Glorious NSE

The 654xx series look like a more modern build, assuming the 82xx are aluminium too conceivably not so different under the crud?

Couple more that might help with interior colour - 65403 is a Re-t, 8245 an Re-w.

I think there are actually some practical positives for trying to keep a whole tunnel within a module - if you tried to mate two modules with their ends in tunnel then it'd be a swine to ensure you've accurately aligned the track for instance. Plus I kinda presume people will be selectively compressing tunnels more than the open air bits*. The darkbox/bird box way of approaching it would allow access, so would negate those issues if you did need to have a module end in a tunnel. (*Now waiting for the "but I was going to build the Vereina to scale" posts....)

There sort of is, as you can still build a "black box" to sit between mismatched module ends, build something with one of them both ends and that's essentially your module - I think there was an example up-thread? Alternatively, model both ends of the tunnels? (Better flow of layout if you do that?)

Thanks, glad they were useful. Yes was a great trip! Glad we could squeeze that in to try and catch as much variety as we could.

Sorry i'd missed this thread for a bit! I took several of that bridge as I thought it looked really modelleable! Here's the top side - it has since been boarded inside the metal, so you can't see what the inside looks/looked like. Have a dig around on my website here if you want more - they will be about half way down the page: Link to more pics:

Hmmm, unsure. How convinced am I that the person who sent me this knew they were meant to flip the end pictograms depending on what way round they used each bit of wood? Did they really build a module with high ground both sides, or is that just them copying in the stock pictogram and not understanding how to use it? Surely no harder (but maybe more reliable?) to document 5 images with their different codes corresponding to the 5 possible end configurations they give, and get them to give you the codes for the ones they use? Either way, for layout planning you'd need to convert to something like this anyhow:

Depends which way round the profile is used, which would be a different configuration each end? If you intend to keep the same terrain angle (average) through the module you will need to use the profile the opposite way round at the other end of the module. If you didn't the high ground would be at the "front" on one end of the module and the "back" on the other end of the same module. (Not an issue if that's what you want, but probably not what most modules will need.) So if you were viewing from a "front of layout" perspective with a high back and opposite ends (as if all ends were AG then you would never match another module end to it!) then the left hand would be GA and the right hand AG.

Thinking about the future, can we use these to give an easy description of end profiles for layout planners and builders beyond timber ordering? IE - an AG end should ideally mate with a GA end*. CE to EC and so on. If we keep the nomenclature consistent as "Left""Right" as you look at the module end from outside then you'd know an AG is an upward slope left to right and a GA is a downward left to right. AG/GA matters less IMHO in terms of cutting timber as you'd use the same for both and flip the wood over to reverse it, but being confident of which side of the track the high ground is on a finished module you've never seen before will be a pretty important part in planning. (*Or a box....)

Thanks for your work on this - let me know costs for ends as I'd still like to give it a go at some point. I see the logic in starting with 3 easily available ones as that gives you a decent chance of being able to join with other people's modules without every module end needing a darkbox.

Interesting sign that Kato continues to regard this as an ongoing range and not just a novelty is they have launched a new dedicated website for it! https://www.kato-rhb.com/

I think the Aussichtswagen and updated BEX cars are released as they are showing up on JP Ebay BTW.

Have a feeling one of them comes with the big green "storage book" which has enough extra slots to take the other 4 as well. (Not a cost thing, but theres also a different mix of first and second class coaches included, one may be more useful than the other from a proto POV!)

I think it also let's them use a fairly standard point installed on straight track the other end of the curve, rather than something highly bespoke installed half way round a really sharp curve.

No worries. Don't forget you don't need to do the BEX as a special round trip if it's also your mode of transport South, its an international rail line connecting through to Italy in its own right. If you're on the BEX southbound then that gets to Tirano in the middle of the day so you could leave the RHB in Tirano and take FS onwards to be in Milan that evening. Or take the Rhb bit slower and there's plenty of accom in Tirano to break it there - Tirano to the Med should be doable the next day. You'll know your teens better than me obvs, but they might also think the regular trains with big opening windows (and/or open cars in summer) are more fun than the BEX panoramics. (Though maybe less if its in Winter! )

Was just poking a bit of fun at Noch Mike. I think the published number and Kato's image confirm its a pantograph fitted one.

True, though there's a plastic one coming anyhow for those vans?

Progress looks great! Just on the point above, it *is* possible to take in some Swiss narrow gauge as part of a bigger trip. In 2019 we went to Innsbruck as a family holiday, and I wanted to visit some of these for the first time, we overnighted at Mulhouse in France (great railway museum) then went south to Brig and the MGB to connect across to the Rhb. We did one Swiss overnight in Ilanz then carried on to Landquart and back onto SBB and a Railjet from Buchs East. It should also be easily possible to do a North-South transit, overnighting in Germany around Lake Constance and then Tirano in Italy. I really want to try the latter sometime in winter as I think that could be a way to experience the Rhb in the snow without too much risk of actually being in the snow myself.

Their docs suggests it's a 4 wheeler too. Presumably if you buy it there's a special offer where you get two more axles free if you buy one. an widget

Have you a link to the site please? Thanks. The low dropsides are useful for current era modelers even if the rest aren't.

Katos leaflet with the vans attached. One bit of weirdness, 4223 is one of the pan fitted heating vans, as shown correctly on the leaflet. But why has Noch then apparently photoshopped that number onto a regular van for their publicity?

Ipswich fuel flow moved to bogie tanks a couple of years back. Are the PGAs definitely gone? There had been a bunch (ex Lafarge wagons) working in the South East a couple of years ago but I'm a little out of touch.

New Italian Covid restrictions restrict cross border tourism. https://www.suedostschweiz.ch/aus-dem-leben/2020-11-05/keine-rhb-freizeitreisen-mehr-nach-tirano

They have 6 Alvra sets in total and believe it or not the schedule needs 6 sets to run! Journey time is just over 2 hours, so in the middle of an hour there will be 4 trains en-route, plus one sat at Chur and another at St Moritz. So one scratch set in use I think must be fairly common every time one needs maintaining (there was one out and about during the week we were there.) - this will mean 2 sets out if one is having its normal maintainance cycle. (Downside of long fixed formation trains, at least if you haven't got spares!)

Agree with your hopes on "moderate". From one of the other websites linked it identified it as Alvra set 5705 with matching driving trailer 57805. As a consequence, two "scratch" sets of stock on the Albula today - both are Allegra powered push-pull sets: https://www.schmalspurbahn.ch/filisur/webcam/m201029130245275