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Viability of Swiss Railways in a Home Layout.


scottystitch
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3 hours ago, GoingUnderground said:

 

 

If you want to read more about the Bernina line, the RhB, the FO,  and the BVZ lines, try to find a copy of "Metre Gauge Railways in South and East Switzerland" by John Marshall, published in 1974 by David & Charles - ISBN 0 7153 6408 1.

 

Thanks for that background.

 

I have a copy of said book on it's way to me now.

 

Best


Scott.

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3 hours ago, scottystitch said:

(version 2 (and it won't be the last version, by a long chalk. No sir.)

 

Whilst the stations might be true to life and to scale, I can only see the countryside between them being representative.

 

Lower Level:

 

image.png.a67d693c5fb6ec8594d27e70a200055e.png

 

Campocologno is only the freight terminal part

 

Upper Level:

 

image.png.3d8fd988e56e6422775ff22a51a6b592.png

 

There is plenty vertical height between Bernina and the level below it, so the grade between there and Alp Grum could be relieved somewhat if desired.

 

Best

 

Scott.

Hi Scott, your plan is developing nicely. You will be able to include on street running at the Tirano end. A good contrast with the spectacular scenery elsewhere in your plan.

Cheers David

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10 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Your plan could be described as a what if they did convert to AC now based on Allegra’s and Ge4/4ii-push pull on locals, Allegra or Ge4/4iii on BEX and double headed Ge4/4 on freight ;) 

 

Yes, that's what I had in mind. 

 

I initially wasn' that taken by the Ge4/4 IIIs, but they are growing on me...

 

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Scott.

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I would suggest including at least a representation of Campocologno station, as from what I can see, the station is where the freight traffic is attached/detached from passing trains.

No Brusio spiral either? Signature scene, and would increase the run between Campocologno and Brusio to be closer to the longer distances between the "higher" stations?

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Yes the 4/4iii isn’t that pretty! ;) The design evidently was for more aerodynamic efficiency in the Vereina tunnel. The advertising vinyls improve the 4/4iii mind you. 
Mind you I find the Capricorn’s a bit bland after the bolder Allegra design. I actually think the Allegra has character and is a truly good piece of industrial design, form and function,  the Capricorn is more a functional engineering design like the 4/4iii. 

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4 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Yes the 4/4iii isn’t that pretty! ;) The design evidently was for more aerodynamic efficiency in the Vereina tunnel. The advertising vinyls improve the 4/4iii mind you.

 

I like the 4/4 III a bit more than the II. Particularly when it isn't covered in adverts! You can't please all of the people all of the time.

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On 12/08/2020 at 12:07, Glorious NSE said:

I would suggest including at least a representation of Campocologno station, as from what I can see, the station is where the freight traffic is attached/detached from passing trains.

No Brusio spiral either? Signature scene, and would increase the run between Campocologno and Brusio to be closer to the longer distances between the "higher" stations?

 

I know what you're saying, and I have drawn up scale track plans for both.  

 

But it all comes down to space and preservation of open single line running.

 

I do have a version with the Campo station included, it just makes that part of the layout quite deep.  I could adjust the relationship between station and yard to be more linear, but I really don't want to do that.  One of my "layout of a lifetime" criteria is for the stations to be to scale, whilst the rest of the line can be representative (to a point) if necessary.

 

So I included Brusio with a mind to have the goods wagons tripped to there and attached to passenger services.  But after drawing it, Brusio is't really set up for that.  If anything, it's set up for the reverse, wagons coming off of southbound trains.  Plus Brusio would be the first stop from Tirano, which is a nice run for the train, a" 3/4" circuit of the room.

 

As far as the spiral goes, there are two issues I have with that:

 

1) See above, it would feel crammed and contrived to try and shoe horn it into the space between Campo freight yard and Brusio,

 

2) Whilst I agree it is a signature of the line, I'm concerned it has become a bit of a cliche (I know, heresy!)

 

The first issue I can try and solve by instating Campo station, as above, and removing Brusio station, the spiral going into it's place.

 

I will play about and see how it works.

 

The second issue, I just need to think about.

 

Best


Scott

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On 12/08/2020 at 14:34, PaulRhB said:

Yes the 4/4iii isn’t that pretty! ;) The design evidently was for more aerodynamic efficiency in the Vereina tunnel. The advertising vinyls improve the 4/4iii mind you. 

I never realised that was the reason for their ‘un-Swiss’ shape. Of course there are also locos with the same body design on the MOB and BAM but the RhB ones came first. I’ve never really been a fan of them preferring the Ge 4/4i and Ge 4/4ii,  I do think  the nickname “Krytens” as used by many UK enthusiasts is really quite apt

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A link to pictures taken a few years ago on 'Bernina day'. I'm not a good photographer by any stretch, but there is a shot taken into Campo freight that might interest you. Lots of pics from the whole day on that post so you'll need to scroll down a bit.

 

 

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If I was doing a RhB layout I would set it in the eighties. Still some green coaches. Krokodils and the odd boxy brown electric. Much more character.but of course it is a personal view and I can see the attraction in the modern era too. The scenery is a constant. 

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1 minute ago, David Bell said:

If I was doing a RhB layout I would set it in the eighties. Still some green coaches. Krokodils and the odd boxy brown electric.

That’s ok in HOm but not possible in N at present ;) With the heritage collection all those things are still fairly regular today as well :) 

Noch seem to have gone quiet on the original 4/4ii with round headlights which really dates the whole Kato range to post 2000. Pirata did the EW1’s in green but still nothing rtr to pull them yet ;) 

 

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1 minute ago, PaulRhB said:

That’s ok in HOm but not possible in N at present ;) With the heritage collection all those things are still fairly regular today as well :) 

Noch seem to have gone quiet on the original 4/4ii with round headlights which really dates the whole Kato range to post 2000. Pirata did the EW1’s in green but still nothing rtr to pull them yet ;) 

 

Fair comment, I am not clued up on what is available in N.

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2 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Noch seem to have gone quiet on the original 4/4ii with round headlights which really dates the whole Kato range to post 2000. Pirata did the EW1’s in green but still nothing rtr to pull them yet ;) 

 

 

Do you think that's a possibility at some point? I've always preferred the 4/4ii with round lights but I prefer the Kato-level prices (locos at ~£85) to the Noch edition ones.

 

Green liveried EW1s would seem like a logical extension of the range and a good way to get the most out of the tooling.

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19 minutes ago, MrTea said:

Do you think that's a possibility at some point?

Noch said they will but they was about 3-4 years ago and the freight tease last year brought nothing this year! Not sure what’s going on with them, the previous stuff all sold out but nothing this year. 
 

19 minutes ago, MrTea said:

Green liveried EW1s would seem like a logical extension of the range

Well Pirata’s repaints of Kato’s are available at a premium but they aren’t selling out so I guess because the hike in price is so large and there’s no rtr loco to go with them. 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114289453967

Fortunately I got three secondhand at a decent price. 

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On 12/08/2020 at 09:34, PaulRhB said:

Yes the 4/4iii isn’t that pretty! ;) The design evidently was for more aerodynamic efficiency in the Vereina tunnel. The advertising vinyls improve the 4/4iii mind you. 
Mind you I find the Capricorn’s a bit bland after the bolder Allegra design. I actually think the Allegra has character and is a truly good piece of industrial design, form and function,  the Capricorn is more a functional engineering design like the 4/4iii. 

The Ge 4/4 III is my favourite loco EVER! So much so that I have more of them (in HOm) than does the RhB themselves! (14 at the last count). 

 

I also have an excessive number of class 52 "Westerns"  so perhaps there is a psychologist somewhere that can explain that too.  :D

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14 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

It may not be pretty but it is essential to the modern modeller ;) 

I’ve only got 7 but one of them a a bit bigger ;) 


3192853B-27A6-4B2D-96D1-2FAC20B2F24F.jpeg.bbfb0d99933a35c78c421e4a8e9bca30.jpeg

Looks like you are breeding them.... Shame the little ones lose their colouring as they grow up. 

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