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Offline JRPiano  
#1 Posted : 13 May 2014 18:05:52(UTC)
JRPiano

United States   
Joined: 18/03/2008(UTC)
Posts: 32
Location: Round Rock, TX
Hello, All!
My brother and I are in long range planning to visit the Miniatur Wunderland exhibit in Hamburg at the beginning of March 2015. They have some nice package offers including VIP entry tickets, a Hamburg Card for local transportation and tickets on the ICE to get to Hamburg (from any DB station). We have chosen to fly to Berlin, take the ICE to Hamburg, sightsee for a few days, take the ICE back to Berlin, sightsee for a few days then fly back home. Our USA departure and return point will be O'hare airport in Chicago where my brother lives.

Do you have any advice for us, especially if you have made a trip like this from the USA? How did you make reservations - online, by mail or phone? Did you take advantage of the package deals? How did you like them?
My brother's interest is O gauge with our family Lionel and American Flyer trains. My setup is Maerklin digital. So although I would like to see some M things, I'm afraid it would bore him and don't think we will include the Stuttgart area on this trip.

We are planning our trip at this time from 2. March to 11. March with the first and last days as travel days. Normally, on my business trips to Germany, I rent a car and can go anywhere. But in order to get the real train experience on the ICE, we will pretty much stick to Hamburg and Berlin. Do you have any suggestions regarding model train related things in those two cities?
Thanks for any tips....
Joel
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Offline Alsterstreek  
#2 Posted : 13 May 2014 23:14:06(UTC)
Alsterstreek

Germany   
Joined: 16/11/2011(UTC)
Posts: 5,666
Location: Hybrid Home
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Offline Tom Jessop  
#3 Posted : 14 May 2014 00:43:38(UTC)
Tom Jessop

Australia   
Joined: 14/12/2002(UTC)
Posts: 800
Location: Newcastle NSW Australia


Book the behind the scenes tour for Miniature Wonderland. I spent a full day there watching the trains run round especially on the Swiss section. Most bookings can be made on line with no problems. See if you can fit in a trip to the Hartz Narrow guage line. Another day of good fun. There is the Loxx Layout in Berlin ,not as popular as Mi Wa Lu , close to the Zoo Station. I imagine there will heaps more ideas for you to chase up from other members here.


Enjoy yourself , Tom in Oz.

PS. There are a lot of Hobby Shops in Berlin catering for the "M" user.
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Offline Markus Schild  
#4 Posted : 14 May 2014 11:51:03(UTC)
Markus Schild

Germany   
Joined: 14/01/2006(UTC)
Posts: 1,802
Location: Wurttemberg
Hi Joel,

When you are in Hamburg you should think about a day-trip to Wernigerode and have a ride with the steam-powered Harz narrow gauge railroad on the Brocken which is the highest mountain in northern Germany. By car you need about three hours from Hamburg to Wernigerode.

http://www.hsb-wr.de/en/start/

Regards

Markus
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#5 Posted : 02 August 2014 00:46:01(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: Markus Schild Go to Quoted Post
Hi Joel,

When you are in Hamburg you should think about a day-trip to Wernigerode and have a ride with the steam-powered Harz narrow gauge railroad on the Brocken which is the highest mountain in northern Germany. By car you need about three hours from Hamburg to Wernigerode.

http://www.hsb-wr.de/en/start/

Regards

Markus


The other thing about the top of the Brocken is it was on the Eastern side of the Iron Curtain, and was the East German listening post eavesdropping on West German communications. All the gear is gone bu the building is still there.

To plan rail travel in Germany I fine this web site very useful.
http://reiseauskunft.bah...yes&&country=GBR

While in Berlin travel around on the S-Bahn. Some of the stations are quite interesting designs in tiling.

If your brother isn't in to trains but interested in military things then the Allied Museum http://www.alliiertenmuseum.de/ is built on the site of Spandau Prison, which was demolished once Rudolph Hess died. A new building was then erected which became the NAFFI store for all the allied forces in Berlin, and once that finished it became the Allied Museum. Gives a lot of detail about the Airlift and the Berlin Wall history.

If anyone has an interest in military aircraft then go to the Luftwaffe Museum situated on what was Gatow Airport in the British sector. http://www.luftwaffenmuseum.de/ The number and variety of aircraft to see is huge, including some MIG fighters that the Luftwaffe inherited with the reunification of Germany.

For tours around Berlin I recommend http://www.insidertour.com/ as a very informative bunch of people who know their stuff about Berlin.



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Offline Frankenbahner  
#6 Posted : 03 August 2014 13:54:41(UTC)
Frankenbahner


Joined: 15/09/2006(UTC)
Posts: 625
Location: Nuremberg, Bavaria
While in Hamburg, travel around on the elevated subway system. Many sections of the network are elevated or at least overground. Choose the U3 circle line in the city center first. Then take the U1, the famous "Walddörferbahn", to Großhandsorf / Ohlstedt. U1 reaches as far as into the state of Schleswig-Holstein. It runs through suburbs, woods and open farmland.

Do not forget to ride the U2 and the new U4. The Hamburg elevated subway is a true must-have-seen for every railfan.

Regards,
Florian

H0 3-rail AC with DCC, MM and mfx, 2-rail DC streetcars, and N gauge
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Offline petestra  
#7 Posted : 03 August 2014 23:43:31(UTC)
petestra

United States   
Joined: 27/07/2009(UTC)
Posts: 5,824
Location: Leesburg,VA.USA
Originally Posted by: Frankenbahner Go to Quoted Post
While in Hamburg, travel around on the elevated subway system. Many sections of the network are elevated or at least overground. Choose the U3 circle line in the city center first. Then take the U1, the famous "Walddörferbahn", to Großhandsorf / Ohlstedt. U1 reaches as far as into the state of Schleswig-Holstein. It runs through suburbs, woods and open farmland.

Do not forget to ride the U2 and the new U4. The Hamburg elevated subway is a true must-have-seen for every railfan.

Regards,
Florian



Hi Florian, thanks for that info. I was in Hamburg years ago being a Lufthansa employee and that was before the Miniatur Wunderland was built. Family matters

keep putting off my return trip but I am looking forward to it someday. Thanks, Peter Smile ThumpUp
Offline perz  
#8 Posted : 04 August 2014 16:45:59(UTC)
perz

Sweden   
Joined: 12/01/2002(UTC)
Posts: 2,578
Location: Sweden
Originally Posted by: Tom Jessop Go to Quoted Post


There is the Loxx Layout in Berlin ,not as popular as Mi Wa Lu , close to the Zoo Station.


The Loxx layout http://www.loxx-berlin.com/ has moved. It is now at the Alex galleria at Alexanderplatz.
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Offline 5HorizonsRR  
#9 Posted : 04 August 2014 20:05:38(UTC)
5HorizonsRR

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 2,862
Location: CA, USA
A few tips based on my experience:

1: Plan for an entire day at miniature wunderland. Yes it sounds nuts, but you will need it. (and your brother too, its so amazing it doesn't matter what kind of trains you collect) Regardless, go early to beat crowds, and a weekday is a much better option

2: Id say you don't need much more time in Hamburg, unless you know folks there.

3: You mention stuttgart. If into cars, Stuttgart is well worth the stop for the Mercedes Museum and the Porsche Museum. The Marklin museum and shop are great, but you won't need more than a few hours to peruse them. (while very cool, it isn't huge)


Have fun!
SBB Era 2-5
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Offline JRPiano  
#10 Posted : 21 August 2014 02:28:55(UTC)
JRPiano

United States   
Joined: 18/03/2008(UTC)
Posts: 32
Location: Round Rock, TX
Originally Posted by: 5HorizonsRR Go to Quoted Post
A few tips based on my experience:

1: Plan for an entire day at miniature wunderland. Yes it sounds nuts, but you will need it. (and your brother too, its so amazing it doesn't matter what kind of trains you collect) Regardless, go early to beat crowds, and a weekday is a much better option

2: Id say you don't need much more time in Hamburg, unless you know folks there.

3: You mention stuttgart. If into cars, Stuttgart is well worth the stop for the Mercedes Museum and the Porsche Museum. The Marklin museum and shop are great, but you won't need more than a few hours to peruse them. (while very cool, it isn't huge)


Have fun!


John,
Your first point is funny. It was actually my brother that took a look at the MW web site and suggested two days at the museum. Laugh We don't plan on being there the whole day since, as senior citizens, we both get tired. There is a senior's discount to the entry price and we feel it will be worth the extra day.
Our plan is to go around using the Hamburg Card, providing unlimited fares on the public transportation as well as discounts to many attractions (other museums, harbor tour, etc.). I'm sure we'll find enough to fill up 4 days.
Thanks to members above that pointed out the interesting U-Bahn and S-Bahn routes.
I'm familiar with Stuttgart and the area. I attended the piano builder's school in Ludwigsburg and passed my Meisterbrief fuer Klavierbauer (Master Piano Builders Degree) in Stuttgart. The Mercedes factory tour is something I remember 40 years later. We have many friends in the area and I'll just have to plan a trip to that area in the future.

Special thanks to everyone who has helped plan our trip!
Joel
Offline Alsterstreek  
#11 Posted : 21 August 2014 11:23:52(UTC)
Alsterstreek

Germany   
Joined: 16/11/2011(UTC)
Posts: 5,666
Location: Hybrid Home
Originally Posted by: 5HorizonsRR Go to Quoted Post
...

2: Id say you don't need much more time in Hamburg, unless you know folks there.

...


Yes, as long as you stay on the beaten track (pun intended)...
Sad

Just one more suggestion: Since you have a public transport ticket, I you could take the "surface" S-Bahn between Hamburg-Hauptbahnhof (Hbf.) and Hamburg-Altona or vice versa (served by lines S2/S3/S11). The S-Bahn parallels the busy long distance tracks, offering views of all kind of long distance trains. Between Hamburg-Hbf. (nice large station hall) and Hamburg-Dammtor (nice small station hall) one can get a glimpse of the beautiful Alster lakes and elegant downtown. Approach to (or departure from) Hamburg-Altona is via an extended elevated bridge flying over the terminus station throat, offering a view over the latter (which is in decay).
Smile

Cheerio




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Offline Alsterstreek  
#12 Posted : 21 November 2015 16:37:26(UTC)
Alsterstreek

Germany   
Joined: 16/11/2011(UTC)
Posts: 5,666
Location: Hybrid Home
Another obscure "rail-related" attraction for the general public in Hamburg:

The Hamburg Airport Modellschau.

Airport operations are simulated twice per day on a working 1:500 scale layout of Hamburg Airport. An impressive sound and light show with tiny aircraft "starting" and "landing", but actually running on narrow rails, partially suspended under the ceiling, complete with waiting loops. The (German) presentation is geared towards the younger generation.

Appetizers:

See 0:30-0:55


See 0:20-1:30


And here a complete one hour video:


https://www.hamburg-airp...lughafen-modellschau.php
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Offline Alsterstreek  
#13 Posted : 23 November 2015 19:36:59(UTC)
Alsterstreek

Germany   
Joined: 16/11/2011(UTC)
Posts: 5,666
Location: Hybrid Home
Some pix of the Hamburg Airport Modellschau layout.
f2-2.jpgfs-5.pngfs-1.jpgfs-3.pngfs-4.png
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