lokalbahn Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Hi, I've been reading the http://www.lokalbahn-reminiszenzen.de site for ideas for a small lokalbahn layout (thanks goodness for Google translate ). I have a question though. Most of the plans, such as http://www.lokalbahn-reminiszenzen.de/gleisplaene/roettnauer.htm do not appear to have a runaround in the station stopping zone. So would the coaches be backed up, and then the loco run around and recooupled at the other end? Similarly with a goods train. would that be brought into the runaround loop, so the wagons could then be pushed into the sidings? Or might a local shunter be employed? Many thanks! pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted January 17, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2014 It would be interesting to know to what extent that plan has been based on a real location. Much more likely for the lines to continue a little further and the carriages to remain next to the platform during the runround. But yes, in an era before push-pull trains or multiple units, the train would have been pushed back for a loco to run round a passenger train. Given that there is a 2-road loco shed, the hypothesis of a shunter for goods trains is entirely reasonable. But my hunch is that this is a plan prepared for a model railway rather than a model of a railway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I would suggest the use of a small kof type shunter. In the 1980s at Monchengladbach I watched a single driver/shunter attaching and detaching extra coaches from passenger trains in the station. The kof and one coach would rattle across out of the sidings and onto the rear of the train, the driver hopped off and coupled/piped up, uncoupled the kof and headed off back to the sidings. A good excuse for a little kof. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokalbahn Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Thanks - that sounds like a plan. I am really tempted by the Lenz O gauge starter set which has a Kof in it. Problem is space, so it would be a much smaller version. Or I may stick to HO.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Here is a DB prototype that began life under Lokalbahn AG. I wouldn't say it was typical, but at Oberammergau in the days of the little E69 steeple cab electrics, gravity shunting was employed. After arrival from Murnau, the locomotive would back its train up into the station throat, run clear and allow the guard to roll the carriages back into the platform under control of the guard's brake. After withdrawal of the steeple cabs, the branch was operated by E41 locomotives in the same way until the introduction of push-pull sets. Here is a photo of this operation in 1978. 169 003-1, having propelled its train of two "silver fish" carriages, now waits for them to drift past back into the station. Edit: More generally, situations where the train locomotive pushed its stock to the run-around loop and where small diesel shunters were provided are both feasible. Many lokalbahnen adopted diesel railcars from the 'twenties onwards (some lines were essentially rural electrified tramways, with tram type stock, but I guess that's a different scope). To get a flavour of what these concerns looked like, their motive power and rolling stock and possibly some clues as to their operation, I'd recommend searching out the series of books by Gerd Wolff ("Deutsche Klein- und Privatbahnen") and Seigfriedn Bufe ("Eisenbahn in .... ") which provide regional coverage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
byron Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Thinking about the layout shown, as there is a loco shod, it would seem that this was where loco's were changed/serviced. It would not be viable to have a shed at the "mainline" end of the branch. Passenger train services would not be more than two or three in each direction, and I would think that the couple of coaches that formed the train would be pushed out of the platform until needed again for the next service. By the early 50's any passenger services still operated would be with a railbus rather than loco hauled. Some of these German branch lines had very (to our eyes) "Heath-Robinson" operating practices as well. I am assuming that the branch would be operated by a Privatbahn - the DB would have rationalised the passenger service to be operated by the "gummieisenbahn" (bus), or if passenger figures/political clout had kept it open the a V100 and a push and pull set would provide all services. Despite the above, such a branch is fun to model, and both rule 1 and a prototype for everything applies to Germany even more than in the UK. Besides, think of the fun, shunting every train! The final plus point - the amount of people who can find fault (correctly) with a layout based outside the UK are very very thin on the ground. Viel Spass Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbishop Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Pete, The middle road would be the main passenger platform. As you assume, the loco would have to push the stock out to run round then push back in. The far road could also be used for passenger trains, but only when the middle road was clear, so the main function would be a carriage siding. Freight would use the near road and the far road would also be used by private industry and the loco shed. Höchstädt is at the Erith this weekend. Either TonyA, Tetsudofan or myself will get an end on shot to show the track plan. This is an alternative Bavarian track plan with the head shunt beyond the station complex. Höchstädt is 22' long in O gauge (including 6' of fiddle yard). In truth, I could have trimmed a couple of feet off the length and lost one siding. Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbishop Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Pete, It was nice to see you yesterday at the Erith show. I mentioned that Lenz are progressing with their O gauge BR 50. It is impossible to estimate a release date because Bernd Lenz insists on accuracy and the company only get periodic opportunities to use the production facilities in China. I measured my BR43 this evening and it is about 22" long. Imagine my surprise when I looked up the two locomotives in Obermayer to find out that the BR 50 is actually longer than its more powerful cousin. I think we need a clear 24". We are OK at the buffer stop end of Höchstädt but the fiddle yard end will be interesting, we'll need a cassette in place to clear the points. Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngusDe Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Pete, Going on my German travels, and more particularly my research into the TWE around Gutersloh, I'd say this was a fairly common arrangement for a small branch terminus. Angus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForestPines Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 It would be interesting to know to what extent that plan has been based on a real location. ... my hunch is that this is a plan prepared for a model railway rather than a model of a railway. The site explains that this plan is based on a real location, compressed and with the industry changed from a stone handling plant to a brewery. Here's the prototype track diagram: http://www.lokalbahn-reminiszenzen.de/gleisplaene/gleisplan/maroldsweisach_gleisplan.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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