Building the Emslandbahn, a German Ore train layout


malletman

Alcohaulic
I am in the process of building an HO scale layout based on the ore train operations of the DB railway out of Emden, Germany. Emden was the northern terminus where unit trains(Langer Heinrich or Long Henry) was loaded from ocean going ships. Ore was then hauled south to the industrial region in Germany. During the steam area, the 2-10-0 decapods of several classes handled most of this traffic till diesels then electricification took over. The king of these steamers was the class Br44 "Jumbo", a 3 cylindered beast. Most trains had doubled headed decapods. My layout space is quite small and this is where the Marklin engineering shines with the older "spur gear" driven decapods being able to go around very tight curves. The seaport will be just a back drop that gives a visual break at one side of the layout. The "tunnel" behind the back drop will be hidden by buildings and such to block the view of the entrance/exit of it. The other side of the layout will be a dense conifer tree area that simulates the wooded area of northern Germany before the terrain opens up to the more industrialized area that I lack the space to model. The layout is 8 foot across and 4 foot deep on each side, the middle is much more narrow to allow access to both the wall shelves and the layout itself. The layout will be digitally controlled using the Uhlenbrock Intelibox IB with infrared wireless remote control and the IBswitch control box to handle turnout and signal control(also digital). Each turnout has its own decoder and turnout motor hidden in the roadbed. Track is from Marklin's C track line, which is similar to Kato Unitrack but with the center stud contacts for the "3 rail" Marklin systems. So far I have bought the Langer Heinrich train set from a local shop in Zionsville, Indiana, along with some of the needed C track. Benchwork is up, digital system set up on its own shelf.
Base benchwork going up
Resized-20181213-124125-6179.jpg


Digital control set up before being removed to paint benchwork
Resized-20181215-235000-7337.jpg


Benchwork stained and painted
Resized-20181230-164505-6255.jpg


Track plan as designed by a friend
resource.png


Ore train on a test loop
20190202-205813.jpg
 
What do you mean by sterile? As in flat table top? There will be some raised terrain on the side of the layout not shown. And the green is just a base coat on the wood, other colors and scenery material once the track and buildings are in or chosen.
 
I think he means your room is so clean.

I love the holes through the framing, with the edges routed smooth.
 
He must mean it with some sarcasam, as its quite a mess under the bench work and my work bench is a total disaster area. But I am working on that. I am fed up with the clutter in my room so I am taking care of that while awaiting the track needed to complete the track plan. Going to make a curtain to hang under the bench work to hide the mess. Later this spring I plan to build a larger corner style work bench with cabinets under to store stuff in. I cannot take credit for the nice bench work framing, it was made for me by another gentleman. I only made the top and did the paint and staining. Mike the Aspie
 
Yes, I was referring to how clean the tabletop was - almost sarcastly like!
Mine would stay that way for maybe 20 min and then I would start to clutter it up again!
 
Yes, I was referring to how clean the tabletop was - almost sarcastly like!
Mine would stay that way for maybe 20 min and then I would start to clutter it up again!
I can relate. I will not suffer any clean horizontal surface to remain crap free for very long.
 
Sorry, being autistic, I dont understand or realize when someone is being sarcastic. But yes I see what you mean now. Now my work bench looks like a tornado went thru!
 
Started getting price quotes together for the needed track. From AJCkids, one of the larger dealers of Marklin in the USA, it will be $405 plus shipping. The bulk of the cost being turnouts that I do not already have. This does not include the turnout motors or decoders I would still need. I will need to make a track schematic board with numbers for each turnout so I know which button controls what turnout. Mike the Aspie
 



Back
Top