WorldRailFans

Reading all those messages on what is on the workbench, it became time to report what's on my workbench.

Firstly in a corner of my workshop the scenic parts of the exhibition lay
out "Steilstrecke"are stored in dustproof boxes. I finally have been
coaxed to go to Eurospoor 2005 in Utrecht. This will be one of the latest
times "Steilstrecke"will be shown. What 2006 will bring I don't know.

Secondly, 4 modules under construction are lined up of something new.
Rail is laid down and ballasted, some buildings are up, background
scenery and rockfaces are done, 3 modules can be regarded as finished
if it wasn't for the trees.

As I do not have my own website yet and I am wel befriended with some
people from Leverkusen, I can ride on their site so for photo's of this lay
out go to http://www.fde-burscheid.de/ and have a look under "So baut
ModelspoorCollectief"

Part 1 shows photo's of "Steilstrecke" and some odds and bits.

Part 2 shows photo's of the new layout under construction. It will be an
extension of Steilstrecke and shows a small rural sleeping station, where
hardly a passenger will board a train, but where most heavy goodstrains
stop for banking engine(s) to tackle the steilstrecke of 2,5%

The new section will be 8,40 long ( 7 modules of 1,20m x 0,65m) and will
entail the facilities for the banking engines ( BR 94 -95 -96), the
station building, a basaltwork, sawmill and some more small rural
industries together with a part of the village.
Modern times are showing by the catenery over two tracks only for
modern e-loco's such as the E71, E91, E94, E18 and the newest E10.

All structures and trees are scratchbuilt, only rolling stock is purchased
and fully weathered before allowed on the layout.

Running of trains will be according timetables. Fiddle yard storage will be
15 trains of 3,00 to 3,50 m length.

System is analoge with selfbuilt controle units. Driving and operational
circuits for point, signals etc are completely separated. This enables a
possible transfer to DCC. The layout is single mainline, so the need to run
digital is not high.

The intention is to have the premiere in Cologne 2006 followed by the
Warley 2006 show in the NEC.

till next upgrade sometime end september.
regards Jacq

Here a couple of photo's of structures on the part "Steilstrecke"


Photo 1 shows a "Kalkwerk" built after plans published in the old LOKI
and adapted to the layout situation.


Photo 2 shows a freelance stone archbridge as often found in southern
Germany, Austria and Switzerland


Photo 3 shows a "Kieswerk" The original stands along the road from Visp
to Auserberg next to the bridge over the Rhone. The working silo is a
freelance addition to make operating the industry atractive

regards Jacq

Jacq, those scenes are brilliant. I particularly like the texture on the buildings.

Roger, thanks,

if there is an interest, I'll show more structures and how I built them.
I has become a sport to use the simplest materials available so more
money can be spent on good quality detail parts and rolling stock.





here two photo's of the workshop of the locoshed on the new part.
floorplan of workshop is 100 x 80mm. Benches are made from carton and
northeastern scale timber, the rest are castings from mo-miniature and
some obscure american brands.

Jacq

I have seen photos of "Steilstrecke" even in Spanish magazines, congratulations; the level of details is excellent.

Of course as a sbb modeller I like when sbb engines are in use.

All the best

Great scenery and great structures!

Best regards, Frank

.... And great photography! Mmmmm....

I found following foto's taken by Mathieu Jacqumart
during the show in Sedan 2003. It shows very clearly
the relation bridge - limefactory and a weathered loco



regards Jacq

I like the trees. How did you make them?

Jan,

you can experience firsthand how they are made.
As I need to make approx 2500 trees or more, you can join us in treemaking.
You will this way pick up first hand all the tricks and tips needed to make these trees.
Your salary will be null and void as it is covering the bare essentials for lodging and tucker we will provide you.

as soon as I have some photo's showing how, I'll put them up, describing in words is a bit hard.

regards Jacq

Roger,

regarding the texture of the structures, her a close up
of the limekiln. The concrete is Das airdrying clay in
which the scaling has beem imitated by pressing planks,
which were glued to a small piece of carton. When dry,
it was sanded very lightly to get the worn look.
The whole structure was then washed with dirty
turpentine ( couple of paint drops light grey, sand, and
dirty black in a pint of turpentine)
I normally use the turps I use for brush cleaning for this
purpose. It works just as well with dirty water, but too much has a bad effect on the clay, which is not the case with the turpentine.
The wooden superstructure is individual Kapler planks on carton base structure.


base carton covered with DAS and engraved with needle
brickwork Slaters

sideview kiln

close up concrete and planking. Nails are pushed in with 0,3 mm refillable pencil and treated with alcohol wash.

Jacq....AWESOME!..that is fantastic work......beautifully modelled!!!!!!!!!

Show us more!!!! please.
Chers
Gene

Gene,

presently I am preparing an exhibition layout.
I hope to show at regular intervals the progress of this
mamouth project I started.
It is the intention to have the first public show in Cologne
and Warley in the NEC at the end of 2006.
The present layout will be extended with 7 more
landscaped moduls showing a small rural station.
The biggest problem in showing photo's is the the lack
of my own website as photo's of progress are made
on a very regular base.
Presently under construction:
- small signal box finished
- 2 stand loco shed with workshop finished
- rural pub with terras to be finished
- station building, interior to be finished
- basaltworks, details to be finished incl. operating silo's
- waterpowered sawmill with yard partly finished
- waterpowered wheatmill
- waterpowered forge with fully equipped workshop
- approx 10 houses, farms and church indicating the
start of the vilage.
All will have the same level of detail or better as on the
structures built already

The name will most probably be "Dreimühletal" because
of the 3 mills.








Here two photo's of the signal box without detail, only
the leverframe with interlocking bars has been added


and a first image of the sawmill

Here some details of the sawmill.


Planview, finedetailing still to be done

Backside, showing basic set up of building

Detail view.




The opentopped watertower.

scratchbuilt masson underpart modified from Artitec
Open top styreen sheets embossed with rivets and build up
like real construction.

Regards Jacq

I bet I'm repeating myself, but I love all of it! Very good photography, too.

Here a progress view on the right side of the layout.
All pieces of the puzzle fit still together as I planned 2 years ago.


The signalbox position try out. ( Picture to be reissued)


stationbuilding final position. ( Picture to be reissued )
Scratchbuilt groundfloor from resin wallpieces from Stangel,
the fachwerk base is carton, lined with scaletimber.
Area inbetween timbers is filled with gesso.



View over the narrowgauge shed, part of the sawmill,
towards a bassaltwerk basic structure.
The walls will be covered with das clay.
Operators gallery and working chutes and gates are under construction.


Narrowgauge feldbahn loco (DCC only to improve slow running ) in the shadow of the bassaltwerk.
There will be two running.
They are japanes kits i purchased from Backwoods. Details still to be added. Not available anymore



The 89.6 used for shunting the bassaltwerk and around the yard.


Overall view of the last two modules showing basic set up.
I am getting myself in the mood to start on the trees, over a thousend trees.
Details of building those will follow


Position try out sawmill and tunnelportal.
Position of bridges behind the mill are now finalized.

regards Jacq

Sir,

Your layout - its buildings, trackwork, locos and wagons are overwhelmingly amazing.
The mills are superb, but the station! Oh! That intrigues me - we need more pictures of the station.

The most amazing part is the extreme care for detail, while the overall view of the master plan is not lost, either. And a spectacular over- view it is. The structures are fabulous, but the trackwork is even more impressive, not because of it's excellent decoration, but because it's so simple! It's not overdone, but it dominates the scenes!

Didn't the first part of your layout appear in an article in Continental Modeller?

Now we need another article - I'll write to them and DEMAND one! - to show the current works in progress and especially to give a track plan.

CONGRATULATIONS! Only a few people can manage to build a layout. Only a few of them manage to make a masterpiece. Yours, which is clearly a work in progress, is a series of masterpieces - and an inspiration to us all.

Thank you so much for sharing these photos with us. I look forward to hearing and seeing more of your work - here, and in the press.

Jacq,

I've been watching your photos in awe. Even my wife loves your work and that's high praise indeed!

David

Gentlemen,

thank you for the comments.
It is my intention to keep you all informed of the progress in this way.
I have had some contacts with the editors of some magazines for
articles of several structures on the layout.

Due to the building virus I have not been able to finalise the articles with
photo's.
P.e. details of the gravelworks on the first part of the layout for C.M. are
ready to be send. Maby the article needs editing.

I am aiming for a series of articles, explaining the filosophy and idea's
behind the plans and building of the layout. Particulary leading up to it's
appearances at the end of next year in Cologne ( planned) and
Birmingham ( confirmed). Please come with questions on what you see.
I am trying to make use of this medium to let you participate virtually in
the progress with fast and slow moments and the problems encountered.
It gives me an idea how others perceive my vision of enjoying this hobby.

regards Jacq

Here a number of photo's of the station building prior
to integration in the landscape.
Interior details still to be added, floors are in place.
The groundfloor walls come from a Stangel resin kit as
they have very good masonry.
I was to lazy this time to make my own plaster ones.
The upperfloor is made from photocarton.
The layout of the "fachwerk" is drawn on and scale lumber of correct sizes are cut and glued in place.
The spaces in between the timbers are filled with "gesso",
a acrylic base for paintings. The windows are out of the scrapbox or lasercut from MKB.
The roofplates are from Auhagen.

The design is freelance by myself, the construction based
on architect books on "fachwerkhauser" and styled after
the southern german influences.
The goodsshed is still under scrutiny and most probably
will be replaced by a "fachwerk with plaster" structure.

Jacq