Hard truth is that most of us will never have the space, budget, or time to create a full 1:87 replica of a real railroad. Compromises are how we get stuff done - where do we draw the line? How much of a model railroad do we need to model? How much space do we have?

The shorter cars are a great example - we need shorter cars to run on the smaller radius curves on our layouts. Unless, of course, you have access to something larger like a club layout. Boy do I love the look of my ACME and LS Models passenger coaches coupled tightly. They just need some really big curves to run well! I'd love to have a large modern passenger station to accommodate a loco and string of 10-12 these coaches. Not realistic for me, so we shorten the length of the train of already shortened cars and shorten the platforms as well. I still have a passenger platform and will spend the time/budget to add more realism through details. The viewer sees the details and ignores my shortened train.

Another technique many people use is selective compression of a familiar landmark or iconic structure to impart the flavor and feel of the real thing. I love the idea of background photos too! That's a great way to slide the real world into my reduced size model railroad. Look around - there are some very neat techniques to alter structures through selective compression to keep the feel of the original without feeling like it's miniature version instead. I have a paper model of the St Mary's church in Krakow that's basically Z scale - it's huge! I could probably plunk it down next to my HO trains and no one would blink an eye, but it's still way too big for the available real estate. Perhaps having the tops of the towers show over the trees of the Planty while my blue MPK trams run around would impart the flavor I want. Time for another trip for some photos!

I think we can make compromises pretty much anywhere - it's the challenge of the builder to figure out what makes most sense for the scene. What do you want to convey - there are days when I'd be happy with a plain table chock full of track for running, then other days I want one, well detailed scene that reminds me of one of my trips abroad.

I hope I didn't get too far off topic. We did mention shorter cars, selective compression, backgrounds. I think forced perspective is another great technique if well executed. Mirrors are great tools to make a small space appear larger.

As for the question on enforcing scale - I would keep the scenes and trains on the front edge all as close to 1:87, although shortened for operational considerations. The further back or remote on the layout, we can make use of the other techniques more easily. Up front and center should stay scale I think.

Helpful?

Cheers!

Hi!
In real life there are wide platforms and narrow platforms.
When searching prototypes, we shouldn't look for the wide platforms of old stations. Modern stations or stations with limited space will have narrower platforms (that usually still have to be compromised for typical layouts).

I think I will model a smaller station where the long trains will simply pass through. You can still stop a long passenger train at a red signal even if not all coaches fit the platform.
And in real life there were trains that had scheduled stops at platforms where the final two coaches were beyond the platform and people had to jump.

The Märklin dining coaches marked 1:93.5 are usually 1:97.5 (33 mm missing to scale length). That's not far from 1:100.
Use 1:100 or 1:110 if that allows another coach at the platform or use 1:87 and take one coach less - or find an individual compromise.
Good to avoid the 360 mm radius if you want to use scale-length coaches.

It can't be done without compromises - at one place or another.

Regarding narrow platforms: Sulzbach (ok, no ICE stop)

www.drehscheibe-online.de

Eimeldingen (ok, ICE is not stopping here)

www.badische-zeitung.de

Augsburg, platform #1 (ICE is stopping here)

www.architekturforum-augsburg.de

I love the pictures in this discussion.

Does anyone have pictures of the INSIDE of a real Ice Train?

Touche', Roland.

Well, then, see what I found - and pay attention to the ...red button!

Ice Train - the real one

For me, DB passenger trains are the main focus as I plan/build my layout as they're what I used to watch most while train watching as a child. I wanted station platforms that could accommodate my extended ICE and other 6-8 car trains as well as slim turnouts anywhere visible. For platform width I also wanted something a bit wider so my tracks surrounding platforms are separated by 2207 which allows for a decent platform width.

As a result, my Hauptbahnhof takes up a significant portion of my layout but I'm absolutely fine with that. It all comes down to personal preference. I would love to have an area for farmland but I have to sacrifice somewhere!

Hi Minok,

Here's what I mean:




The spacing is roughly 95mm between the center of the tracks so my platforms will be approximately 65mm in width.

I suppose the biggest compromise of all is track curve radius. With present day mainline radii in the order of Km then an HO model ICE would require radii in the order of tens of meters instead of 0.65m which is M R5, even R9 is only about 1.1m.
Next house I buy will have an indoor football pitch for my uncompromising HO layout

I LOVE that picture of kissing Ice Trains, P.J.!

Where was it taken?

Someplace south or west if Frankfurt aM. I'm guessing.
And modern station. Mannheim doesn't look like that though.

ICE 772 Franz Kruckenberg
Basel SBB
Mannheim - Frankfurt(M)
Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe - Hannover

Hamburg-Altona

Last time I was in Germany, I did not travel through the Fernverkehr station at the Rhein-Main Airport during daytime. That would be my guess for the place where the photo was taken.
Look here:
http://www.railfaneurope...hof/Frankfurt__M__FF.jpg
http://www.railfaneurope...t/Fernbahnhof/FRA-mt.jpg
http://www.railfaneurope...bahnhof/airail2000_a.jpg

@Minok, the train probably heads from the Airport to Frankfurt (Main) HBF and from there to Kassel and then on to Hamburg. I don't think that trains from Ffm to Kassel would be routed via the airport as that would be quite a detour from the main ICE routes.

Regards

Mike C

Hello Mike, well found.





Yes, Frankfurt Airport and very convenient, as is the Hotel at the station if in reverse you train in and fly out home to Oz.




Regards,

PJ

It's not Frankfurt aM Hbf as the sign indicate is the next major stop after leaving the station your presently in. It's a station before one gets to Frankfurt aM.

And the main Frankfurt station is a terminus station and is very old and under a roof looking nothing like this station.

would not fit on my layout in H0 scale, even with the whole house to use....