Large German Layout

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Hi! Tell us about yourself and how you got into model trains

My name is Tjorben. I am 40 years old and live in Bremen/Northern Germany with my girlfriend.

I studied industrial engineering and work in the laser industry. During my studies, I had a nice semester as a marketing intern at Miniworld Rotterdam.

Rumors say that I cried as a baby in a stroller when my mother didn’t walk with me towards the train station. At the age of 1.5 there was already the beloved wooden train of Santa Claus. At the age of 4 I received the first starter kit in H0 from Piko. At the end of the 80s, the passion for gauge N took its course with a starter pack from Fleischmann.

Since then, I have built several plans with different themes and gained a lot of experience that goes into the construction of my current plan. After several unsuccessful attempts at plan construction, my first seriously built plan was modelled on the coastal railway of Spijkspoor. One or the other might be familiar with my plan Beyenburg. I exhibited these at Ontraxs 2016 and there was a report about it in the Continental Modeller.

What I particularly like about my hobby is landscaping and model railway operation. Wiring, on the other hand, is no fun for me.

I am a participant in two model railway regulars’ tables and meet regularly with other model railroaders from my area. In addition, I am with several great railway workers in a national Whatsapp group for exchange.

Another hobby is football and I have worked as a coach for 19 years.

Please describe your layout

My Instagram account is called Kirchhain in Spur N and shows many reports from the construction of my layout.

The Layout has a size of approx. 10 x 4m in E-shape on three legs. My current topic revolves around the station Kirchhain an der Main Weser Bahn in Germany at the end of the 1960s. However, it is not an original replica and I do not adhere meticulously to the model.

If I build then true to the motto, it could have been so. The station itself is located on a double-track main line with two branching branch lines. One of them is the fictitious private Beyenburg Light Railway and the others are operated by the DB. The complex has two other railway stations. Beyenburg as the terminus of the private railway and Götzenhof as another transfer and freight train overtaking station.

Seven accessible shadow stations for around 50 trains provide variety in train operations.

How did you plan your layout?

I was inspired by a track plan in the magazine Miba.

I have been building the plan for about 12 years. The model railway is about 30% finished. The tracks are about 70%. The routes are completely laid. In the shadow stations some tracks are still missing. The wiring is also mostly completed and I have started landscaping in some parts.

The area around Beyenburg is almost finished, while the other two station segments have so far only hinted design. Here I can soon install the background scenes and then start with the landscape. One attraction is the approx. 1m long fishbelly bridge, whose surroundings are also advanced. During construction, I have a rough plan in mind. However, I build to my heart’s content, sometimes here and there.

Depending on the time, I do track and electrical work if I can tinker for several hours at a time. With less time, I prefer to create small scenes.

I drive digitally with the FCC from D&H. Mainly with Selectrix and with some DCC locomotives in multiprotocol operation. The control is done with TrainController 9.0 Gold.

Based on my experience, I have already made many mistakes in previous plans and learned from them, so that the plan is actually well built.

Due to a move after 10 years of construction, however, I have now received significantly more space. The Kirchhain station was already ready for use before the move and I wanted to continue using it. But sometimes I think about whether Altenbeken or Lindau station would not be better off in this large area. But I don’t want to remove 10 years of work, so I continue the way it is.

Describe your rolling stock

My fleet consists of many models of epochs 3 and 4. Steam locomotives, diesel locomotives and electric locomotives.

Currently I like Piko very much and Brawa with the tank cars.

I currently buy my former favorites more on the used market, as I no longer like the price/performance ratio for new goods.

My best purchase is the ÖBB4010 from Jägerndorfer. I’ve wanted a model of the train for years and it turned out really well.

I haven’t really had a bad purchase so far, because I can always put the models through their paces, at least in the store, and have always been lucky when buying online.

Advice for other people in the model train world

Trying is about studying. It helps tremendously to try different things to find your way. In addition, other model railroaders can help to expand the wealth of experience. If I were to start now, a model railway club would help me to recognize my preferences.

There is already plenty of material and the possibilities to drive and try out. Then you can invest more purposefully in the hobby without paying too much tuition.

Unfortunately, many model railroaders want to represent too much on too little surface. It often seems unrealistic to me. Renunciation is therefore often a win.

My best investment is the model railway booklets by Josef Brandl. The supposedly best German model railroader.

The best advice I received: Take a close look at nature to create a realistic impression during construction.