I just stumbled over the webpage of Wolfgang Frey's layout in Stuttgart: He build an exact replica of the Central Station! http://www.freymodell.de/1.html Amazing (but accurate) trackwork, great details (check out the hardware on each turnout), accurate signalling and a huge (again accurate) downtown area: Text is in German, but each picture speaks more than a 1000 words! Also, check out his "Control Center": The pictures on his page are the model, not the original! Having lived in Stuttgart for four years I can attest that his modelling is spot-on. Sorry if this is a double-post, but a forum search did not return any results for "Stuttgart", so I decided to share it with you all. Cheers Dirk
Fabulous. That must have been an enormous undertaking. The only thing I see missing is live overhead wire for the electrics, though I will admit it would be difficult at best to reach in and re-rail a loco or car with overhead wire in place.
I based myself in there for a week during my vacation last year, he's really captured Stuttgart Hbf. The last two shots are from the top of the station clock tower.
Having gotten turned around on the street a couple of times trying to get to the station, those "street level" pictures of the approach to the Bahnhoff brought back memories. All I can say is WOW!
No matter how many times I've seen this layout I;m still left in awe over the craftsmanship displayed on this layout. And to know that the entire layout actually comes alive. Speechless. Thanks for posting this link:thumbs_up:
It was in Germany that I fell in love with model railroading. It was in the 70's, and there was a tiny trainset in the bahnhof, inside a glass box, that you could start to running by pushing a button. It was an incredible layout and I had never seen anything like it before--but it was certainly nothing compared to this.
I've seen this layout before on another board, where there was a fair translation of most of the site. The statistics are incredible. IIRC, there are 17 computers controlling everything, it took him 19 years to built (by himself, obviously very rich. It's in his basement.) 30,000 people, 5,000 vehicles, 3,000 RR cars, over 1,000 locos. I may be off on some of these. By the way, in case anyone missed it, each of the five headings on the top left are another set of pictures. I believe there are over 200 in all. Dave.
Wow that is incredible. Especially since it's someone's personal railroad - it would be awesome as a club layout, but one guy did all that?? The level of detail is amazing- especially for the size of it. Check out the structures and scenery in the 5th group of pictures. Holy cow!
Unbelievable. Really. I can't believe he did it all himself, he must have had some help. I can read German half-decently but not fast enough to find out. I just can't get over how realistic all the buildings and trees look. Search around for the transfer table and the river scene. Not to me. I would guess a European made track like Fleischman or Arnold.