Since this thread has been revived, The Bachmann China 22 series passenger cars would be an excellent substitute for Russian vehicles of the 1950s to 1980s. They could even be run in the Chinese green which isn't that different to Russian green.
The Chinese QJ 2-10-2 is fairly similar to (if larger than) the Russian LV class and the Chinese DF diesel electric cab unit is based on the Russian TE-3.
M636C
Saw an episode of Tracks Ahead (PBS) couple of years ago featuring a Russian electric train running from near the Pacific to 100 miles east of Moscow, then a steamer pulled the train into Moscow. Don't know the cost of such a trip. They had coaches, sleepers and diners, and English speaking people. They stopped occasionaly to swim, shop and visit. Many of the riders were from Europe, Australia and the U.S.
Y'know, I wonder if the military (specifically WWII) modellers could put enough impretus behind the idea of making static model kits of Soviet trains that ran during WWII (the German ones are already available) that the concept of mass producing Russian model trains could get off the ground?
One of you guys needs to post this on Fine Scale Modeller's forum so that we can kickstart this idea!
If you stick to 16.5mm gauge to model Russian trains in HO scale you'll have the same sort of deal that our friends in England have with HO/OO (OO scale on HO gauge.) That makes it easy to compensate for the over-scale width of wheels and siderods.
The one thing I would avoid like poison is any temptation to model the 4-14-4. The prototype was test run only, and proved to be as practical as a depleted uranium balloon. Allegedly it destroyed every turnout it crossed...
I, personally, have the opposite situation. I model in HOj, which is 1:80 scale on 16.5mm gauge. Since my prototype ran on 1067mm (3'6") gauge the proper gauge for the scale is 13.337mm. Generations of Japanese and Japanese-prototype modelers have disregarded the difference.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Oh, and in N scale there are/were some display models manufactured under the name of 'Locomotives of the World' by the firm 'Del Prado'. For Russia they produced the SU and P36 classes, seen here in their model form (the pictures are from Ebay listings).
Though static models, they could probably be modified to accept commercially available mechanisms.
It would be far easier to model post World War II, as there are some commercially available models of the German Reichbahn's standard class 52 that were captured by or sent as war reparations to the Soviet Union, Russification being a fairly small matter of redetailing , and of course the export ALCo RS1s and their Soviet copies could be modified from Atlas' excellent model, and I of course must not forget those S160 consolidations that we also sent over...
The RS1s we sent over (top) and one of the Kreigslokomotiven as modified by the Russians (below)
More information on this topic coming!
You can find Russian oriented models, books, and information at Chris White's web site: www.redstarrailways.com .
I found the model railroader in Russia. His user name is Vladimav and he is on trainboard. I just a post he made of 5 lighted N scale passenger trains at a large terminal. He is in Moscow.
Hm, in that case looks like it won't be a terribly big deal. I'll just have to learn some kitbashing and scratchbuilding and go from there.
OldTrainFan The 5' gauge is definitely something I've thought about. It's going to be interesting going from HO to 1:48 O, but I don't think it'll be too huge a problem (that's my naivety showing).
The 5' gauge is definitely something I've thought about. It's going to be interesting going from HO to 1:48 O, but I don't think it'll be too huge a problem (that's my naivety showing).
I believe (based on perusal the Russian Railway Ring sites) is that most Russian HO scalers use HO gauge track and don't worry that the gauge is not correct . Several large museum layouts shown on the English-Russia site use HO gauge track.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
FWIW I visited Russia a couple of times in the 1990's, it was interesting. I didn't get to ride or photograph any trains unfortunately, but got to ride and get some pics of trams (streetcars).
wjstix SNIP Seems to me someone in Model Railroader (and perhaps Model Railroad Planning?) wrote about a guy modelling the Soviet railways in the 1950's, but not sure exactly when that was published...at least several years back I'd guess??
SNIP
Seems to me someone in Model Railroader (and perhaps Model Railroad Planning?) wrote about a guy modelling the Soviet railways in the 1950's, but not sure exactly when that was published...at least several years back I'd guess??
stix,
Yeah, I think it was Model Railroader, maybe 3 or 4 years ago? The magazine index should turn it up. Not that many Russian RR modeling articles out there in US mags.
EDIT: Checked the mag index. It was a little longer ago, November 2005.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I think the main focus will probably be the Krasnaya Strela train (Red Arrow to those who don't speak Russian :P). The problem is doing that in practically any scale other than N or Z would be insanely long and take up a lot of space. The other problem is I honestly have no idea how the Moskovsky Rail Terminal is actually laid out...that's going to take some research. Thanks for all the replies, hopefully when I head to Russia next year I can take a look at the rail terminal!
The Bachmann-Spectrum "Russian Decapod" would be usefull, it's based on engines that were built in the US to a Russian design during WW1, for Russia to use in the war. When the Czar was overthrown and the Bolsheviks took over and pulled out of the war, Pres. Wilson embargoed the engines still in America and they were re-worked by the builder and sold to US railroads. The design the 2-10-0's followed were a very common Russian design, and they had hundreds if not thousands of virtually identical engines from early in the 20th century until the 1950's or 1960's.
During WW2, the US sent Alco RS-1s to the USSR, and they copied the design and that became a common Soviet diesel in the postwar years...but a little late for your c.1939 era.
Like much of Europe, Russia was pretty fast to electrify it's mainlines, so you might want to look at electric engines too.
Keep in mind that Russia uses 5' gauge track, not 4'-8-1/2" "standard gauge", so you'll have to decide if you want to re-gauge everything unless you go into 1:48 scale O gauge, which already works out to 5' gauge.
English-Russia is a good site to check out.
Another site to check is the Russian Railway Ring.
http://parovoz.com/rrr/index.php?CAT=PICT&LANG=EN&ORDERBY=3
In the pre-revolution days, Czarist Russia bought a number of steam locos from German manufacturers, which looked quite close to the standard design of Prussian locos. However, these locos were fitted with add-ons to be able to cope with the extreme climate in that country. A notable Russian feature was also the "fence"around the running boards, giving the locos a distinct "Russian" look.
A typical loco is the "Little Sheep", class OW, a 0-8-0 based on the Prussian class G 7:
After the Bolshevik revolution, Russian quickly developed an own locomotive industry by nationalizing private businesses founded by German companies like Hartmann of Saxony. The early 1930´s saw deliveries of locos built by Alco, whose designs were later copied.
Piko of former GDR (communist German Democratic Republic) used to market a train set in Soviet Union in the late 1970´s, consisting of a class OW loco and wooden passenger cars. Model railroading stuff of Russian prototype is still a very rare bird, as Russia does not have a model railroading industry of its own.
There is at least one member of this forum is Russia- I don't remember his name for sure, but I bet he could help. I think he is in N scale.
Edit- excuse me. He is on trainboard.com
The other place to look is the website English Russia. You're going to have to dig a bit, but the realivant information is there.
http://www.russian-railways.com/russian-railroad-models-c-21.html?osCsid=581e4cdaf4dfd4cbf5030c3da8462f67
The above is the only site I have found that actually has Russian Model Locos. Mostly deisels, but there are some steamers.
Quick google search: http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net/r097.html
Let me add a second source (I googled for Soviet Steam Locomotives): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Steam_locomotives_of_the_Soviet_Union
Smile,Stein
I got the idea the other day to model Leningrad (St. Petersburg today) in 1939 Russia. I've found a building that'll serve well as the focal point of the layout, the Moskovsky Rail Terminal. The problem is, I can't find a lot of information on the types of locomotives the Russians used in that time period.
So, I guess what I'm asking is, were Russian trains more German in design or did they build their own crazy "Russian" type of trains?