My First Rollingstock

For Christmas 2013, I was lucky enough to receive my first tranche of rollingstock - namely a Fleischmann SBB DCC Starter Kit - sourced from Reynaulds Euro Imports in the US (perhaps one of many purchases to come):

Contents:

• One electric locomotive Rh 4/4" (Re 420) with interrupt voltage decoder
• 3 EW IV passenger carriages
• 1 Fleischmann Multi Maus, 1 transformer, 1 amplifier
• 7 straight tracks (3 x 9100, 3 x 9101, 1 straight feeder track)
• 8 curved tracks 9120
• 2 uncoupling tracks 9114
• 1 left curved turnout 3168
• 1 right curved turnout 9169 and
• 1 rerail equipment 9480.

All tracks form an oval railway layout with a track radius of R1 and long fast track. Dimensions of track layout: 85 x 45 cm. Length of track: approx. 3.20 m.

Details

I have to say, I was immediately impressed with this as it came out of the box - especally how well packaged the whole things was - everything in its place - perhaps winning me over to the brand for sometime to come. What got me was how the DCC transformer had the Re4/4 preloaded into the controller (see below) so it was very much a "Plug and Play" experience.

But there were a few other things also stood out:

• I was impressed by the smooth operations of the consist - the loco was lovely and heavy (a far cry from the old Hornby stock that would tumble over in a gust of wind)
• The rerailer was a godsend (for anyone who's tried to rerail N-scale rollingstock) and
• The feeder track - what simplicity:

I can remember trying to get power to our old layout back in the 1970's using either a fiddly Hornby slide in contact (which never worked) or trying to seamlessly solder wires to the track (which used to constantly fall off in our heat and humidity).

Stereotypical I know, but it seems to ooze German efficency and quality - something I've long dreamt of and waited for - so I'm now happy to have waited this long to bring it to fruitition. Oh, and don't get me started about the opportunities of DCC (we'll leave that for another time!).

Design Options

Given the constraints and prototype selected, I've probably got a few options I can pursue;

Baden AG Bahnhof - Limited Diorama

This project would be a single module focused purely on Baden AG Bahnhof with limited opportunities for operation. Basically, this would be a modelling exercise but not much else.

Pros:

• Has a specific focus (prototype, buildings, etc)
• Fits my space and budget constraints

Cons:

• Limited opportunity for operations would be a big disappointment - after all, I'm a RailGeek because I like to watch trains moving around so not being able to do that would be a let down.

Baden AG Bahnhof - Basic Loop

This is my most likely starting point. So whilst I develop a basic diorama, it's constructed using the module standards and I hang a simple loop off it to allow for rudimentary operations.

Pros:

• Allows for Basic Operations
• Keeps it small - no need for a complex design

Cons:

• Limited scope for prototypical operations
• Doesn't really make good use of the space
• Not as much fun

Baden Surrounds

This would be a more expansive layout that focuses just on suburban traffic around Baden and would incorporate other PoI such as:

• Wettingen Station & Sidings
• Tunnel Sections
• Compact CBD
• Local Services

Pros:

• More expansive layout

Cons:

• Limited scope for SBB National or International/InterCity movements

SwissRail Focus

This would be a much larger endevour that would keep Baden at its centre but would actually run as a point-to-point service running Basel - Baden - Zurich and would offer a vast variety of prortypical operations including:

• Local Services
• SBB Services
• International (DB, SNCF, etc)

I suspect this might be a leap too far initially (if only because of a lack of space), but perhaps something to aspire too in future.

My Design - A Primer

I thought I'd start out by setting out the constraints I need to work within to achieve my goals.

Operating Constraints

Size of the Room

The room I've selected is a spare bedroom, the smallest in a 4 bedroom house. However, it's proportions are generous (3.2m x 3.4m) so should easily accommodate my meagre requirements.

Room Use

The room will remain a guest room so will be set-up with a single bed and will retain storage space for clothing, etc. It will also house some of our other possessions so it won't just be "my room".

Permanency

Perhaps my biggest headache is our propensity to move house. I can't explain why - I'd hardly label ourselves nomads but having called 25 different places home in 45 years probably auto-qualifies me for the moniker. Which basically means - this layout needs to have wheels!

Timeframes

Perhaps one of my luxuries, at this instance there are no specific deadlines on anything - which is good because I want to do this properly. In the past, I would've rushed out and bought some basic bits-n-bobs, dropped some track on a board, plugged in a controller and then happily watch it go to pot whilst I drove trains around a dodgy layout.

Not this time - I want to immerse myself in the prototype, come to understand its operations and slowly learn the art of modelling - something I've long admired in those who create those amazing working dioramas we all love and ogle for hours wondering "if only I had one of those".

Budget

Well, whilst it's not zero, it certainly won't be unlimited and whilst I admire my brother's subtle attempts at making loco purchases through trickle payments, I'd rather go in with a plan and slowly aquire the bits I need, when I need them - only allowing myself to pickup "glory box" items if the opportunity is too good to miss. For now, that means my focus is likely to be more Bunning-esque than Hobbyshop-esque.

Design Approach

Som what does all that mean? For me, I think it's going to be a modular development - one I can build in sections, provide a focus on, and gradually build my empire. It also means that not only can it move with us when we (inevitably) move, but it can also move to exhibitions, club meetings, etc - which I find the thought of rather attractive.

An Opening ...

So, where did all this begin? Well, after many years of "gunna-do's" and "one-day-I-will's", I finally have:

• the time,
• the space, and (most importantly)
• the money

to build a layout. I'd already invested in a copy of AnyRail and has spent some time researching HO layouts but I'd struggled to settle on a theme. My brother was already modelling Australian Railways (mainly Standard Gauge lines in NSW and VIC) but I saw limited inspiration there and was never a big fan of the "barely a station" and miles and miles of nothing track - I see enough of that every day to be particularly inspired by it (as it would seem are most Australian governments).

I'd long had an interest in UK and European railways after spending two years living in London but it was after a recent trip to Europe in 2012, which included an amazing stay in Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland, that I finally settled on a European theme. Then, knowing I'd always be faced with limited space - but wanting to model an interesting and complex operation, a commitment to model in N-Scale soon followed. But where?

I started searching for N-Scale layouts online and soon turned to the AnyRail example layouts and found this series - seemingly based on Baden Baden Bahnhof in Germany. The layouts seemed to meet my brief:

• Compact
• Complex
• N-Scale

and it was close enough to Switzerland to be "geographically" correct - but it was the last layout in his series that really inspired:

Of course, not knowing the area very well (okay, so we drove into and back out of Baden Baden in 2012 because we couldn't find a carpark big enough or close enough for a campervan) so I simply started searching Google Images for "baden baden bahnhof" and amound the rare images of Baden Baden, I was increasing seeing images like these:

which had a striking resemblance in both:

• layout (of the main station) and
• name (who was to know Baden AG Bahnhof is actually in Switzerland?)

However, after some quick detective work (I found Baden Baden Bahnhof in Google Maps), I quickly realised we were talking two different places ... and yet, I found myself quickly attracted to Baden in Switzerland - so that's where we stayed.