011361 A replica of the German Rheingold train curves around the main engine terminal at the !.SMEC

011352 A range of Austrian locomotives is on display at the engine terminal.


The 1st Salzburg Model Railroad Club (1.SMEC)
Salzburg, Austria

These photos were made during a brief visit to the club in December of 2001. This HO scale layout is one of the most beautiful and detailed large model railroads in Europe. Though focused primarily on depicting Austrian terrain and railroads, equipment from other countries, particularly Germany, also puts in an appearance. (Salzburg itself is located near Austria's border with Germany, and the main station sees a substantial amount of German rolling stock.) Scenes from this layout have been featured in the catalogs of Roco, an Austrian model railroad manufacturer based in Salzburg.

 To learn more about this layout, visit the club's site by clicking on this paragraph.

Currently descriptive text on the club's own site is only in German. An English introductory page is planned.

The club has an annual open house in the post-Christmas season, but arrangements can be made (via the e-mail addresses on the club's site) for visits at other times of the year.

The layout, located in a former interlocking tower, is easy to reach by commuter train from downtown Salzburg.

011377 A replica of the castle Falkenstein overlooks one end of the one of the larger stations   011391 An Austrian (ÖBB) class 1016 "Taurus" electric locomotive emerges from a tunnel in a deeply snowed-in scene.

011370 The great attention to detail is evident everywhere, as in this scene of the narrow-gauge station Zell, getting a new roof. The equipment reflects that used on the Mariazell line.

011389 One of the most spectacular scenes on the layout is actually not directly railroad oriented. It depicts the construction of a new highway in mountain terrain.

Go to prototype Austrian railroad photos

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