances on the Seetal line - first/second composites were more common.

 

in terms of typical train make ups, you might find this interesting if you haven’t spotted it already: http://www.eisenbahn-fotos.de/e008-seetalbahn-emmenbruecke-lenzburg.htm

 

If you can get a secondhand copy I’d also recommend Die Seetalbahn by Hans Waldburger and Martin Senn - I got mine from eBay. It includes this De4/4 on a freight gem:

 

 

Mark

Edited July 5, 2023 by MOB 2002
Typo

[MOB 2002]

It’s quite scary how long it is since I properly updated this, but fired up after a trip away, I’ve done a bit today. 
 

After a disaster with a Faller backscene, I went and ordered an ID backscene with much better results. It’s Bavaria in theory, but seems to work reasonably well here. So I’ve dusted everything down, fitted it in place and taken a few pics. Will see if I can carry on the momentum. 

Mark

Edited July 9, 2023 by MOB 2002

[Gordonwis]

Nice views. The Seetalbahn does not have a backdrop of high mountains so the forested hills effect works very well I'd say

 

The excessive breadth of the Fleischmann Re4/4II (which I have now taken a dislike to personally) is evident in the view of the two Re4/4IIs

[Gordonwis]

An apposite photo from my 'quite a few' visits to the Seetalbahn. Notably, having identified a camp the site adjacent to the station from available publications (much harder in pre internet days!)  I stayed for a week at the site at Mosen in 1989 with my late parents, and went far and wide with a Swiss Holiday Pass (now Swiss Travel Pass...I still think holiday is a better description...). It was (still is) a great base for touring. The station platform was reachable in approx 45 seconds from our tent!

 

Here are Mum and Dad waiting patiently - beside a laying over 11418 with 1 SNCF van - on the morning of 3 August 1989 for the 08.48 to Lenzburg (RBe4/4 1406). 

 

BTW this photograph could also be captioned 'how to get right up close to 120 tonnes of beefy loco perfectly legally '

 

 

Edited September 23, 2023 by Gordonwis

[MOB 2002]

It’s been a long time since I’ve had some time for this layout, but things have conspired to give a few hours.

 

I was never really happy with the Kato office building that was screening the exit to the fiddle yard. A while back I bought an alternative, a grain warehouse and silo set from Faller. This is them nearly complete and posed in place to allow me to adjust the scenery and check clearances before the last detail components get fitted.
 

The silos also come with enough bits to create a conveyor belt bridge over the railway to add a proper scenic break for the first time. I need to get everything perfectly in location before I build and install that though.

 

Lots of tidying up to do, but a definite improvement in my mind.

 

The Fleischmann Re4/4 II is another project. One of a pair acquired to improve the glazing and replace the pantographs while awaiting the next generation model.

 

Mark