Little Progress

There has been little progress on Nystrup Gravel during the last month. Obligations in other directions have been taking up my available time. Fortunately things are now getting better as we move into the traditional modelling season. As a small appetizer I added a few additional broad leafed plants to the layout's right end front.

The front slope is beginning to look finished. Now the remaining surface needs some attention.

The right end of my small layout will be further developed in the coming weeks with the prospect of melting together with the rest of the landscaped part. Other projects on the list are cab interior in the Fowler diesel, and painting of a few small scale models that I didn't get to finish during summer. The major reasons for not being able to show more progress is two other railway events in my life.

As usual I attended the huge railway exhibition InnoTrans in Berlin during september. I knew the managing director of Nystrup Gravel was also going, but I didn't meet him (among 170.000 attendees it would have been no small wonder). As usual I was part of my company's staff manning our exhibition stand, but I managed some tours round the exhibition and even got to see some narrow gauge equipment. The exhibiting companies continue to use models to illustrate their products and is to a large extent using 3D printed models. 

The most detailed models were seen at the stand of Полтавський Тепловозоремонтний завод (Poltava Locomotive Repair Plant) from Ukraine. In addition to the 1/87 scale TjME3 above a model of a M62-locomotive was also exhibited.

The use of 3D printed models is becoming very widespread. Here the technology is used to show maintenance equipment complete with scale figure.

Shortly after a week spent in Berlin for Innotrans the major annual event for vintage narrow gauge industrial railway enthusiasts in continental Europe, the 'Feldbahntreffen' was hosted by the Hedeland vintage railway (HVB), where I spend a good deal of my spare time. Volunteers had planned and prepared the event for several months, but most of the work took place in the week before the meeting and during the four day it lasted. Four Dutch vehicles visited HVB, the first time the railway has hosted locomotives from abroad. Naturally I spent a lot of time planning, working and enjoying the meeting.

Visiting Dutch locomotive nr. 6 'Ijsseloord' from Smalspoor Katwijk Leiden.

One Dutch engine and two Danish resting after a day's work on the 5 km HVB.

110 European enthusiasts from Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Great Britain, Sweden, Finland, Romania, Ukraine and Poland joined more than 40 volunteers from HVB for four days of networking, presentations, train rides and visits to usually off limits workshops and storage buildings.  

Wooden box with 'Nystrup Gravel' painted on top in use as illustrative load in a wagon during the 32. Internationales Feldbahntreffen at the Hedeland vintage railway 10.-13.October.

I now hope to be able to devote a few more evenings for modelling and hopefully breathe some life into this blog again!

Modelling and InnoTrans

The railway exhibition InnoTrans in Berlin attracts more than 100.000 visitors every two years. Every concievable product and service related to railways are represented at the exhibition and fills the huge Berlin exhibition area completely. On the exhibition ground's own tracks new rolling stock, locomotives and permanent way equipment stand buffer to buffer. Last exibition was 2018 as 2020 was cancelled due to covid. Nystrup Gravel wasn't present but as my job in a railway contracting company is PR and sales I participated in the design of the company's stand and marketing focus as well as being a part of the team manning the stand. As always my professional life seeks to dimish progress on my small model railway.

As far as the relief building got before I went to InnoTrans 2022. Windows are only loosely fitted in the openings and the roof still needs some work.

The large red relief building has its exterior walls completely clad with boards made from coffee stirrers. Three windows are being prepared for the top floor openings and interior light is in planning. It will be a very simple installation. Work on windows and light as well as roof had to be put on hold due to the four days in Berlin and InnoTrans 2022. The exibition is not without modelling interest as several rolling stock and loco manufacturers use models to illustrate their products. Unfortunately the lighting in the exhibition halls aren't the best for model photography.

A Multi Tasker rail crane from Techne Rail & Mill GmbH. The model is close to 1 m in length. It has probably been professionally built with a mix of 3D-printed and machined parts.

On the outdoor area large machinery and rolling stock was being exhibited. Here a Caterpillar M323F road/rail excavator. It's a type I know well from my own company.

A Windhoff RL60 AEM shunting locomotive was among the more conventional shunting equipment exhibited. A large number of more or less exotic looking road/rail shunting equipment was shown at InnoTrans.

InnoTrans is an important part of many students' way into the field of transport and railways. Here a group of Finnish engineering students wearing their characteristic 'teekkarilakki' caps pose in front of a hydrogen powered locomotive.

The marble table at my fancy hotel room in the embassy district in Berlin. With a free supply of magazines at the exhibition there will be no long winter evenings that I can't chase away with reading. These three were followed by many more.

Besides the magazines what am I taking with me that can be used in my modelling from an exhibition like InnoTrans? Not much but the fact that despite all the technology available for showing off your newest product on screens and with Virtual Reality, models are still used in surprisingly large numbers. The models represent physical presence, a chance to imagine the product in real size and an easy way to quickly view the object from all angles. It may be that old fashioned modelling is giving way to 3D-printing, but models are still sought after in a professional context. 

With that said I better get on with mounting windows in my building! Strictly amateurish and just for fun.