Rothenburg Station Scale Model
Spanning 28 meters, the meticulous reconstruction of the Rothenburg train station, as it was in 1996, is a true gem. A model crafted by HMbR – Historischer Modellbahnhof Rothenburg, in collaboration with Galleria Baumgartner.
Stretching over 28 meters in length, 9 meters in width, and boasting a track network spanning more than 2.3 kilometers.
The model railway association HMbR (Historischer Modellbahnof Rothenburg) has crafted a precise 1:87 scale reproduction of the Rothenburg station (Canton Lucerne), located on the Lucerne-Olten line. This meticulous and detailed H0 scale reduction of the real railway track has resulted in the world's longest model of a railway station.
The reproduction meticulously captures the technical and scenic landscape of the summer of 1996. The scale railway models, including locomotives and wagons, are also accurate replicas of the ones that ran on the real railway line that year.
The key features of the model
The model is 28 meters long and 9 meters wide. Alongside the replica of the line passing through Rothenburg station, two large support/shelter stations were built, each with around twenty tracks.
In total, 2,365 meters of tracks and 90 switches were utilized.
A train that completes a full circuit of the system travels a distance of 170 meters, equivalent to 14,790 real meters. The models operate at a maximum scale speed of 110 km/h on the track and 40/50 km/h in the stations.
To complete a full circuit on the system, the average train journey time, without intermediate stops, is approximately 12 minutes.
Roco switches and tracks were used to create the model, while the locomotives and wagons were sourced from various manufacturers, including Märklin/Trix, Roco, HAG, Piko, Lilliput, LS Model, and Fleischmann. The model showcases over 60 locomotives and over 150 passenger and freight wagons.
To fully digitize the system, numerous electronic components were employed, including decoders for operating the ESU switches and decoders for reporting the train's position.
The history of the model
The model was born from the passion and dedication of a group of people who, united in the Historischer Modellbahnof Rothenburg (HMbR) association, sought to recreate the pre-modernization era of the Rothenburg station. This allowed them to pass on a historical record of Rothenburg and its surroundings, naturally from a railway perspective.
