Model Railroading around the world. . .

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I know that we have a number of forum members from around the world. It would be great to see some of your work.

If you have a website and/or photos posted of your rolling stock or work; please post so we can all enjoy your work.

I am particularly interested in model railroading in .

2

I did a little suring and found this site:
AUSTRALIAN MODEL RAILWAY ASSOCIATION - http://www.amra.asn.au/

3

Hi brothaslide,

I model US railroads here in Austrlia, not Australian. I can show some pictures if you wish but I am guessing you want Australian Railroads?

Here is a link to a magazine here in Australia for real railroads in Australia if your intersted, http://www.motivepower.net.au/

Regards,

Nigel

4

Let see what you have, and. . .

If you have any links to some great Model Railroading sites in AU, please post them.

5

Brothaslide, the thing with model railroading in Aus is that theres no where near as many layout sites on the net, and there aren’t any ‘great’ ones, most are just packed with pictures of local exhibition layouts and not private layouts. Surf around tho and you may find some such as the Dutton Bay Tramway, a HOn2.5 layout based on South Australia’s Eyre peninsula. You really have to have a good idea of where the lines are in Aus to know where some layouts are set.

6

W H A T?

Obviously you haven’t tried looking.

See: -

http://www.cia.com.au/bullack/index.html

One of the finest model railways you’ll ever see.

7

rogertra,

I took a look at your layout photos and was very impressed. You Aussies need to stop being so modest. The link you posted also showed a very impressive layout.

Take care,

8

This is an On30 online magazine based in New Zealand (I think) - there are some excellent layouts etc!
http://www.on30.info/

9

One of the oddest places I found a train shop (very small, and all HO) was in Cancun, Mexico!

10

There are so many outstanding Australian layouts, it’s difficult to post links to them all…but here is Gavin Miller’s, one of my favorites:

Gavin Miller’s Model Railroad Photos

11

Not an Aussie I’m afraid - but a Brit - but my main project is modelling the Maine Central/B&M in HO. Use the link at the bottom of the post to my layout’s website.

My German N guage layout hasn’t reach a stage I’d care to take photos of yet - there’s only so much plywood you’d want to look at[;)].

This is the link for the club I belong to Alton Model Railway Group http://www.altonmrg.co.uk/index.html

12

Another Aussie here, My photobucket website has some shots of my HO Layout based on US protypes and there is also some shots from a model railroad show earlier this year, (alot of Aus stuff)

http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e303/OZJIM/heres the link…

13

Hi brothaslide,

Here are some pix, nothing like the links you’ve seen, working on it! I have finished all the trackwork, wired ALL the points & track, so I am onto the backdrops now. I have finished one of four, but I think there need to be some clouds.

Regards,

Nigel

14

wow nigel! that is a very nice setup, all those modern locos are making me drool!! literally! in homer S voice…Mmmmmm Modern locos…

I also see you have a SD45T-2 [tup]

15

I’m curious - Why are many of you Aussies modeling USA railroads? Obviously, there is nothing wrong with that but you did not grow up with that experience. Many model railroaders tend to model what they are familiar with. I grew up in California so I’m an SP guy (with some SF and UP thrown in). I prefer to model the 1970s to 1980s becuase I have fond memories from that era as I was growing up then.

So how did you get to learn about railroads in the US and what attracts you to modeling railroads of the USA?

Take care,

16

Obviously I can’t really speak for the Ausies here, but I’m guessing that its the same with the Brits. There’s a healthy “domestic” modelling scene - but most of those who model UK (or Ausie) railways won’t be coming here. We’re the nut cases who model “overseas” railways (in my case doubly so [B)][xx(][:P])

To answer the second part of your post, I guess it will be different reasons for everyone; for me - being different is part of it, a wide range of great running models is another.

British Railways in the 70s and early 80s (when I was a kid) were pretty boring anyway - a nationalised system with plain blue diesels and multiple unit commuter trains. The OO scale models available sucked too. I modelled British narrow gauge for a while; the narrow guage lot seem to take much more interest in worldwide trains (I guess because there are fewer narrow guage railways worldwide) and it was through this I got interested in the Maine 2 footers. This in turn lead to the Maine Central and just at a time when I was starting over in terms of modelling (I’d just married and moved house into a new area).

17

I guess it’s the attraction of the big “uncle sam” railroads, as a kid I had always been fascinated by the Huge Diesels in The U.S it amazed me! It could also be the fact that U.S models are more readily available than Aussie Models (relatively speaking) and generally cheaper, for eg: a P2K SD60 is under $150 here, an austrains NR class loco retails for $250 and sells for no less than $229. There is alos a sizable amount of british modelers here in Australia. Ironically I am a business partner in a Business that manufactures N scale RTR locos and rollingstock, but I model U.S in HO!!

18

brothaslide,

The reason I model US and not Australian is range and horsepower.

There isn’t a great range of Australian locomotives or rollingstock compared to the US. I live in Queensland and about the only way you can get a Queensland locomotive is to scratch build one. Plus I am not overly impressed with the look of the QR locomotives, mind you I do like some of their newer classes. I also like the Pacific National NR class made by Austrains (http://homepage.idx.com.au/austrain/index.htm). The SD70s, 80s & 90s look great and aggressive, and thats what I like!

Just to give you an idea of what happened in Australia, I don’t know if it was because it was a British stuborn thing but, the different states have there own railroads, eg. Queensland Rail, Victoria Rail, NSWR, etc. Recently they have come together and started letting private companies use the tracks. BUT, the different states in their wisdom built different guages of track. there are main lines that are all the one guage between major cities but companies like Pacific National and QR National need two types of rollingstock for the different guages for different states. Just a bit of history.

Now to the horsepower thing, I have owned three V8’s and love them, there is no substitute for cubic inches (mind you it is getting rather expensive at the petrol station now!). So it kind of rubs of on the locmotive front, modern diesels and the more horsepower the better. I must admit the SD70ace does absolutely nothing for me looks-wise! It will have to come out with about 10000hp before I will consider buying a model!

James: Thanks for the compliments, I actually have two SP SD45T-2s one with the speed lettng and the other with the original lettering. I have noticed the one with four headlights looks dull (lighting wise) compared to the one with two headlights. Still love them!

Regards,

Nigel