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The starting point of my layout was a picture
in a Norwegian model railroad book (Modelljernbane på Norsk). This
book contains an idea to model the Raumabanen between Dombås and
Åndalsnes. A similar picture is shown on the left. This picture
was the starting point for my layout. Countless days were spent to figure
out how to fit this on a modular structure since I had decided to build
a modular layout. The main reason for this was that I knew I wouldn't stay
in the house I was living for ever. |
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To the left you will see the track plan fitted
on two modules. The modules are 120cm by 60cm which is a standard size
in the Netherlands. I decided to use Roco line, code 83, track. This is
very nice track and the switches (points) are also very nice.
Dombås has nine tracks all together but I could only fit six
on the modules so I decided to simplify the track plan a little bit. |
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So in the winter of 1995/1996 I started to build
the modules. I fitted the modules in a bigger layout of which one part
already was built a couple of years before. In April 1996 I visited Norway
for a couple of days and spent a whole day at the station of Dombås
to make pictures. The first picture in this series is also taken that day.
A friend who writes articles for a Dutch modeltrain magazine showed
interest in writing an article about the layout. In June of 1996 a photographer
of the magazine visited to make pictures. The picture to the left is taken
during this visit.
The picture shows the track plan in place. Part of the wiring was already
done. The night before the turntable was installed so this was the first
day with all the tracks ready. In the next couple of weeks I spent numerous
hours underneath the layout to get the wiring ready. In another part of
the layout I used Lemaco/Fulgurex under floor switch motors but I wasn't
really happy with them. In a local store I found a Tortoise switch motor
and I tried that one, I was really happy with this motor so I ordered all
the motors I needed from an American hobby store. |
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This picture is taken somewhere in 1997. The
ballast was done, after all the track was painted (what a pain ;-) ). In
the back the slopes of a mountain can be seen. In the front the first parts
of what eventually would become the roundhouse.
For the roundhouse I used parts of a Pola kit. Since this didn't fit
I had to change it a lot. I wanted to operate the doors with Tortoise switch
motors and that took some time to figure out. |
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Continue to history part 2
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Scans for this page are made by L.H. Bijlsma and
C. Koelewijn.
For more information about my layout
check the February 1997 issue of Railhobby (Dutch modeltrain magazine).
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