Samedan

I accept that there is stuff to be had for those that want to search it out but I was questioning the commercial wisdom and sheer usefulness to the hobby of introducing a new, comprehensive range at relatively high price points in the current and foreseeable circumstances. Time will tell I suppose.

Crocodile414 an excellent layout. I seem to have missed this thread for a while, so have rapidly come up to date on your progress. I hope we see it further North in the future!

I’m surprised that no one seems to have hit on the first thing that occurred to me when I saw the first excitable announcements of the “brand new scale!”. And that was: why on Earth aren’t Peco bringing out their excellent track for 14.2mm gauge modellers, alongside, with partners, RTR locos and stock and building and scenic items for the existing but niche 3mm / 1:100 scale? That way, they would be supporting all the modellers and other traders who’ve continued to support 3mm scale over the long, lean years. I was started off as a 5 year old in 1960 in Triang TT and went on to progress to kit and scratchbuilding as a teenager, before abandoning it for other pursuits and subsequently (on picking up the hobby again) other scales. So I understand the attraction of TT as sitting between OO and N etc etc. But, reading this thread, there are clearly some experienced modellers out there that are interested in trying something new and are prepared to fiddle about with what limited products are currently available or realistically programmed. Modellers who really care about correct scale/gauge combinations. I strongly suspect, however, that you are in a minority. Shock, horror! Imagine yourself as a retailer. A dad/grandfather comes into your shop or to your stand and asks for advice on the best scale/gauge to start in on returning to the hobby or building something for the kids. How on Earth do you sell TT 120 to him when there are so few products available and no guarantee that many more will follow, soon or even over the next few years. And even if you can persuade that person to take the plunge, what an auspicious time to launch a completely (for the U.K.) new scale / gauge combo! The economy is heading for a prolonged recession and many folk are going to struggle to put food on the table and/or stay warm enough to eat it. Revolution says it will have to be high quality and high price - well thanks a bunch Peco, Gaugemaster and Heljan for that! As if we didn’t already have enough high quality/high price models to tempt us. Good luck to the manufacturers, distributors and retailers with this one, but I feel they would have done us all a better service by supporting established scale/gauges than pushing a new one.

Bemo and Peco track are supposed to be interchangeable. I have both but haven’t actually laid track on my proper layout yet, so can’t comment on how well they work together. Bemo track is available as set track, which you may prefer, and is certainly easier to lay on sharp curves. My oval test circuit is Bemo set and it’s perfectly OK. As far as I understand, Peco don’t make settrack in 12mm gauge. I’ve seen excellent layouts laid in both types individually and with them combined. if you wanted to create an unusual feature, you could consider Tillig track, which you can get in mixed standard/metre gauge formations. Probably not of interest to you at this stage, but Bemo also make a plastic insert to make working rack track for their appropriate locos.

I've been researching plywood for baseboards and nearly going mad with all the materials, types and grades. I knew about hardwood, softwood, interior, exterior, marine etc etc grades but when I look at local suppliers (in the U.K. for clarity!) I’m confronted with hardwood, birch, poplar, eucalyptus etc plus MR, WBP, grades 1 - 4, B/B, BB/B, EN636-2S etc etc…. I’ve come to the conclusion that “hardwood” (probably birch) with either a poplar or eucalyptus core will suffice for my purposes. Good timber is either terribly expensive or hard to get, or both, in the U.K. these days. My layout is under construction in my garage and I wonder whether we are all over-thinking the issue? Unless the layout is to be frequently taken apart and reassembled and taken out to exhibitions, is a little movement (if it even happens) likely to that much of a problem anyway? One question that occurred to me reading the original post is could you simply leave the wet car outside the garage? Surely that way you wouldn’t risk introducing much moisture into the space? I accept that we are on opposite sides of the world and north west England could hardly be said to have a Mediterranean climate, although it’s heading that way, but my cars never enter the garage! Incidentally, as my layout will be Swiss HO, I’m building the framework from softwood - sturdy and well braced I must emphasise - and the plywood will be 9mm for the trackbeds on an open framework, to allow for mountain scenery.

Thanks for the airbrush recommendation. I don’t own one at the moment. But I might decide to invest at some stage. My other current modelling interest is 16mm/ft 32mm gauge in the garden. I’ve had fun heavily weathering some stock in that scale, using wet and dry brush techniques etc. (Oops, not sure why they uploaded upside down??!)

Sorry to hear you’ve had to abandon the HOm FO project - though for good family reasons. Maybe we’ll see you back in the “community” in the future?

An interesting project. Geographically flexible, shall we say, but I don’t blame you for wanting to run trains from the countries you like all together. The scenery and buildings are recognisably Alpine. I’m still fiddling about with my track plan, struggling a bit to accommodate standard gauge Swiss HO and metre gauge RhB. But I’ve got a sizeable collection of both, so I really need to at least have a reasonable length of metre gauge. I think I will probably have to regrettably abandon my aspiration to have a joint station, let alone dual gauge track!

To weather or not to weather! I still can’t bring myself to weather European models with their fine paintwork (usually) and lettering. I know I should! But I notice that you didn’t actually weather the EWlll buffet car as much as the one in the prototype photo. All that work and then you’re going to sell it on. If it was mine, it would break my heart - unless you’re able to get a really good price for it. Good luck.

I’ve had difficulty in the past trying to find and then print off the point templates for Streamline. I think their website is sometimes a bit difficult to navigate. incidentally, MichaelE, you say you could only find a template for a Y point, but the current range doesn’t seem to include a Y point at all? I believe that Peco had some production issues post-pandemic, as they turned part of their factory over to manufacture of PPE for the health service. Perhaps they haven’t got the full range up and running yet?

I presume you’ve looked at some of the smaller. European manufacturers of laser cut Swiss station kits? Like Laser-creation. Pricey though, and supply from within the EU will add to the cost.

I’m a massive fan of Arcadia Models. I’ve been buying from Tim for over 20 years! He’s very good with posting things out - very well packaged and prompt etc - and will try to order things in if he can get them. The shop is an Aladdin’s cave, and you get a nice cup of tea if you’re a serious browser. l’ve also bought from Contikits. I just wish they’d give a bit more info on the models though. And Peter Brett is still selling Bemo through Winco, despite supposedly being retired. Sadly, we lost Waltons in Altrincham a while back, a former stalwart of the Continental modelling scene. I’ll be at the Swiss Railways Society AGM in Crewe in April. There’ll be some new and second hand traders there I’m sure.

I really like the progress you’ve made with the layout. It’s good to see the FLIRT and the Rbe540 running. I have a bit of a “thing” for EMUs and railcars. Looking at your backscenes, I’m impressed by the way the scenery stretches right up to the top in places and blends in. This is the approach I’m planning to take with my HO layout. I want to avoid photographic backscenes if possible, as I’m not convinced that the perspective works all that well in the flesh, although I concede they can be amazingly effective in photographs, where the angles and composition of view can be controlled. The way you have created the sculpted flat sections of backscene, to resemble a rock face, is interesting. Are you going to add bits of vegetation to them?

Good to see a growing collection of HOm, I’m beginning to worry that it’s very gradually being edged out by NM9 (not that there’s anything wrong with it, so don’t anyone jump on me please). I think HOm is a lovely scale at which fine detail can be incorporated, whilst still capable of being done convincingly in a small space or of filling a larger space if it’s available, as you’ve demonstrated. I’ve been collecting Bemo since the 1990s and still haven’t got round to building even a test track! … But, but, but, I’ve recommenced work on baseboards for a mixed standard/metre gauge HO layout in the garage, so hopefully something will emerge if I can maintain momentum. I think I’ve suffered from trying to be ambitious from the start. I should’ve focused on a modest test track like yourself. By the way, you’ve rather coyly referred to “your retailer” a few times. Are you going to share who it is, or do you want to keep the source of supply to yourself? (I also live in the North West).

By the way, has anyone spotted a planned model of the SOB Traverso in the bronze Voralpen Express livery in HO? I’d happily spend 500 Quid on a set.

Not so much for HO, but potentially exciting times for N these days it seems. Given the likely prices, I’ll have to stick to Roco, Lilliput, Piko etc in the main. The graffiti wagons are quite well done, though.

OK, thanks for clarifying the colour.

Photos can be unreliable for colour matching. Never mind the blue, the upper bodywork looks more LNWR off-white in this photo. I think your “cream” looks more correct, although it does look quite buttery.

I’d forgotten that, additional, argument against Nm9!

I just find the wheels so tiny. As an artistic and refined sort of chap, I never thought I would have to admit to “fat fingers”. But alas, age has taken its toll!

27 August 2017, east/south bound GEx, photos showing standard EW coaches attached at the front of the train as it approaches Landwasser (I was sitting in the GEx panoramic portion). To be honest, I can’t remember whether they were attached at Disentis or Chur? I think it was the latter and that there was only the loco change at Disentis. We got off the train at Samedan for a few days stay. I’ve enjoyed the information on train formations, thanks. On another aspect of this thread, I’ve noted the increasing popularity of the Nm9 models, but, whilst I can see the potential to run prototypically long trains through dramatic scenery, I sill find HOm to be a very pleasing combination of large enough to model detail comfortably and convincingly (without requiring magnifying lenses) and possessing reasonable “heft”, with being able to negotiate tight radii and run reasonably convincing short trains. Plus, the variety of the Bemo range in HOm is simply stunning. Put quite simply, getting an HOm coach bogie on the rails is hard enough; I can’t imagine what it’s like in Nm.

Hasn’t it been announced that the SRS AGM next year will be at Crewe Heritage Centre?

I’ve just discovered this topic and enjoyed following the thread. Starting at the beginning, in 2019, I looked at your track plan and thought “hmm, a rather limited roundy roundy, but potentially a useful test track.” But I have to say, what you’ve achieved with it has far exceeded my initial expectation. It’s a great example of how not trying to cram too much into a space and carefully researching the landscape can really make the most of this scale. I wonder whether I would have been tempted when I first started tentatively collecting HOm back in the 1990s, if the amount of equipment and models available now had been around then?

It’s amazing what you can achieve with home printing these days. How do you achieve the printed designs and lettering on the wagons please? NB this whole project looks incredibly thoroughly thought out and executed. The benefit of a lot of experience I guess.

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll check those out. I’ve got a large collection of HOm, so I definitely want to actually model the metre gauge, not just the subway entrance!