Miniature Wunderland + Behind the scenes tour

[martin t]

Video tour of the totally amazing Miniature Wonderland, MiWuLa in Hamburg, Germany. This is the largest model railroad in the world!!!
This video covers the high-lights of the entire installation, including the new Italian section and also a Behind the scenes your. Bachmann engines and coaches in the US area. Welcome onboard!
https://youtu.be/1oKoA3zVAHA

[Terry Toenges]

I really like the animation on the water and at the airport.

[martin t]

I really like the animation on the water and at the airport.

Yes. It was a really cool layout with 100s of gallons with real water. They had a water cleaning system and a complex pumpsystem for it too.

[rogertra]

While I admire the modelling and details, I don't think is deserves the "model railroad" designation.

As their own title suggests, this is a "Miniature Wonderland" and railways are just one part of it.

It also has working roadways,  working shipping, an airport where planes take off and land so it could be called a model airport, or model road system, or a model harbour, all where the trains are just part of the scenery, as they are now.  After all, all the trains do is mindlessly circle around designated loops, it's not really a working model railroad, just part of a larger, very well done, model landscape.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Jhanecker2]

Regardless of what one calls it , it is a modeling work of Art .   It embodies all the disciplines  that model  railroading  employs  to generate a scene to operate in miniature .  Wish  I had the money & the time  to  build  something  similar  .  John2.

[Len]

They're own web site http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/ calls it:

Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg

The largest model railway in the world, and one of the most successful permanent exhibitions in Northern Germany.

Len

[jbrock27]

Regardless of what one calls it , it is a modeling work of Art .   It embodies all the disciplines  that model  railroading  employs  to generate a scene to operate in miniature .  John2.

Agree!  Don't know why anyone would expend the energy to state or even think, otherwise.

[Trainman203]

I have a bunch of questions.

Who owns it ?  Who paid for it?  Who built it?  What kind of facility is it located in?  How many square feet is it ?  Who maintains it?  How is maintenance access gained to the middle of those half mile or more vistas?  How do they keep their track clean?  Is that operating catenary?

Who operates it?  Is it a club? Is there any attempt to replicate prototypical operation or is it only (as it appears to be) non-prototypical continuous running? Is there any adherence to any era? (not familiar with European prototypes.)

Am I the only one who wonders about this kind of stuff?  

[WoundedBear]

http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/exhibit/wunderland/wunderland-story/wunderland-story/

Some good reading for inquiring minds.

Sid

[Trainman203]

The website touches on some of the points. Not all.   The biggest surprise is that it is a private enterprise.

Man.  Those guys must have flipped a whole lot of houses.  Or had a fortune that needed spending.  How many of you have a wife that would let you do something like this?

I'm curious.  Would someone please covert the cost in euros to good old worthless American dollars?

[WoundedBear]

Man, you got a hard time finding anything for yourself........so here ya go.......

http://x-rates.com/

You can convert your US dollar into anything you desire.

Sid

[Trainman203]

Thanks Sid.   I'm old and not very good on computers,  and don't like them much,  though I had to learn a certain amount for the job.  I still call up places on the phone to order things by phone, they don't like it but keeps my internet exposure down.

How about an update on your layout?  You had some very cool and well
detailed  period stuff.

[WoundedBear]

My layout has been sitting all summer. Damn race car took most of my time....and money. Momma says if we lose another engine, she's gonna sell the car for me...lmao.

I've been working on that crazy cab forward conversion.....got it up and running with sound but still need to tear it back apart for paint and final detail and reassemble it. Had to get it running to work out the bugs. Got an old structure kit under restoration.......fixed 3 Riv Heislers......waiting for parts on a BLI Mikado........tried to fix a guys Climax and sent it in for replacement....basket case. I'll post pics soon.

I really need to clean some track and get trains running again......winter is here and I'm not ready.

Sid

[jbrock27]

Man.  Those guys must have flipped a whole lot of houses.

That doesn't work out so well for everyone, 'member?

Maybe they just learned to save their dough and then they pooled their resources....?

worthless American dollars

What makes you say/think that

[Trainman203]

However whoever got the money, it was a great way to
spend it.