 Joined: 09/04/2007(UTC) Posts: 150 Location: Melbourne, Victoria
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About this time of the year ie after the Nuremberg Messe I get all enthused again about marking a start on my layout  I have the space with a train room size of 7.2m x 4m and a reasonable collection of SBB Rolling stock ... mostly Marklin of course but with a few Liliput, Roco & Fleischmann items to flesh out the gaps. But time, money and motivation always seem to be issue  Maybe 2015 will be the year of the grand beginning  Anyway during my annual wander around the internet I revisited MicroScale ... I meet this manufacturer in Gelterkinden during a trip to Switzerland in the late 90's and was most impressed by their products. While not cheap they certainly seem some of the best Swiss signals available in the market and would be at home on any serious Swiss themed layout. Of course it would be wonderful if Marklin came to the party and added Swiss variants to their new signal range but I have serious doubts of that happening in my lifetime  While pondering signals I was reflecting on the Type L / Type N option and wondering just how prevalent the new Type N signals are now in use on the SBB / BLS networks  Maybe one of our Swiss resident members will be able to comment. While rambling around the MicroScale website I noted one of the partner links to Modellbau Atelier (www.mbapiro.ch). For anyone modeling Swiss outline this site is well worth a look. While there is obviously a focus on narrow gauge HOm oriented items there is much to delight the Swiss modeler ... the quality looks just amazing albeit at prices that seem quite astounding. I have bookmarked them for when I finally have that huge lottery win ... then you couldn't hold me back with a team of horses  |
Regards
Pete
expat Kiwi - now living in Melbourne
SBB Era IV & V - Digital - CS1 - C Track |
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 Joined: 29/07/2007(UTC) Posts: 1,435 Location: Switzerland
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Originally Posted by: black_pete  While pondering signals I was reflecting on the Type L / Type N option and wondering just how prevalent the new Type N signals are now in use on the SBB / BLS networks Maybe one of our Swiss resident members will be able to comment. While the amount of Type N is growing very, very gradually (mainly in places where new lines are being opened or relocated or where entire signaling systems must be replaced), it is no longer planned (or just simply impossible for financial reasons) to replace every existing Type L signal. Therefore, Type L signals will not become extinct during the lifetime of most users of this forum except perhaps a couple of early adopter babies.
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 2 users liked this useful post by Unholz
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Joined: 09/04/2007(UTC) Posts: 150 Location: Melbourne, Victoria
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Stefan
Thank you so much for your prompt reply. Hmmm the older Type L signals are probably more "colourful" in place on a layout as against the more minimalistic Type N so your information was most appreciated.
I am aware that AlphaModell, Kyodo and Schneider also make Swiss signals but my research would indicate that the MicroScale signals still seem one of the better options available with the widest range of variations.
Do you have any opinions as to the relatively quality of any of the manufacturers ? |
Regards
Pete
expat Kiwi - now living in Melbourne
SBB Era IV & V - Digital - CS1 - C Track |
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Joined: 29/07/2007(UTC) Posts: 1,435 Location: Switzerland
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Originally Posted by: black_pete
Do you have any opinions as to the relatively quality of any of the manufacturers ?
Pete, unfortunately no personal experience, but a fellow modeler whose opinions I generally respect and share says here ( http://www.forum.hag-inf...postID=119802#post119802 ), liberally translated: "The comparatively cheap Schneider signals are quite useless unless one personally attempts to improve them. Their lights shine through backwards extremely so that in darkness you get the impression that the signal lights apply to both sides. On the contrary, the Alphamodell units look good, but I am not sure whether they can still be obtained everywhere."In that same thread, a Swiss dealer mentions that an additional manufacturer is said to be planning to market Swiss signals in the not too distant future. The MicroScale products have a very good reputation, but they are unfortunately too delicate for me due to my cats which love to rub their necks on any kind of mast in sight...
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Joined: 09/04/2007(UTC) Posts: 150 Location: Melbourne, Victoria
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Originally Posted by: Unholz The MicroScale products have a very good reputation, but they are unfortunately too delicate for me due to my cats which love to rub their necks on any kind of mast in sight... Stefan ... Thanks once again for your comments ... the Hag forum connection was very useful and I spent some time following Nico's video links to admire his wonderful MicroScale installations. Certainly MicroScale signals do provide a wonderful option for Swiss outline layouts that look so correct in place. Obviously they aren't cheap and although they are a metal based construction (rather than plastic) their scale like appearance would reduce their overall robustness somewhat. I guess it's time to start saving the CHF !!! I smiled at your cat comment ... I do have similar problems with my Tonkinese girl  |
Regards
Pete
expat Kiwi - now living in Melbourne
SBB Era IV & V - Digital - CS1 - C Track |
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Joined: 29/07/2007(UTC) Posts: 1,435 Location: Switzerland
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I just happened to discover this video by Nico which shows some nice Swiss signalling details that are often neglected on layouts but add a prototypical touch (for instance the blinking lights warning the maintenance workers). Enjoy: https://vimeo.com/110456085#t=100s
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1 user liked this useful post by Unholz
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