HO Cranzahldorf DDR 1970s the first scenic area nears completion

[34091 Weymouth]

Hey up everyone,

It's been a while since I last came on WT. For those who followed my em exploits will know I had to give up. My eyesight not great & job & family commitments meant I needed to do something a little less involved.

For the past ten years I've mainly modelled EM with a flirtation with 0 gauge also. I've never got anywhere really with them. My passion has always been continental trains mainly Swiss & French. My idea was to do something Swiss once again but I decided that at the moment catenary is a step to far. I've always liked German based layouts when I've visited shows & so I decided to have a go at something new.

After some research i discovered the Crottendorf branch & this became the basis of my layout. I've christened it Cranzahldorf as the mainline station Cranzahl down the road from Crottendorf hosted narrow gauge, DR & CSD trains from Czechia.
Combining both names & station ideas gave me Cranzahldorf. It won't have narrow gauge but it does mean I can run both german & czech locos on my branchline.

So far I'm really pleased with progress. I don't get much time just usually a Saturday morning to do something so progress is slow.
This is the current state of the layout which to be fair is further than I ever got in em.

The first session was to build a set of baseboards. I had everything pre cut at the builders merchants so it was a screw & glue set.

I then went into unknown waters, legs!

I've never made them myself although I've made plenty at the club. Going to a model railway club does pay off in learning skills. It was a breeze to do & now I have 3 baseboards all built with folding legs & pattern makers dowels.



Once I got baseboards up & into 3 standing boards I painted the fiddle yard & started to lay the track.


I then cut all the track & laid it to the board. I was precise when doing this measuring each distance with a ruler so each section of rail was perfect. Its come out rather well so far. The scenic area still needs the rails permanently fixing. My plan was to wire the points for the autofrogs, drill the motor hole & glue the track this morning but I've been in A&E instead with ligament damage to my knee so I'm out of action.

Si.

Music recently has been from one of my favourite bands of all time.

 

[Roger Pound]

I like the way Cranzahldorf is evolving and see that much of your approach to certain aspects as being very similar to my own. I would compliment you on your benchwork - absolutely excellent, particularly the legs - more than I dare venture to try to achieve! You are quite right - there is just something about H0 that keeps calling you back to the scale . My return to H0e was via 0 and 00 adventures - all disappointments in one way or another after happy times with SNCF and DR/DB mixes in H0.
I look forward to your further progress and trust your ligament heals comfortably.

Roger, .

 

[34091 Weymouth]

I like the way Cranzahldorf is evolving and see that much of your approach to certain aspects as being very similar to my own. I would compliment you on your benchwork - absolutely excellent, particularly the legs - more than I dare venture to try to achieve! You are quite right - there is just something about H0 that keeps calling you back to the scale . My return to H0e was via 0 and 00 adventures - all disappointments in one way or another after happy times with SNCF and DR/DB mixes in H0.
I look forward to your further progress and trust your ligament heals comfortably.

Roger, .

Thanks Roger,

I think it was the best move I have made thus far selling up & starting again. I feel I've made more progress on this layout in a few months than 10 years of kit building.
The other draw of continental ho is that the quality is far superior to ours. Hoe is a lovely scale btw, I have a hom starter set from tillig I am contemplating dabbling with in the future. I modelled swiss hom for years & it's a lovely scale.
The ligament hopefully will be healed in a few days time fingers crossed. I'm going to bring the iron, wire & points up this evening so I can get all the droppers for the autofrogs fitted & then track laying should be a quick job to finish off.
Don't be put off by making legs there really not that difficult to do.
I was camping last weekend up near Settle so I popped into dcc concepts & got some bus components. Hopefully that'll be the next job getting the whole layout wired.

Si

 

[34091 Weymouth]

Last night I hobbled down into the garage & gathered a few bits. As I previously mentioned the track has only been cut to size & not permanently fixed yet.

I marked each point with black marker pen so I know which side to solder the black wire & set up shop in the living room. I got all the points wired for the frogs so I can just get everything laid in a session & with a bit of lucky that should be the track laying done.

Depending on how my knee is this might get done today. I spent most of yesterday resting & it had started to feel better however I've got up today to another very stiff knee.

Friday we got a double whammy of album releases. Foo fighter & the new high flying birds album.

From council skies comes this absolute sublime masterpiece. A truly, dreamy experience.

Cheers Si

 

[34091 Weymouth]

Today I've been hobbling about, I've spent a good proportion of the day with my leg up resting. I have however managed to stand long enough to get my trackwork glued to the layout & the whole of the scenic section is now in place & ready for wiring.

I've also spent some of my feet up time building a Auhagen engine shed kit. All 3 main railway structures are from Auhagen & they are a super kit to assemble.



As trackwork is now completed I can start the task of wiring it all in. I've got the bus wires ready to install however I need some more wire & bits & bobs too make it all work. That's the next few weeks work although at present with the way my legs are that may take some time.

Si

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

It's a shame the Weinert Mein Gleis system is not easily obtainable in the UK.

My only Auhagen kit is this one which passes for a Prüßische Schrankenposten. As you say they are nice to build.

Except on my DB epoch V/VI layout it's out of use, fenced in and looked after by the locals.

 

[34091 Weymouth]

It's a shame the Weinert Mein Gleis system is not easily obtainable in the UK.

My only Auhagen kit is this one which passes for a Prüßische Schrankenposten. As you say they are nice to build.

Except on my DB epoch V/VI layout it's out of use, fenced in and looked after by the locals.

View attachment 188090

That's beautifully weathered Dave.

I tried with the station but I couldn't get the mortar courses / weathering right. I've re painted it & it's going to stay plain with some signage etc on to hopefully give it some character.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

With the DR (DDR) you'll be able to create more character with the station signage alone as effectively most of the pre-war DRG signage remained - unlike the DB where they updated a fair number of signs in the 1950s.

 

[34091 Weymouth]

With the DR (DDR) you'll be able to create more character with the station signage alone as effectively most of the pre-war DRG signage remained - unlike the DB where they updated a fair number of signs in the 1950s.

I have found some very interesting soviet signage. I like watching railway dvds, I find I get a lot of inspiration from then.

I have a video by Ton Prussan which has plenty of them on which I'm going too try & replicate.

Si

 

[Roger Pound]

Ton Prussien videos were, for me, superb references when I modelled the DR - he also covers much narrow gauge material too, also helpful with my current project. I couldn't agree more about Auhagen kits - I remember them when they were marketed under the name of Vero, before the unification of East and West Germany which saw the complete break up of what was the Piko Kombinat which previously marketed all of what have become independent brands from what was 'The East' mainly under one label.

Don't overdo it on the leg - let healing take its natural course. I recall the time it took me to get over my cardiac by-pass operation - it seemed an age, but 22 years on I'm still going (somewhat slower now, ) thanks to a brilliant surgeon and taking care afterwards. The main factor is to keep on modelling and enjoy life . Your recent pictures now give a nice idea of what is to come and I hope to see more as things progress - excellent work.

I would be greatly interested if you proceed with your Tillig H0m - in the past I built and exhibited a layout using an expanded set from that manufacturers range of H0m equipment. Delightful models and extremely reliable stuff and definitely the sort of kit you want at an exhibition!

Roger.

 

[34091 Weymouth]

Ton Prussien videos were, for me, superb references when I modelled the DR - he also covers much narrow gauge material too, also helpful with my current project. I couldn't agree more about Auhagen kits - I remember them when they were marketed under the name of Vero, before the unification of East and West Germany which saw the complete break up of what was the Piko Kombinat which previously marketed all of what have become independent brands from what was 'The East' mainly under one label.

Don't overdo it on the leg - let healing take its natural course. I recall the time it took me to get over my cardiac by-pass operation - it seemed an age, but 22 years on I'm still going (somewhat slower now, ) thanks to a brilliant surgeon and taking care afterwards. The main factor is to keep on modelling and enjoy life . Your recent pictures now give a nice idea of what is to come and I hope to see more as things progress - excellent work.

I would be greatly interested if you proceed with your Tillig H0m - in the past I built and exhibited a layout using an expanded set from that manufacturers range of H0m equipment. Delightful models and extremely reliable stuff and definitely the sort of kit you want at an exhibition!

Roger.

Thanks Roger for the kind words. I've just visited the doctor again this evening & I've been given some stronger medication which I hope will ease the pain.
I only have one of Tons dvds up to press but I've watched it several times & it's given me enough to get me hooked on the DR. The tillig set is something I want to have a play with in the future. A small layout in my workshop / spare bedroom will be a winter project. The garage workshop that hosts the big layout gets cold in winter. I used to do a lot of swiss HOM modelling, it's the perfect scale for me, big enough to see, small enough to do in a small space. Tillig has enough in the range to produce a nice small layout again a DDR theme in the 70s.

Layout wise today after the painkillers kicked in I got a set of red droppers fitted to one of the baseboards. I'd like to get the layout running so I can test everything & finally see a loco run on the layout.

Si

 

[34091 Weymouth]

Today my knee has felt much better. I got in with the doctors last night & asked for some better pain relief. After a couple of doses I have felt so much better.
I've been in the garage most of the day & I have wired the whole thing. All the bus is fitted, all the autofrogs are wired & the only thing left to do is point motors which I am hoping I might get to on Saturday.
Anyway heres a teaser of the layout

Si

 

[Roger Pound]

To adapt an old slogan - "full of East German railway promise". Well done, Si, I'm looking forward to the future developments.

Roger .

 

[34091 Weymouth]

It's been a while since I posted anything so thought I would give a bit of an update.

I've had very little time this week to get things done although I have been busy the past 2 evenings. This week I've done a lot of miles as I driver a class 1 hgv. I've been up to Scotland, Wales & northern England this week so I've been in bed early each evening when I've got home.

Yesterday evening I made a start installing the point motors, it's not the most fun job when your on your own & disabled trying to install peco underboard point motors.
I purchased a while ago 2 Roco Z21 accessory decoders to compliment the Z21 dcc system I'm using. Brilliant I thought using all the same product, Wrong!!!!

The z21 accessory decoders don't give enough power in the pulse to change a peco point motor, they are designed for the side fit motor roco produce. After finding this out I wasn't best pleased as it was a lot of money for the decoders. I've been seeking advice & have today ordered a couple of new decoders from Coastal dcc which with a bit of luck should be here tomorrow.

With tomorrow penned in with the wife for a workshop day & the plan to get the wiring completed I set about installing the point motors to the layout. All the motors were pre wired ready for fitting straight into the decoder & installed.

Tomorrow I aim to get the last bits done & get the fiddle yard finished off, glued down & wired. I also intend to have the accessory decoders wired if they arrive. I hope by the end of play tomorrow the whole of the layouts electrics will be completed so I can then move onto scenic work.

One thing I have purchased this week was something I thought was truly mythical, its a standard gauge ho bemo wismarer schienenbus. I am over the moon with that purchase as its a model I have long wanted in my collection.

Hopefully I should have some photos tomorrow of wires & bits & a working layout.

Music today comes from the goat, his new album dropped recently & it's another masterpiece & this is a absolute cracker.

Cheers

Si

 

[34091 Weymouth]

It's been a busy weekend here, me & SWMBO had a chat & she gave me the green light for a workshop day on Saturday. I usually get the morning but as it was a big job wiring I needed the full day.

It ended up I needed a few extra hours but given I had one of the worst nights sleep in ages last night I was in my workshop at 5am cracking on. I have still got the wiring to tidy up which I will do once the cable tidy bits & pieces arrive.

Anyway here is a little video blog showing what i have done.

 

[34091 Weymouth]

Hey up all,

It's been a while since I last did an update on the layout. Had a bit of fun with the 3 ways & discovered a flaw with frog juicers & 3 ways in that it won't work on the single frog. Happily I have resolved this today with a set of peco twin microswitchs mounted to the motor.

I've not done a great deal other than tweak the layout here & there & fit a decoder to the 44 class. The issues I've had with my knees continue & have worsened somewhat so mobility has been an issue & standing for long periods cripples me.

I've still the other 3 way to sort yet as I only purchased 2 microswitchs so I'll have to wait for a delivery this week. Once that is sorted I'm going to tidy up the wiring under the baseboards & add a couple of extra crossbrace timbers to strengthen the baseboards. Once that is done I can relax somewhat & slowly work away at the scenics which both my & my eldest daughter are looking forward to doing.

Music tonight comes again from the goat Noel Gallagher from his latest album council skies.

This is my favourite track from the album.

Si

 

[Roger Pound]

Sympathies for your problems, Si. Have a bit of experience in that field myself - a duff knee resulting in a medical discharge from my profession, a long time ago now. Sit whenever you can to work - over the years I have found it helps no end, especially as the years progress.

Cheers,

Roger .

 

[34091 Weymouth]

Sympathies for your problems, Si. Have a bit of experience in that field myself - a duff knee resulting in a medical discharge from my profession, a long time ago now. Sit whenever you can to work - over the years I have found it helps no end, especially as the years progress.

Cheers,

Roger .

Thanks Roger,

I'm a HGV driver so I am sat all day but it doesn't seem to help. If I stand it hurts, if I sit it hurts, I can't win. Hopefully a spell of physio will help if not it might be under the knife to cure the issue.

I've been a bit discombobulated this weekend & so I decided idea to sneak into the workshop for a little while to run some trains & make a video.
I installed a St Andrews crossing a while ago & I also added a nice ESU V60 to the fleet. Its a DB loco not Reichbahn but i do own a few DB bits so it's OK plus I really like the model. I've also added a double deck set from Rivarossi.

Cheers

Si

 

[34091 Weymouth]

Not much to report at the moment as my weekends recently have been busy with other things.
I have made a purchase today which I'm super pleased with. Its another loco far to big for Cranzahldorf but rule 1 applys.



It's a roco tender driver 41 class in DB livery. I'm going to take the DB branding off & fit some etched reichbahn plates on the cabside. It'll be the wrong number but I can live with that. It'll be a interesting project to fit lights, smoke & sound as it has no dcc socket. It's a beautiful model & I'm very pleased to now have a 41.

The only other news of late is that the wiring is now all in cab tidys so it's looking far neater under the boards. I'd like to finish off the structural work maybe this weekend & then I can really start doing scenery.

Si

 

[michael080]

Simon,
I like this class a lot, but your model is not a Reichsbahn (east) machine. Both Germanys had to replace the brittle boilers in the 1950s. The Bundesbahn (west) boilers can easily be identified by the modified front footplate and by the absence of sand boxes on top.
The Reichsbahn (east) kept the sloped front footplate from the original boilers.

Wikipedia has a very nice description of both variants.

This is the east German version:



really sorry, but then.... rule 1

Michael