During a quiet time at work yesterday I clicked the "Links & Downloads" link for this site, then "Other Manufacturers". Hmm, I said to myself, I've never seen anything about Bemo before, so I clicked the link. Big mistake!

Narrow gauge has always appealed, and so has the quiet and orderly efficiency of the Swiss railways. And there were those two threads brought together

No, I'm not going to abandon my Z scale plans and go hankering after an Rhb layout (there's probably no room in my apartment anyway), but a "Glacier Express" starter set might make for a really nice carpet bahn for those times when I want to rest my eyes from peering at my Z scale trains.

So, does anyone know how good Bemo trains are? Do the starter sets come with a power pack, and if not are there any recommendations for a suitable one?

If you are a dedicated HOe or HOm modeler then Bemo is one of the top brands in the market place. I am including a small HOe system within my main HO layout to give it a different perspective. I will at some point include some Bemo items.

If you are interested in HOe/HOm give it a try but it is meant for a permanent layout more so than a "carpet" one.

Bemo is great. However, I doubt it would be much fun on a carpet since the cars are fairly light and I assume would frequently jump the tracks. The realism of the Swiss locos and cars to the real ones is excellent. While you have Z gauge, if you had Maerklin HO you could manage both on the same layout since they are both to scale with Bemo merely using narrow gauge. I have plans to fit a Bemo layout connecting with Maerklin HO trains arriving at St. Nickolas train station. Bemo also has specialized tracks and some locos that use the cog rail for traction, which is very realistic. The starter sets from Bemo are a real bargain.

I dabble in narrow gauge as well - mostly HOe / HOn30 / 009 and Bemo is by far the best. You will not regret it for one second - just dive in...

HOm is true narrow gauge (meter gauge). HOe is smaller track. Some manufacturers, including Bemo, manufacture meter gauge rolling stock with narrower wheels, which allow for operation on HOe track.

HOm track is specifically designed for narrow gauge operation.
HOe track is either specifically designed or is simply N gauge track.

To Ozzman, Bemo has some interesting start sets, which include locomotive, cars and track. You will have to purchase a DC transformer separately.

I have seen a few layouts which consisted of an oval (mainline) SBB track (HO) with a station as a focal point of the layout. From that station, a narrow gauge (Bemo) layout would run in the middle of the layout, including circular tunnels and bridges to an upper level station.

The idea is similar to the concept I have been working on, except that my local line was to be SOB/BT normal gauge and not HOm.

There are many manufacturers of Swiss narrow gauge, including:
Bemo
STL
Motreno
D+R
Fulgurex
Lemaco

More details can be found here and at most online hobby shops"
http://www.suter-meggen....odelleisenbahn/index.htm (under HOm)

The Navemo Streetcars are available in HOm and HO* (*AC or DC)

Regards

Mike C

The book "Almost Real" by Josef Brandl dedicates a chapter to a Swiss meter gauge layout. I assume it is Bemo equipment with Sommerfeldt catenary. Beautiful and inspiring pictures.

There are a few HOm manufacturers to look for besides Bemo. One in particular springs to mind, they seem to be defunct but the models appear on ebay from time to time - STL Models. Their coaches have working gangways in rubber which attach to those on the next coach with magnets, or can be clipped back just like the prototype. Marklin would do well to learn from this for their older coaches with that style of gangway.