Introducing Nussbach, Swiss RhB in NM9

[Nutbrook]

Hi folks

Ive been interested in Swiss railways for quite some time, in partially the narrow gauge (1 meter) Rhatische Bahn (RhB) and also the standard gauge BLS.  I had a collection of RhB loks and stock in HOm scale and planned a layout in this scale, however the space I had would not give me the greatest of runs so a decision in December 2020 was to sell the majority of my HOm stock and using the raised funds together with xmas and me birthday pressys the following month gave me a good start into the Kato N gauge world of Swiss meter gauge stock.

Ive been reading through many threads on RM web and decided that I would build an 8 x 4 layout.

So day 1, 8th Jan 2021 I started to build the frame work (in the conservatory) as this was the biggest flat space in the house. 2400mm long by 1200mm wide and each square is aprox 300mm

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Nutbrook]

Okay, with the frame complete it was carried upstairs into the small bedroom, which I had obtained planning permission off senior management to use as a model railway room. Legs were fitted (9 in total). Now an 8 x 4 layout in a 10 x 6 room does not give a lot of space to work around, so the solution was to fit wheels to the bottom of the legs and this has proved invaluable to moving the layout around to work in tight spots.

In this picture some of the legs have been fitted with wheels (the front legs have locking wheels) whilst the rear legs are waiting for Mr screwfix to deliver some more.

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Nutbrook]

So with the main frame work complete it was time to start putting some track bed down. Now I had a plan, no fancy CAD drawings on a computer, more like back of a fag packet drawing plan but the general idea was to have two lines, a roundy round line which ran around the outer edges of the frame with a hidden fiddle yard and a scenic mountain line which ran between two mountains , up and down over bridges and through tunnels. These two lines will meet in the station area  Here is the trackbed for the station is under construction, it is 100mm above the main frame.

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Nutbrook]

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Gook the Goblin]

Excellent start. I am envious that you have so much space for your layout. I am looking forward to watching progress.

Nigel

[Nutbrook]

Cheers Nigel

Work has progressed at a fair pace, mainly due to Covid lockdown and although I still have to go to work, my time off has little else to do but concentrate on this project, still not a bad thing though.

Anyway moving on, the layout has now the outer roundy round line in with the station area at the front and the fiddle yard at the rear, the mountain line has been started with the construction of some Helex's

 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Nutbrook]

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Nutbrook]

A bit of a break from building came when I decided to fit passengers into my GEX set. These coaches with the extra large windows look (to me) odd without passenger's in them. I fitted around 80 people into the 6 coaches (E bay 1:150 scale figures) I also painted the seat headrests white and the tables a slightly different colour to break up the plain red or blue interiors of these coaches.

 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Jim Easterbrook]

I'm going to enjoy watching this develop. Good choice of name, BTW. When I finally get round to building a layout of some sort, part of it will be called Osterbach.

[backofanenvelope]

Just found your thread and looking forward to following along another RhB Nm9 layout

[MrTea]

Morning. Just seen this thread has started. You’re making good progress already!

 

Not sure what plans you have for scenery and what time of year you’re planning to set the layout in but you might enjoy this clip I stumbled upon on YouTube over the weekend:

https://youtu.be/Ow3T1plrZfM
 

It’s of another n scale Kato RhB layout set in the depths of winter. 
 

Looking forward to seeing how Nussbach develops over the coming months. 
 

Ian

[JimFin]

Great work - looking forward to developments.

[Nutbrook]

21 hours ago, Jim Easterbrook said:

I'm going to enjoy watching this develop. Good choice of name, BTW. When I finally get round to building a layout of some sort, part of it will be called Osterbach.

Ahh, I see you've sussed out how I got the name then.

[Nutbrook]

Thanks for the comments Ian and Jim, yes Ive seen that youtube clip before and to be quite honest I like it very much, might do some experimenting with snow on a test piece

[Nutbrook]

These two pictures were taken a couple of weeks ago, progress is moving on with the lower portion of the mountain line in and some testing of the outer circuit line. One advantage of having a skeleton frame like this you can put upright pieces just about anywhere you need them, one disadvantage is just about everything falls through onto the floor as soon as you put it down

 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Nutbrook]

Bit more work over the last week, the mountain line has a complete circuit now and testing has commenced

 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Nutbrook]

Here is the center of the layout, the idea is the two loops left and right will mainly be inside mountains and this bit will be a valley with the mountain line crossing it three times. A river will run from back to front and turn right under the curve. Looking at this picture from the rear is the fiddle yard (still yet to be completed with track) directly underneath this I have added boards for another smaller fiddle yard to run off the mountain line, a back scene will be put in after this. Then there is the lowest point of the line (25mm from the base) which will cross the river on a girder bridge. The highest part is next (at 210mm) and im planning a bit more of a elaborate center piece bridge, bit like the Wiesener Viaduct. Then there will be a curved stone arched viaduct and at the front the station (at 100mm) Thats the plan we will have to see what actually happens

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Nutbrook]

Testing, testing testing.

This is an important part to me. I soon found out that the trains slow down considerably when further away from the track power feeds, even more so on the gradients of the mountain line. So I've added more power feeds, theirs 3 on the outer loop and 5 on the mountain line. I had this spare Gaugemaster controller from an old layout and built a small panel for it, I can have both lines running simultaneously now.

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Nutbrook]

Testing on going

 

[Frutigen]

That looks really good, and a lovely long run on the mountain track. 
 

Even on my compact layout I found the voltage dropped noticeably as the train got further from the track feed, possibly due in part to the flexible nature of the Unitrack joints. I ended up putting in 4 feeds points around the main run, plus one for each siding and platform - it’s DCC so switched sections weren’t necessary. 

[Nutbrook]

Cheers Keith

Glad its not just me then, thought I was doing something wrong. I am currently operating on just DC atm. I have used digital in G scale and HOm scale but the thought of fitting a digital board in a loco I can only just see frightens me to death. I've see Paul's excellent thread on how to do it, but its too risky for someone with clumsy sausage fingers.

Steve...........

[MrTea]

Hi Steve,

 

I’ve had a similar experience to you and Keith with voltage drops and Unitrack. In the end I had to solder a number of the joints on my layout. It seemed to get worse after I painted the rail sides and ballasted around the track. 
 

Despite the issues I still rate Unitrack as an option. I’ve always liked the way it clips together and also the way the turnouts have their motors integrated. There’s something very satisfying about throwing the points remotely with a Kato lever. 
 

You've made some really good progress on your layout in the past few weeks. 
 

Ian

[JimFin]

It is indeed coming along very nicely and you are quite right about robust testing, it pays off in the long run and very satisfying when you get to the stage of it all performing as you would want. It is a very ingenious piece of track design, wonderful to see it in operation.

 

When you are planning out the scenery, do make sure you have decent subterranean access as you just know where its going to derail at the most awkward spot just to spite you..........

[Nutbrook]

Been experimenting with making tunnel mouths with modelling foam (advise taken from Pauls Bonsai thread). Firstly I made a jig using 6mm mdf, for the arch I used a 35mm hole saw, then cut down to this from the edges.

 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook

[Nutbrook]

Then I used this template to cut the arch and sides out (all the pictures Ive seen of RhB tunnels have straight sides) unlike some tunnels Ive seen that curve inwards towards the bottom.

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Nutbrook