eisenbahnstudio

Last fall, a FREMO:87 colleague gave me plans for a small station that has a siding to a storage facility for an agricultural cooperative on a now-abandoned secondary line near Nördlingen, Germany. The dimensions and track plan with only one turnout seemed modest enough for a beginner, so I was immediately excited about building the station – and thus was born the Fessenheim project. I drew up preliminary plans, but when we decided to move, the project had to be put on hold.

Overview of the station with module outlines.

Having arrived in NYC (albeit with our belongings still in transit), I revived the project a few weeks ago and spent some time working on plans for the benchwork for four FREMO modules. The drawings were done using CAD software for the Mac, as mentioned in my previous post. They are not finalized yet as I am still in the process of sourcing the materials and finding a craftsman to put the modules together for me – something I am not equipped to do in the confines of our Manhattan apartment.

As suggested by the aforementioned FREMO:87 colleague, the tracks are moved off-center in the first and last modules so that there is room for the storage building, while still fitting on modules that are only 500 mm wide. Even though this makes the benchwork a little more complex, I like the idea of shifting the track away from the center because it disrupts the monotony of the flow of the rails, in particular on straight modules that use the H0pur® module profile.

So here are plans for the four modules:

Module 1.

Module 2.

Module 3.

Module 4.

I have been on the lookout for CAD software to use on my MacBook for some time, but I hadn’t found anything suitable. In the meantime, I was using a Windows CAD program on a virtual machine, and that seemed to do the trick. When a recent software install mysteriously rendered the program on my virtual system useless, I was right back at square one. Now I really needed to find a solution that runs natively in Mac OS X.

After doing a little research on the web, I found www.turbocad.com – offering CAD software for both the Windows and Mac platforms. I decided to download their TurboCAD Mac Designer 2D trial version and gave it an extensive test run.

Using the import function, I was able to open drafts I had created with the Windows software, and I was up and running in no time. It took me a little while to get used to the user interface, but I was able to work with it efficiently after just a few hours. The feature list measures up to other comparable CAD programs, and at an MSRP of $69.95, it seems to be reasonably priced.

FREMO:87 module end in TurboCAD Mac Designer 2D.

But before I decide whether or not to purchase the 2D version that I’ve tested, I plan to try TurboCAD Mac Deluxe 2D/3D, which includes 3D rendering capabilities for just $60 more - something that may be useful for more complex models. I’ll let you know how that goes…

Back in my Märklin days, I was aware of the distinctions between epochs, but my rolling stock was a hodgepodge of steam engines, diesels, electrics and cars from epochs III and IV.  When I became serious about model railroading again, I decided to strictly model epoch IV and in particular the time between 1980 and 1990. For me, it was a natural thing because I grew up during the 80s and first discovered the love for trains during that decade.

Unfortunately, it turns out that epoch IV seems to be the underdog in German model railroading and especially in FREMO. Many members of the club are modeling epoch III and there is a growing number of epoch V enthusiasts, but epoch IV people are few and far between. To make matters worse, there are even fewer epoch IV folks in FREMO:87, which makes the goal of a pure epoch IV operating session seem unattainable for years to come.

This lack of critical mass also has a direct impact on the availability of custom parts for rolling stock. I hope that I will able to contribute to improving the circumstances in the future, and by doing so, inspire others to model the underdog as well.

The nice thing about modelling PROTO:87 is that you can basically sell your entire model railroad collection and start over. The mantra becomes less is more – at least that’s how it was for me.

This fact didn’t really hit home until we decided to relocate to the States, and it was time to move our stuff. While I was packing, I realized that my entire hobby basically fits into two boxes – one for rolling stock and tools, another one for books and magazines. Of course, I am not counting my modules, which are staying back in Europe so that I can return for operating sessions with FREMO:87 every year or so.

My PROTO:87 hobby in a box.

Paring down my collection allows me to deal with the remaining models in greater detail. Much of my time is now spent on researching the prototype and working on my three engines and a little over half a dozen cars – plenty of PROTO:87 projects to keep me busy for some time to come…

At the beginning of the month, I attended the Rail 2009 PROTO:87 Convention in Houten, Netherlands. FREMO:87 participated with a small, yet large enough layout to demonstrate prototypical operation with timetable and fast clock. This was a special occasion for us as we normally do not set up layouts in public and because we exhibited at a train convention for the first time ever.

A passenger train stopping at Hölle station on the FREMO:87 layout.

Even though the group was quite busy keeping the layout running at all times, there was ample time to get to know and exchange ideas with fellow proto modelers from throughout Europe. Personally, I was very impressed by the high level of detailing that was shown in many of the French and British layouts. It was inspiring to see how much care went into modeling even the smallest scene that could be easily overlooked at first glance.

A scene from a French PROTO:87 industrial layout.

Module showcasing various track parts available from CLUB PROTO 87.