Questions about Bavarian Branchlines

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:42 am

Mark
One interesting modelling possibility would be to use one of the sidings for an industry served by dedicated trains. An Epoch II example is the basalt crushing plant and concrete works at Nordheim on the Mellrichstadt to Fladungen nebenbahn (see http://www.rhoenline.de/nordheim.html), which was served by a single siding. The website has some good photos of the crushing plant. Christoph Perleth, who was building a model based on Nordheim and had family connections in the area, indicated that in Epoch II dedicated basalt trains served the quarry every second day.

Greg

Member Joined: 28 Feb 2008 Posts: 5

Once again could I thank all of you who have provided such useful information relating to Bavarian branchlines in epoch II. I am particularly grateful to John, pointing me towards the "lokalbahn - reminszenzen" site and Franco who pointed out an excellent photograph website (http://h1336311.stratoserver.net/bg/?action=showpic&num=334&thema=512).

When I first read the accounts about modelling Bavarian Branchlines I had a simple notion about creating a small space layout with short, mixed trains, two of my favourite ingredients, when it comes to railway modelling. As a newcomer to modelling German Railways however, I never realised realised that I had overlooked so much! Perhaps modelling a lokalbahn that is not necessarily in Bavaria might be the way forward for me, although I think my lack of knowledge, and the need to undertake more research into German Branchlines per se is probably the issue here.

Ultimately I'm not trying to build an exhibition layout (although judging from the pictures of Graffenwald this should be an inspiration to us all) I do want to build (and actually finish) a small layout which captures the essence of a German branchline station, even if it is not wholly authentic. My current purchases - and again perhaps I should have done my research here before jumping in, has now committed me to Epoch II, as I have a Fleischmann BR70 and some 4 wheel passenger stoch in the Era II livery.

Mark

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:11 pm

Hi Mark,

What makes it hard is that there is really no such thing as a generic German station. Railway building architecture sets the scene as to what trains can be expected.

Is it necessary to have a station building? 8 years into building my layout, I sometimes wonder why I elected to build such a huge station environment. Ok so I had the space, but I could have done other things with it. With a small layout, I would be tempted to pass on the station idea and model just a scenic element that has trains pass through it with more storage yard behind.

Ultimately, I have the ability to do a reasonable amount of shunting, but realistically the only shunting that goes on is passenger stock to and from the passenger sidings, locomotive getting turned on the turn table and baggage cars getting swapped from one rake to another. The freight storage sidings are really only there to hole excess stock.

To put it into context, I can have about 60-70 freight wagons on the layout without it looking crowded. Of which about 10 would be classed as MOW type wagons.

John

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 3:16 pm

Mark,

As you've already invested in a Class 70 and some (presumably Lokalbahn) coaches, you are well on the way to modelling a line like the "BechhÃ¶fer Bockela" from Leutershausen-Wiedersbach to Bechhofen in Middle Franconia in the 1930s.

Provided you have around 6-8 coaches and a similar number of goods wagons, all you need is a second Class 70 to model such a line. Depending on the space you could model anything from a small intermediate station on a loop or a terminus to junction via a halt. Rauenstein looks more like the junction station on the main line.
I don't know what the N range is like, but there are several models at H0 of typical Haltestelle 'Agentur' buildings - they are very basic; just a single storey wooden building - and I guess most of them are available in N scale too. Definitive kits for the larger Bavarian branch line stations are less easy to find, but can be produced with some easy kitbashing.

Details and photos of the BechhÃ¶fer Bockela here:

http://www.woernitz-franken.de/leubech.htm

Further research may uncover a few other branches that were already using Class 70s in the 30s.

Member Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 91

Hi,

first here is a direct link to the mentioned Deutsche Reichsbahn version of the BR 98.8 (former bavarian GtL 4/4) in N, which was also in use on several Lokalbahnen in the 1930ies:
http://www.fleischmann.de/?viewproduct=894&pid=17&trackgauge=5&label=1&equipment=0&epoch=3&query=&onlynew=

one kind of a small bavarian 'Haltepunkt'(= train stop)-building, which can/ could be found in several areas of Bavaria at some Lokalbahnen/branchlines is this 'Agentur'-building by faller in N:
http://www.faller.de/start.php?lang=dt&naviUp=3&naviDown=3&dat_artKat1=SpurN&page=detail&dat_artNr=212105&back=menues_dt/backs/liste_SpurN.jpg&new=0

Not as good detailed like the former version in H0, the Pola's kit of the stop 'Rothhausen', but maybe you like it.

Several more new Bavarian station and train-stop kits in N you cand find at MBZ ModellbahnzubehÃ¶r Thomas Oswald/Microplanet:

http://www.mbz-modellbahnzubehoer.de/

Edit: Bavarian stations/stops are the kits of 'Kulmbach', 'Dorfen', 'FÃ¼rth am Berg', 'Kraiburg' (the later Waldkraiburg), 'Aubing', 'Massbach' and 'Nordheim vor der RhÃ¶n'.

Most people havn't noticed it, their more of one hundred H0 building-kits (prototypes of several german areas) can be ordered since last December also in N, Z, TT and 0. It are kits by laser-cutted special carton (only one or two building kits are made by the classic photo-realistic printed paper = "Fotorealistischer Bastelbogen"). The download catalogue ( PDF 17 MB) with all the kits and pictures of them is here:
http://www.mbz-modellbahnzubehoer.de/assets/plugindata/poola/05_2007%20MBZ%20Katalog.pdf

In the download area of the site you can also find the price list for customers = 'Endverbraucher Preisliste' , but it's password protected. You just have to send an email to Mr. Oswald asking for a password, an he will send you an actual password back.

Example for the prices:

The little Bavarian station 'Massbach' in N i.e. is 50,64 Euro, the also for H0 brand new kit of a typical Bavarian cube station, in this case 'Kraiburg' in N is 85,92 Euro.

By MKB-Modelle is also a Bavarian Lokalbahn-station available , it's 'Wasserburg/Stadt', as a laser cut kit in H0 :
http://www.mkb-modelle.de/product_info.php?products_id=3146&modelle_id=d0ac4195dff03da55cb46a13b057fdaa

It's also announced for N, a prototype kit of MKB in 1:160 was test-builded by Frank Kaminsky, see his report on his website http://www.wasserburg-finescale.de/03-Modell/body-fortschritt20070116.html

His website http://www.wasserburg-finescale.de is about Prototype of this Lokalbahn and building N-modules with that topic. He is also writing, in his history about this lokalbahn, that the BR 70 was operated also there from the 1930ies till 50ies, see -> Geschichte -> Fahrzeuge:
http://www.wasserburg-finescale.de/02-vorbild/body-Fahrzeuge.html

Because you need only less coaches for your topic, maybe also a brass model kit could be interesting for you. Schlosser http://home.arcor.de/lok-schlosserei/ has announced for N the DRG 3.class CLbay 02 http://www.lbforum.com/images/Messe%202008/CLbay02AN.jpg , which also was operated on Bavarian Lokalbahnen . He has also announced in 1:160 the DRG combined 2.class/Post BPostL bay 02 , see http://www.lbforum.com/messe_2008.html -> Schlosser. I don't konow of this combined coach also was operated on Lokalbahnem in DRG-times.

The H0, TT and N brass kits of Mr Schlosser are not only famous because of their excellent details (which is exspected by brass models), the parts are really very precise, here a DRG/DB BDid 21/ BCid 21 model in N http://home.arcor.de/lok-schlosserei/bilder/modell/n/bcid21.jpg (most pics on the Schlosser-websites don't shows the excellent accuracy) and a prussian PwPosti -kit http://www.lbforum.com/images/Messe%202004/N%20Railino%201603A%20preuss.%20Post-Packwagen%20PwPosti%20Pr11%20pic1.jpg build by Railino, , and the criticisms by model railroader about building the kits are usually very good.

Dirk

Member Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 91

And here, as an addition to my reply above, also some manufactures for loco decals in 1:160:

http://www.kuswa.de/schilder.htm , etched letterings for Deutsche Reichsbahn for wished locos

http://www.reitz-modellbau.com/ , now almost his complete assortment of his H0, N and 0 items can be found on his websites, partly with pics, partly only as a list. The Bavarian and DRG - letterings, etched and 'Abreibebeschriftungen' , also some for N, can be found here http://www.reitz-modellbau.com/html/spur_n_beschriftung.html .
There are also further 3 pages of his N-items for supering, also bavarian locos, on his website http://www.reitz-modellbau.com/html/spur_n_bauteile.html , you have to click on the pages to enlarge theme as an extra PDF.

Member Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 123 Location: Croatia

kh-modellbahnbau have some nice decals for waggons:

http://www.kh-modellbahnbau.de/html/templates_2.php4?zid=57

Art.No. 7062 and 7063

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 12:00 pm

Mark,
Another English language link you may be interested in looking at is Christoph Perleth's site on railways in northern Lower Franconia - http://www.emils-webspace.homepage.t-online.de/. (Christoph was my source of information regarding Nordheim).

Greg

Member Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Sweden

Returning to this topic's original issue...

I'm interested in railway, road and street signs for that area (Bavaria) and time (early-mid '30ies).

TL-modellbau do have some suitable decals, but a fairly recent issue of Fleischmann's PiccoloExpress claim that there are similar sheets available on the net as free PDF downloads to print yourself. Unfortunately I haven't been able to locate any single one of these.
Any ideas where to look?

TIA
Olle

Member Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 123 Location: Croatia

Try here:
http://www.karzauninkat.com/bahn/downloads.html

Loco and coach/wagon : http://freenet-homepage.de/Bahnseite/download.htm
Drawings etc.
http://www.laenderbahn-forum.de/zeichnungen/zeichnungen-download.html

HTH

Member Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Sweden

Perfect! Thanks a lot.

/Olle

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:33 am

Mark Linehan wrote:

Hi Nicholas,

I'm hoping to model either a branchline Haltepunkte or Haltestelle (my preference would be for a Haltestelle) using a small circuit of Fleischmann track. I would like to use the Kibri kit of Rauenstein station, although I'm not sure if this is appropriate?

......

Mark

Hello Mark

Rauenstein is to big for an branchline stopping place. Here two examples of the real.

and a "N" model from Auhagen

A Haltepunkt is a station of small importance and without a turnout.

Member Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Sweden

Franz K, did you notice that Mark's question is four months old?

If it's still valid I'd suggest Faller's Haltepunkt, #212105. That building was a common standard design used in many places.

Cheers
Olle

Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:34 am

Olle Petersson wrote:

Franz K, did you notice that Mark's question is four months old?

If it's still valid I'd suggest Faller's Haltepunkt, #212105. That building was a common standard design used in many places.

Cheers
Olle

Hi Olle,

thanks for the tip of the date. I think I have to clean my glasses.

The building you refered is probably well-known me, because it's in my home country where I lived up to my 9th year of life.
It's the agency building "Rothausen" and here a picture of the place now. The tracks are gone and the colour yellow.
By the way the village Rothausen is in North Bavaria.

After the real now to the N scale layout of "JÃ¼rgen Dill". The track plan is correct and the building colour nearly the original.

Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:52 am

The original kit was made by Pola and was released as a part of a range of finescale KBayStsB structures at the end of Pola's independent existence , the others were:

1. Farmers co-operative (Baywa) warehouse 843 from Stadtlauringen
2. Silo towers 844 to match above
3. Freilassing 670 roundhouse
4. Rosenheim 673 watertower and railway administrative offices (not sure of the location)
5. Rothausen 660 halte
6. AltÃ¶tting Bhf. I am not sure if this was a Pola production. It is extremely rare.

Not all the kits have been released as part of the Faller range however they should be sought as they are near perfect.

The Rothausen building was the Pola Social club and I have enjoyed the odd cool beer in the shade on the old loading ramp in memory of one of Germany's finest kit makers.

This thread is starting to duplicate at least two other threads, I suggest that you click on:

http://germanrail.8.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=512

Member Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 124 Location: Kent, UK

Can I ask a question that I do not think has been asked before? What colour would Rothausen and similar buildings have been painted in the 1930s? I assume the yellow is modern.

Would the timber of the main building have been brown wood stain and stucco walls white? What about windows and doors? Or would it have depended on the local authority? I thought I read somewhere that maintenance of Haltstelle was the responsibility of the local authority.

Tony

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:13 am

Hello Tony,

your question about the colour is advisable.
The yellow painting was made after the branchline was closed in 1959 and broken down 1959-1960
and the Rothausen building became the Pola Social club house.

The standard colours for buildings in this part of the country was:
for timber: redbrown (called oxblood)
stucco walls: highlighted beige-coloured
entry recess stucco walls: white
windows and doors: ochre-brown "Bavarian State Railways agency buildings"
windows and doors: dark green others

For example here a picture of the Stadtlauringen townhall

The brown colours on the picture are a little bit to bright because the buildings are in the sunshine and the windows are new and not in the original colour.

In the mid-50th "Rothausen" Haltstelle was never renovated since the 30th and so the timber colour redbrown
became more weathered grey.

I know this, because I grown up in Stadtlauringen and Rothausen is only 2km away.

The stucco walls colour of the Bavarian "Agency buildings" is not everywhere equal,
it differs from region to region.
But the timber work was always brown.
If the local authority became ownership of the building,
because the "Bavarian State Railways" gets the decision it is no longer necessary,
the colouring was/is in the responsibility of the local authority.

Member Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 124 Location: Kent, UK

Franz,

Very many thanks for your reply. That is exactly what I need. Now all I need is the time to start building!

Tony

Member Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 91

Hello,

some more interesting models in N for Bavarian railway topic epoche I/II/III are these:

K.Bay.Sts.B. - Grenzzeichen

by 'Finescale und Mehr' http://www.finescale-und-mehr.de/ . Also available is the bavarian station 'Wasserburg'

and their bavarian track kits for N.

Bavaria is offering a lot of new N-accescoires in their webshop http://shop.bavaria-modellbahnen.de/ and announced a 'SchiebebÃ¼hne' (= transfer table?) , here the H0-model:
http://bavaria-modellbahnen.de/shop/images/10.06...jpg
They also announced this bavarian freight car for N (picure shows the H0-model):
http://bavaria-modellbahnen.de/index.php/neues-und-projekte-in-n/42-neues-in-qnq-aus-unserem-hause/56-projekte
http://bavaria-modellbahnen.de/images/stories/02.159.1.jpg

And MBZ is offering a further new bavarian station, it's 'Nordhalben':
http://www.fotos.mbz-modellbahnzubehoer.de/1_1_1/pages/1_1_10029.htm

Dirk

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:37 am

I have added some photos of Pretzfeld on the Ebermannstadt-Forcheim branch, it is quite delightful and retains the key elements of a small KBayStsB station.

Click here and scroll down http://www.altezeitgruppe.com/bayern_branchlines.htm

Member Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 91

Hello Tim.

there are several Haltepunkte (stops) in a similar style like Rothhausen, i.e. Ermengerst http://www.kbaystb.de/kbaystb-kbaystb/kbaystb-bahnhoefe/kbaystb-bahnhoefe_ebelsbach-eysoelden/kbaystb-bahnhoefe-ermengerst/kbaystb-bahnhoefe_ermengerst.htm and Hellengerst http://www.kbaystb.de/kbaystb-kbaystb/kbaystb-bahnhoefe/kbaystb-bahnhoefe_haag-hurzfurt/kbaystb-bahnhoefe-hellengerst/kbaystb-bahnhoefe_hellengerst.htm in a far away region of Bavaria, Rothhausen is in Franken, Ermengerst in the or near the AllgÃ¤u (a region of the Alpen ).

There are also little wooden buildings for Haltepunkte in other styles i.e. Neunburg vorm Wald Ost . But if you can say that wooden builings are in common for Haltepunkte I don't know.

Dirk