Die Ercallbahn - Fulfilling a childhood dream.

[Woody C]

Brilliant! All those electrical buzzing noises and similar just add that extra something .

 

And with all those transformers, relays and similar electrical items on the layout, I have this vision, as only Woody can,  of  some nearby power station struggling to cope with demand and bringing in an additional generator as you switch on and operate the layout Ian..

[TT-Pete]

<lights flicker and dim in the neighbour's kitchen> "Oh. Ian's running his trains again I see."

 

[ian]

On 12/05/2023 at 09:16, TT-Pete said:

<lights flicker and dim in the neighbour's kitchen> "Oh. Ian's running his trains again I see."

 

Good job it doesn't happen often!

 

 

 

[Vinedusk]

I have never really contemplated how to install catenary on a slope. So thanks for doin' my head in on that one.

I loved the schnell-schnell segment.

Thanks for the Marklin madness, in a sea of 1/76.

[ian]

And finally Cyril...

 

 

[ian]

Good news - I have acquired the necessary wood to start work on the trackwork missing link between Maifeld and the helix.

 

However, having got fed up of wiring I got distracted...

 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by ian

[ian]

This might give you some idea of what I am aiming for.

 

The train (loco propelling) has just left Universität station on its way to Maifeld. The Rangierbahnhof is mid-day empty with just a handful of wagons. The scrapyard crane is having a day off as there are no wagons to load.

 

The blue sky panel marks the end of the modelled section and sky will also hide the incline and the end of Neustadt.

[ian]

Progress is slow - but getting exciting.

First up a small infill between Maifeld station throat and the runof viaducts has been fixed in place. The viaduct sections are just  placed in position at the moment; they wil need further work for the scenic treatment along the stretch, however that will wait until the track layout has been tested and finalised.

 

 

The main trackbed section for the other end of the viaduct run has been cut and the track laid. The curved line at the front links to the helix going up to give a sneaky testing/playing continuous run. The lower line off the double slip connects to the helix going down for normal operation, giving access to the Rangierbahnhof and the fiddle yard. The line on the far right connects to Billshaven station and Klinkerhoffen. The siding at the back identifies as Bremerhaven and in the current climate to say otherwise would be some form of -istic, so Bremerhaven it is. The battery railcar set will run from there, through Billshaven to Klinkerhoffen and back again.

 

This is the trackbed in place - not very easy to photograph. The lines you can see are the approach to and headshunt for the Rangierbahnhof. The control panel is for Neustadt and the trackwork will be hidden behind the track layout and power switching panel.

 

The golden spike moment draws closer!

[ian]

Nearly a month on but not much closer to completion.

 

My computer died, which has required the acquisiton of a new one - then setting it all up, retrieving data and getting it all just so. This, combined with a requirement to temporarily house many boxes of stuff in the garage, has resulted in somewhat of a hiatus. Still, mustn't grumble.

The infill connecting Maifeld with the viaducts is now in place and the track has been laid.

 

So I've had to build another control panel (for Maifeld and Universität stations) and yet more electrickery work beckons.

 

The row of viaducts is in place, albeit temporarily, so that the track can be laid and wired and the catenary installed.

 

When the scenic work starts the viaducts will need to be removed and finished, including wiring the lighting. But getting the trains running is the current priority.

Edited July 21, 2023 by ian

[ian]

Meanwhile over by the helix the exit to the Maifeld station level has been connected. A V200 stands at the head of steel. We are under Neustadt here, the white foamboard construction is the lift-out section that houses the oil depot and goods shed. In the foreground is the Rangierbahnhof entrance.

Looks like a job for Evel Knievel! The view from Universität station showing how tantalisingly close the main line is to completion.

[ian]

The penultimate piece of trackbed has been installed to connect the Klinkerhoffen branch to the junction.

 

This was quickly followed by track laying...

 

...so that the first train could reach Bremerhaven. This view was taken standing in the access well under Neustadt and shows how the main line (going off to the right) links to the helix (right and centre) with the branch on the left.

[ian]

The final piece of trackbed was installed at the weekend.

 

Followed by the final section of the main line.

 

And a loco to test it.

 

More knitting beckons, but this is a major milestone.

 

Needless to say that some things no longer work - Sod's law in action - but it is progress.

[Woody C]

4 hours ago, ian said:

Followed by the final section of the main line

As I am in awe of both the quality and technological advanced nature of the Marklin brand I am presuming that they produce or have produced  a special golden section of track just for such occasions? Or am I just verging on the realms of fantasy? Either way, I do have to say some truly incredible work on your whole layout Ian - well worth a gold medal, if not track section, in the Olympics of railway modelling! 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

11 minutes ago, Woody C said:

As I am in awe of both the quality and technological advanced nature of the Marklin brand I am presuming that they produce or have produced  a special golden section of track just for such occasions? Or am I just verging on the realms of fantasy? Either way, I do have to say some truly incredible work on your whole layout Ian - well worth a gold medal, if not track section, in the Olympics of railway modelling! 

Agreed.  Full credit to our host too for managing to source such a huge quantity of useable / re-useable vintage Märklin track: quite an achievement in its’ own right!  (Is there any left over?), Keith.

[ian]

Sadly no gold track but they do produce this:

 

Fear not, there is plenty of M-track left to go around. Unless it has been allowed to rust the only way to get rid of it is to beat it to death with a stick!

[Woody C]

2 hours ago, ian said:

Unless it has been allowed to rus

So no garden extension then?

Do like that gold train. The ultimate gift for a Marklin collector so I am further assuming (which normally means I am wrong) that you have a number of these stashed away Ian? 

[ian]

11 hours ago, Woody C said:

Do like that gold train. The ultimate gift for a Marklin collector so I am further assuming (which normally means I am wrong) that you have a number of these stashed away Ian? 

Apart from a handful of items - to whit one Italian loco with two matching coaches (survivor from childhood) and a Rheingold set (a gift) with a vaguely suitable loco to haul all stock and locos have a role to play on the layout and gold-plated trains were somewhat of a rara avis on the DB in the 1970s.

[ian]

It lives, Igor. It lives!

 

 

[Woody C]

All I can say is watch out Mr. Waterman! Awesome layout Ian!

[ian]

So how better to test things than to run a few trains? Locos and stock are being checked before being formed into trains and then given a gallop out along the main line in both directions. Any problems with stock or track are sorted as the train progresses around the layout.

 

At 00:33 the D638 DSG Sleeper from Flensburg to Bonn passes through Maifeld. The BR 141 (E41) on point is a bit lightweight for a heavy train but it isn't peak season and has an easy schedule so it can cope.

 

The Deutsche Service-Gesellschaft der Bahn (DSG) was a DB subsidiary that ran the sleepers(until 1974), dining cars (until 1966) and station restaurants and various other activities. The dining car is out of period - but Rule 1 applies.

 

So from the front: BR 141 in the new turquoise/cream livery (running with pantographs down as there are still some gaps in the catenary) follwed by a baggage car, dining car and two sleepers.

 

Josef and his train of many colours...
The D231 Holland – Skandanavien Express from Hoek van Holland to Kobenhavn crosses four countries and has coaches from all four railway administrations plus a neutral dining car. It stops at Maifeld at 12:39.

 

Up front is a BR 220 (V200), again in turquoise/cream, follwed by an SJ (Swedish Railways) baggage/second and a DSB (Danish railways) second. By the looks of it the DSB coach is fresh out of the paintshop in their new (1972) corporate livery which was inspired by British Rail and Canadian National.

 

Catering is provided by a CIWL (Wagon-Lits) vehicle, which is an earlier generation Märklin model, then there is a DB first class coach and bringing up the rear an NS (Dutch Railways) second.

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by ian

[ian]

Testing continues.

 

'The Flying Kipper' fish train from Billshaven Hafen to Hamburg Fish Market is ready to leave Maifeld Rbf. One of the yard shunters has collected the vans from the harbour and the BR 151 electric loco has made a trip light engine from Hamburg to collect them and take them forward.

 

The CIWL dining car gets another run out in the Paris - Kobenhavn CIWL sleeper. The odd one out is the luggage van on the rear which is a Jouef model. The BR 110 (E10) electric loco is the BR 141 (E41)'s big brother and is much better suited to fast, heavy trains.

 

Mix and (not quite) match. The Joueffcoach is much lighter than the Märklin models and so I will either have to add weight (probably an expired PP3 battery above each bogie) or always run it on the end of the train. Further examination revealed that some of the wheels are free to slide about on the axles. Obviously it was designed for mixed gauge operation! Some super-glue should solve that problem.

 

Onwards!

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by ian

[St Enodoc]

23 minutes ago, ian said:

'The Flying Kipper'

Der fliegende Bückling - aber wo ist Heinrich?????

[CameronL]

30 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Der fliegende Bückling - aber wo ist Heinrich?????

Er hatte einen Unfall im Schnee.

[ian]

 

2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Der fliegende Bückling - aber wo ist Heinrich?????

 

At least it was a green engine.

[ian]

Ganzzug (Gag): a block train working of coal, oil tank wagons, 4 or 6 axle ore wagens, cars, containers or seasonal sugar beets in open wagons. Runs direct from terminal to terminal.

 

 

A BR 194 heads some powdered brown coal (lignite) wagons. They are probably on their way to or from a power station.

 

Steam still lives, just. A BR 44 on a train of 4 axle hoppers. This should be a coal load but is it full to Hamburg for trans-shipment or away from Hamburg after trans-shipment and where is it going to at the other end of the journey? Any suggestions welcome.

Edited August 12, 2023 by ian