MichaelE

Roco signals are now manufactured for them by Viessmann. I think the prices are identical too.

I've never seen any static semaphores from Germany, but tha doesn't mean they don't exist. The cheapest I have on my DB Eisenbahn is around €50. But they are powered for that price and easily hooked up, but depending upon the method used, are not that reliable. The solenoids can also easily be burned out by a stuck relay or magnetic reed switch. I've already smoked one of them and now it is static. The other works, but I disconnected it after fusing a relay contact, I did get the plug pulled before it burned up the semaphore solenoid. Anyway, I've about given up on semaphores until I can come up with a more reliable actuation system. Modelbahnshoppe-Lippe is about the best in Germany for price, selection, and speed of shipping. From Germany to my US doorstep is usually three days, sometimes four. Customs is handled by UPS so there is no delay. I cannot say the same for Union Modellbahn. They use DHL with no Customs brokerage, so you will be dependent on Royal Mail and the Government for Customs processing. I'm not certain how speedy UK Customs is, but if it's anything like US Customs, you will be waiting weeks to receive your goods. Their shipping is also €20 higher than MSL (to the States), and their prices are also higher for the same equipment and parts. Their customer service though is excellent and shipping out the door is usually the next day. It's the courier and Customs you have to put up with. I would only order from Union if there were no other resource. There is no choice of shipping with them so you are stuck with DHL.

Very nice work. Is that red railcar made by Stadler and related to the Allegra? I want to use a Noch or Auhagen printed brick or rock sheet to line a wall on the layout where the mountain comes down to a high wall. Over that, I'm going to build a snow shed along the track for a short length.

I was studying the photos of the RhB catenary masts at Modellbahnshoppe-Lippe, and at first because of the lighting and angle of the photo I thought these were hex shaped masts. Upon further examination I find that they really are I-beam masts. I can't find a hobby supply shop that carries this structural shape in the size I need. I guess I may be buying the Sommerfeldt masts after all.

That's what I was told at another forum; that the wire is centered on the narrow gauge track. I run the zig-zag pattern on my small length of DB cat, but because the Swiss pans are so narrow I can't really see how it would matter. The pans will likely be in a fixed position below the wire just to give the illusion of contact. Most of my locomotives have the pans tied at a fixed height, at least until I can finish it so the pans don't catch the end of the run. Thanks for the tip about the phosphor bronze wire.

Me too. Still in Customs with no end in sight. I've looked at and studied the points, but I don't think I want to try and modify one of those. I'll probably go with the Tillig offerings. I want to install a passing siding along a stretch of the dual gauge, but keep it HOm only and not dual gauge. That's down the road aways, but I am going to plan the space for it as I work on the scenery.

Has anyone here fabricated their own RhB catenary? I'm giving some thought to making my own from 3mm brass rod for the masts and 1mm brass wire for the support arms. I would probably buy the bases from Sommerfeldt since they are available and would be a good time saver rather than cutting small cubes of basswood. Brass cuts and solders easily, and it's cheap to purchase. I thought about threading the bottom of the rod to accept a wingnut, or just drilling the holes in the sub-roadbed to friction fit the masts in place. I think I could save a bit of money by building these masts myself. Probably around a buck a piece. Has anyone here done this?

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but thanks for posting the best pictures I've seen of the Bemo Allegra. Bemo's photos and advertising information leaves a lot to be desired. This seems to be a very sophisticated model, even the older analog version from 2012 when this thread was first posted. The one I ordered comes sound equipped and I'm really looking forward to watching this train run. I was uncertain how it was shipped, how the control cabs and center unit was connected, or even which end had the motive power. Now I realize it's the center car. Thank you for all of the helpful information. I think I will now be better prepared for what will hopefully show up on my front porch one of these days soon.

Really great video. Thanks for posting.

Me too!

Running these trains together is probably not entirely prototypical, especially since the Swiss operate on the left of dual main lines, but I can't resist some of this equipment and so the railroad that started out as Deutsche Bahn in the beginning has evolved into a multi-line railroad. And Swiss RhB equipment is on the way too. The layout is far from finished with much scenery and catenary work left to do.

Thank you Colin.

In another post I had said that I now have a dual gauge HO/HOm mountain line for running RhB trains as well as standard gauge. It didn't start out this way. I had given thought about installing narrow gauge HOm track in the beginning of planning my layout but abandoned the idea early on. Then I started watching Swiss RhB train videos and caught the bug for narrow gauge. I had a couple of ideas for a narrow gauge railway. One, I could remove all of the HO track and re-lay narrow gauge in its place. That wasn't too appealing to me so I sat on that idea for awhile. Then I thought maybe I could actually add a narrow gauge railway above and behind the current mountain line in HO. This wasn't feasible due to space constraints on the ends that needed a turn around as I don't care much for point-to-point operations. My third and final solution was to lay in a third rail between the two HO rails spaced precisely at 12mm for the RhB line. I thought about how to secure this rail without tearing up the existing rail. I stripped a couple of rails from a piece of Micro Engineering flextrack and used Loc-Tite 404 AC adhesive to secure the rail. This test track was allowed to thoroughly dry overnight, and then I proceeded to try and pry it from the ties to test the strength of the adhesive. To say it "stuck like glue" would be an understatement. It took considerable prying before the CA finally cracked and released the rail from the ties I had glued it to. Maybe not the most aesthetically appealing way to get a narrow gauge railway, but it does work and works well. Granted, there are no tie plates or spikes to be seen, but it is not really noticeable unless you get close in to look in detail. I bought an RhB coach from eBay to test the track and it all gauges out correctly. The third rail is electrically tied to the closer HO rail for DCC power with small jumper wires and the rail joints are all soldered. CA glue smells horrible when heated so after the first time I tried making the shortest contact possible to get solder to flow without burning the CA glue. Now, if only my Allegra ABe 8/12 would show up out of Customs...

Yes sir, a layout is never really finished.

Fantastic N scale layout. I love the land contours.

Hi, I've been raising and training German Shepherd Dogs for about the last 30 some-odd years now. This is Lisl von Schlaf my latest companion and house mate. She is a wonderful dog, very smart and very intelligent. She'll be eight in October.

I really enjoyed watching your layout come together over these last four pages. Great job. I have yet to start catenary on the HOm line and still need to finish the cat on the DB lines.

Hello everyone. My name is Michael and I'm in the States. Southern Illinois. I started my DB/ÖBB/SBB railroad just over two years ago and then discovered recently the RhB. Wish I had seen these cab ride videos before planning my layout. Anyway, I have a mountain line in HO that I run one of the short ÖBB train on, and I have converted it to dual gauge HO/HOm. I'm currently awaiting my new Bemo Allegra ABe 8/12 unit to get out of US Customs in Chicago. It was ordered from Union Modell Bahn on 18APR and I'm still waiting. I sure am glad I found this place. I haven't seen any site with a dedicated forum to Swiss narrow gauge anywhere. Glad to be here.