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worlds largest model train set

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Posted by Darth Santa Fe on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 4:52 PM

yankee flyer
 DARTH
Is that a 2-6-6-4 at the bottom of your post and do you have one?  Regardless of how it looks what is the smallest radius it can manage to get around? How long is the engine a lone?

It's a Bowser 4-6-6-4 Challenger I built from a kit. It's designed to go around an 18" radius, and its length is around 17".

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Posted by Graffen on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 2:18 PM

You can also check out this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6gvnHrGDQs

It is the big LOXX-layout in Berlin.

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Posted by HHPATH56 on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 10:27 AM

 Hi one and all ,

My computer just warned me that the site "WIMP.COM" has a bad reputation. You can see the same video by typing in the following:   youtube.com/watch?v=PN_oDdGmKyA    Be sure to watch the additional videos on the history of the construction of this giant model railroad in Hamburg, Germany.

The cars, trucks, and buses are available from FALLER  They are a little expensive and run on batteries, but are well worth it!  In addition to several cars and trucks, I have just purchased the bus that (with an additional kit will pull off the main road into the bus stop, and then stop (to pick up and drop off passengers), before returning to the highway.  One suggestion for the highway, is to use a "slot car" roadway, and modify it so that it becomes a two way roadway. I installed a heavy iron wire in the slot, with Hydrocal plaster,( such that the wire is just below the surface). The magnetized cars, etc. follow the wire magnetically.  My only objection is that the autos travel at too great a scale speed. Perhaps someone can suggest a way to slow down the motion,(especially when turning on street corners).

 Bob Hahn   e-mail: ROBTAHahn@Earthlink.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted by UncBob on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 7:40 AM
yankee flyer

 DARTH
Is that a 2-6-6-4 at the bottom of your post and do you have one?  Regardless of how it looks what is the smallest radius it can manage to get around? How long is the engine a lone?

Thanks 

Lee

I am not Darth but I have a Blueline 2-6-6-4 and although it is in my display cabinet (doesn't look right on a 4X91/2) I successfully ran it on my 22"radius no problem --Engine is 10.25"

51% share holder in the ME&O ( Wife owns the other 49% )

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Posted by Left Coast Rail on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 6:56 AM
Here is another link to check out: http://tagebuch.miniatur-wunderland.de
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Posted by Tom Bryant_MR on Sunday, March 29, 2009 9:06 AM

I had the great fortune of visiting the Miniature Wonderland in Oct 2007.  Videos and pictures do not do it justice.  My brother-in-law and I did the tour and paid for extra for the behind the scenes tour.  Yes. It did make our head explode.

As an example, most if not all of the vehicles (not just the trains) run, have working headlights and turn signals.  The vehicles are controlled by the computers of course and run from a battery - follow a wire in the road etc. 

What was amazing was that the vehicle and/or computer knew how much battery time was left in each vehicle and the computer would schedule the vehicle to stop at a recharging station which was underneath the layout where the staging yards etc are. We saw one.  It was like those old fashioned turnstiles in underground subways.  The vehicle would pull up into the turnstile and a metal paddle on each side would press in on the vehicles mirrors - and recharge.  Wow.

 

They also had a lake - a huge tank - I forget how many gallons.  They were controlling ships using RC controls.  What they were working on was their own GPS system to control the positioning of the ships as they docked and moved about the lake and couple of ports they had modeled.

Regards

Tom

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Posted by eddiejoe on Sunday, March 29, 2009 9:05 AM

There's also a youtube video fo the layout that shows even more.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kriWZVaZBXg

 

Ed

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Posted by jondrd on Friday, March 27, 2009 2:31 PM

Hmm, do they have a push button for the house with bad reputation?

 

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Posted by twhite on Friday, March 27, 2009 12:39 PM

I think MR ran an article on this impressive layout several years ago.  But it's nice to see a video of it in action.  Very impressive.  I especially liked the Alpine sequences--there's an old joke running around that the Swiss invented the Alps so they'd have someplace to run their trains, LOL! 

Looks like my next European destination is going to be Hamburg so I can experience it in real life.  That's one beautifully concieved layout, IMO. 

Tom  

 

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Posted by yankee flyer on Friday, March 27, 2009 11:26 AM

 DARTH
Is that a 2-6-6-4 at the bottom of your post and do you have one?  Regardless of how it looks what is the smallest radius it can manage to get around? How long is the engine a lone?

Thanks 

Lee

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Posted by kbaker329 on Friday, March 27, 2009 11:05 AM

That is amazing.  Maybe a trip to Europe wouldn't be so bad after all!

Keith

HO scale modeling N&W and Union Pacific, somewhere in Missouri between 1940 & 1990!
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Posted by bhopkins on Friday, March 27, 2009 9:35 AM

While I would LOVE to see the display, what I'd really like is the "behind the scenes tour" of how it all works!  Now that would be impressive to me.

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Posted by yankee flyer on Friday, March 27, 2009 9:31 AM

 I'm glad you all like the site, It was sent to me by one of my friends who is into toy trains. I was stuned by the complexity of it and  it's operated by computer!
Now everyone has something to strive for.  Whistling

Have a good day.

Lee

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Posted by jecorbett on Friday, March 27, 2009 8:30 AM

Wheb I saw teh thread, I was thinking it was going to be Northlandz. This is so much more impressive because it is not only extremely large, but extremely well done. I was most impressed by the realistic movement of automobile traffic and ships. Much more realistic than I thought would be possible. It kind of puts a lie to a statement I have made before that anything that moves on the layout other than the trains is going to seem toy like. That certainly was not the case. I might have to rethink what is possible in those areas. I might have to put a visit to Wonderlandz on my bucket list.

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Posted by MAbruce on Friday, March 27, 2009 7:20 AM

It's impressive enough to see the trains in operation, but cars, trucks, ships, airplanes, animals, and people too??  Trying to wrap my mind around the design and operation of such a layout would make my head explode.

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Posted by Darth Santa Fe on Thursday, March 26, 2009 11:09 PM

That's a lot of lights! I can't even imagine the mess of wiring that must be under there...

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Posted by loathar on Thursday, March 26, 2009 11:07 PM

I'd really love to see that thing in person before I die. Surprisingly enough, threads about that layout usually turn into a bash fest.

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Posted by pitshop on Thursday, March 26, 2009 9:32 PM

So, uh, can I get something like that on my 8X8 layout?LaughLaugh

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Posted by wholeman on Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:31 PM

I'm jealous, I wish I had that layout.  Smile,Wink, & Grin

Will

Will

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Posted by nik .n on Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:11 PM

 Visons of Cash, Big Boys, and Fifteen Car Track-Cleaning trains dance in my head.Smile

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Posted by TMarsh on Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:03 PM

WOW!!Shock

Todd  

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Thursday, March 26, 2009 7:37 PM

 I'd hate to have to clean all that track! WOW!

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Posted by eddiejoe on Thursday, March 26, 2009 7:20 PM

That certainly was a very impressive layout. The night time scenes were great.

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worlds largest model train set
Posted by yankee flyer on Thursday, March 26, 2009 6:30 PM

 Wow  Thumbs Up
I was impressed with a few layouts that I have seen but  you all have to see this.
http://www.wimp.com/largestmodel/

have a nice day

Lee

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