031223 Left section of industry

031228 Right section of industry

Above: "Aerial" overviews of the layout section. For details, see the larger versions of these images.

Ernest H. Robl: Model railroad photos
The "Bahnbau Robl" project

My major model railroad project for 2003-2004 consists of building a large industry that represents the home base of a fictional railroad construction contractor, Bahnbau Robl (Railroad Construction Robl, in German, as I model European prototype).

This project incorporates some previously assembled or purchased models of specialized railroad equipment, construction equipment, and structures, as well as a number of models built and purchased specifically for this scene.

These are early work-in-progress photos. The layout segment containing the industry is being built separately and was photographed on saw-horses prior to installation on the layout. (This allows better access for wiring and some other detail work.) In the following photos, much landscaping remains to be done, including ballasting of track. Both buildings and vehicles will ultimately get some weathering (coloring to simulate age and dirt accumulated on site).

Click on any of the images for larger versions with more detailed captions.

Structures and facilities

This industry consists of several main structures, including a large shop building, a smaller shop building (paint shop for rail equipment and vehicles), and a warehouse for parts and supplies. For details on the arrangement of these structures, see the larger versions of the two overview images at the top of this page.

	031190 The main shop building with the roof removed. This is a Kibri kit. I've added some interior details, primarily a "concrete" floor. An office annex will ultimately be provided at the back of this shop building.
	031182 The tank facility behind the main shop building will go to another location on the layout. This facility will be replaced with a combination garage and office structure. I decided it was more important to have additional vehicle storage and maintenance (and office) space than to have a tank facility on site. The Aral Tanker is a Wiking model. The medium duty forklift in the foreground is from a Kibri kit.
	031248 The upper right area of the facility includes two loading areas. In the center of this image, tracks set into a concrete pad allow small track equipment to be loaded onto a highway transport trailer; behind that, a ramp allows vehicles to be moved on and off flatcars. Here, a long wheelbase hi-rail Unimog (center right)has just assisted in the loading of a historic steam locomotive onto a transport trailer. The transport trailer is an older Wiking model. Ultimately, the locomotive will be replaced with a model of a small track machine.

Vehicles

My fictional railroad contractor owns a range of construction machines and vehicles.

	031205 Two different Kibri kits provided the tractor trailer transporter and the front end loader being carried on it. The vehicles were photographed on a temporary display shelf; the equipment in the background is not part of the Bahnbau Robl industry and will later be located elsewhere on the layout.
	031213 A short wheelbase Unimog is followed by heavy duty dump truck. Both models were assembled from Kibri kits.
	031242 A medium duty crane is heading out with a trailer loaded with catenary masts.
	031251 A tractor trailer unit loaded with rail sections has pulled under the portal crane. The crane allows a variety of equipment and supplies to be transferred between trucks and railcars.
	031254 This short wheelbase Unimog and its trailer are loaded with metal equipment cabinets for signal and grade crossing electrical equipment. The Unimog and its trailer are both from Kibri kits, as is their load, which was adapted from Kibri packing cases by painting them with an aluminum color.

Railroad equipment

This section will get filled in in the future as additional equipment is acquired and assembled.

	031198 A hi-rail excavator is positioned outside the main shop building. The excavator is a Kibri model. The maintenance of way car with concrete ties is a Kleinbahn model. This location is ultimately intended to display track machinery or a large railroad crane.

I hope you enjoyed the visit.

Return to the introductory model railroad page

To view photos of a beautiful HO scale club model railroad based on Austrian prototype, click on the link in this paragraph. The club is located in Salzburg, Austria.

Go to prototype Austrian railroad photos

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