Agenda

~ 2020 ~

The Renovation goes on in 2020...

Latest News:

Saturday 21.11.2020

A tuft of grass between the tracks... Read more about it in Chapter 35 in the Renovation Journal

Saturday 7.11.2020

After many weeks of 'silintium in renovationem', I picked up thread and needle again. Some 15 trees have to be cut, which ios a pretty intensive job. Besides, I had in mind changing the rooftiles of the Town Hall in the same way that I altered the Cochemer Burg (see Chapter 7).

After some researching last night, I fond out that the original Rathaus Allmannsdorf - situated in Mainaustraße, Konstanz, Germany - has exactly the same roof and weathering as I painted my model. Mirabile dictu...

Friday, 6.11.2020

Some years ago I had contact with Jean Buchmann from Strasbourg (France). He ran a website with materials from Alsace-Lorraine (AL), or as they say in Germany:

Elsaß-Lothringen. His friend Philippe Hofmann had a fine layout in AL-style.

These days I will implement the AL-steamers of German origin into my ModelsList, while adding some fine pictures of Hofmann's layout as well.

Courtesy Philippe Hofmann.

Wednesday, 3.11.2020

Yesterday I received message, that the owner of the shop, where I have taken uncountable pictures of train models is no more.

After suffering a severe stroke some weeks ago, he passed away in hospital last Sunday due to a fatal pneumonia.

It fills me with great sadness that a person of such friendly character and loving nature, who was always self-effacing, ready to help others, is no longer with us.

I don't know if the store will continue to exist. But he will remain in my mind, in the most precious memories. Requiescat in pace, amicus meus.

This is how the photoghrapic adventure began on 31.5.2006 in the back of his store (Märklin DA 800)...

... and the last one I took on 17.10.2020 (Märklin 39209)

Tuesday, November 3rd

These days I received many outstanding pictures of rare brass models in high reolution and even higher quality. These wonderful photos were professionally taken by a very famous collector and owner of the brass-royalmodels.com website Alexey Gavrilyuk (Алексей Гаврилюк) from Kiev, Ukraine.

All photos are unique and made exclusively from models that are in his personal collection. Alexey has collected one of the most stunning collections of the rarest small series models of rolling stock from different countries and eras in H0. They were sent to me by Alexander Nozadze, befriended with Vadim from Lvov, Ukraine, who helped me out in the past with pictures of rare models from the 60's.

It will take some weeks to implement all these pictures in my ModelsList, considering models from Micro Feinmechanik, Fuchs, Fulgurex, Bavaria and Lemaco.

I noticed that Alexey has had a mentor, considering the way he applied my LEO principle and using a very familiar Märklin track profile. Most flattering...

This one's from Alexey...

...to be compared with mine.

Saturday, October 17th

A rather large photoshoot at my dealer's, with a.o. newly released electric locomotives and additional materials...

Märklin 39380

Märklin 39883

Märklin 39683

Märklin 39150

Märklin 37855

Märklin 37110

Märklin 37447

Märklin 39378

Artitec 24.373.01 as NS 1310

Märklin 39523 (SBB Ce 6/8 I "Köfferli" Nr. 14 2020)

Trix 24820 Club Wagen 2020 (alas not mine)

I also bought myself this lovely era 1 Märklin carset (45175), which goes with the Württemberg G 12:

Märklin 45175-01

Märklin 45175-02 (basis Trix)

Märklin 45175-03

Märklin 45175-04

Märklin 45175-05 (basis Trix)

October 6th

The many pictures I took at the Landshut Micro Metakit Office in 2009 where doctored by me in a way of only cropping and restoring. I never adjusted contrast, light and vignetting. I think it quite an improvement to do adjust then again. Finishing 00200H to 04603H. The rest will follow in the next days.

As it was...

... and now is.

September 27th

A day of adjustment... see the report about adjusting the Württemberg G 12 (Märklin 37586)

September 13th

Searching in my attic, I found 5 Micro Metakit calendars.

During the 2009 photoshoot at Landshut (Germany), I met Herr Passberger who was too kind in handing them over to me.

Truly, they have marvelous pictures, made by Studio Spörle.

As an hommage to Micro Metakit and in honour of the late mr. Passberger who passed away at Christmas 2017, here's one of the finest:

the bay. B IX HILPOLTSTEIN and B IX STARNBERG.

I treasure the memories with both Thomas Maulu and his father, who helped me during a three day shooting at the Landshut Office.

September 8th

Between t a k i n g a n d p o s t i n g a picture there's a proces of doctoring. A brief presentation of how I do things, right here!

September 2020

New Micro Metakit pictures from the 2009 Landshut Photoshoot, that were

N e v e r r e l e a s e d b e f o r e

U n t i l l n o w !

This picture of the Bay. D III Greif ~ Landesausstellung zu Nürnberg 1873 .

Micro Metakit 93002H / Landshut 15.6.2009

Micro Metakt 93003H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 (never released as such until now)

Micro Metakt 90010H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit&added 12.11.2020 (yep, the running wheel is not in place)

Micro Metakt 90000H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 (never released as such until now; broken handrail 'fixed')

Micro Metakt 90001H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 (never released as such until now)

Micro Metakt 90002H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 (never released as such until now)

Micro Metakt 90003H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit: 15.11.2020, with DB shield on the left side

Micro Metakt 93003H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 (never released as such until now)

Micro Metakit 93300H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 (never released as such until now)

Micro Metakit 93301H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 18.11.2020

Micro Metakit 93302H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 (never released as such until now)

Micro Metakit 89102H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 9.10.2020

Micro Metakit 93100H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 12.10.2020

Micro Metakit 92400H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 12.10.2020

Micro Metakit 00301H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 20.10.2020

Micro Metakit 04101H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 29.10.2020

Micro Metakit 97400H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 31.10.2020

Micro Metakit 05103H with 99902H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 1.11.2020

Micro Metakit 97504H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 5.11.2020

Micro Metakit 94502H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 12.11.2020

Micro Metakit 94504H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 13.11.2020

Micro Metakit 02300H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 23-26.11.2020

Micro Metakit 02302H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 23.11.2020

Micro Metakit 98802H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 16.11.2020

Micro Metakit 94900H ~ Landshut © 15.6.2009 / edit 13.11.2020 (until now erroneously numbered as 94100H)

These and other pictures of Bavarian Locomotives can be found at the B a v a r i a n C o l l e c t i o n

Saturday, August 29th

An additional coal bunker was made... see the making of in Chapter 33

Saturday, August 22nd

A small photoshoot at my dealer's and purchasing additional vegetation, trees and other stuff.

Märklin 41358 (probably the same model as 2016 edition)

Märklin 41359 (edition 2019)

Märklin 41369 (edition 2019)

Märklin 41379 (edition 2019)

Märklin 37897

... and a small purchase for myself (released 2012)

picture taken 30.6.2012 (Brawa 48265)

Friday, August 21st

How funny things can go. A visitor at my dealer's asked if the photographer (he meant me) would be interested in shooting some rare models from Christian Fuchs,

currently being offered on eBay.

My dealer sent word to me and I was able to contact this guy. Last Friday I spent an hour or so at his place and shot five rare Bavarian steamers.

If I'm correct, Chistian Fuchs only released seven Bavarian steamers.

He also had a Roco S 3/6 Nr. 3604 (63367) and a Trix Fine art Class 17.4 (22502).

The latter one is a very rare model as well, which I shot years ago, but that one was damaged and full with dust.

Christian Fuchs 300 - bay B XI ~ Nr. 1262 ( Baureihe 36.7-8)

Christian Fuchs 400 - bay D VII ~ Nr. 903 ( Baureihe 98.76)

Christian Fuchs 500 - bay C VI ~ Nr. 1557 ( Baureihe 54.13)

Christian Fuchs 600 ~ bay. D IX ~ Nr. 1947 (Baureihe 70.71)

Christian Fuchs 700 - bay D V ~ Nr. 796 ( Baureihe 89.81)

Roco 63367 ~ bay. S 3/6, ~ Nr. 3604 (LE 2013)

Trix Fine Art 22502

August 14-16

Some (holy)days spending in the train room...

More to read in Chapter 32 of Journal 6.

Another piece of forest ~ not intended, yet accomplished

August 2020

Due to Covid-19 I will 'celebrate' my Summer's holidays at home which gives me a lot of time for a lot of things.

* I started filming the Württemberg G 12 (Märklin 37586) on the Cochemer Bahn. Soon to come on my YouTube chanel.

* Then there are still lots of M i c r o M e t a k i t pictures that I took in Landshut in 2009, waiting to be doctored and implemented in the website.

* For obvious reasons, the R e n o v a t i o n continues. Read more in Chapter 31.

Micro Metakit 04100H

Filming the G 12 both in single ride and pulling a Württemberg freight train.

Sunday, July 26th 2020

A new chapter of the Journal is written: Part 6 ~ M i d s u m m e r

Saturday 25 July 2020

Some deferred maintenance: the Bay. G 4/5 got a new shelf at the tender, whereas the S 3/6 "3624" finally got staff.

In advance, I painted the Busch dry grass 1301 into some more vivid grass, before being applied to the layout, to avoid color deviation.

Saturday 18 July 2020

The front land - or in German: die Paradestrecke - gets my attention these days. The making of this section will be told in the Journal.

Soon to come...

19.7.2020

Wrtt. G12 "1901" at the Cochemer Bahn

The 4th of July 2020 ~ the G 12 at my dealer's!

So, today I took a 5 hours drive back and forth to my dealers, since my Württemberg G 12 had arrived in the shop last week. Couldn't wait any longer...

The G 12 looks truely beyond expectation. I had my sincere doubts about the colour scheme, since the green of both my Wrtt. K 1802 and Wrtt. C 2010 are not directly paté. The pictures I had seen differed too much in shade. To see is to believe (in this case).

Now, the reddish brown gear and wheels of this G 12 make a perfect match with the rest! Tomorrow I will make proper pictures...

Märklin 37586, which I can call mine now. Here still in the shop...

... and now (5.7.2020) in the showcase!

Then there are these lovely cars from Brawa, following the Württemberg G12...

Brawa 49775 (Sommerneuheit 2020)

Brawa 49806 (Sommerneuheit 2020)

Brawa 49805 & Brawa 49806 (Epoche 1 & 2)

Brawa 49805 & Brawa 49775 (600 089 & 600 090)

Brawa 49787

Brawa 49788

Brawa 49789

Brawa 49794

Brawa 49805

A small F o t o s h o o t was at hand as well. To begin with... the DRG 95 004 (Märklin 39098):

Märklin 39098 as DRG 95 004

M 37586 as Württembergt G 12, Nr. 1901

Märklin 37949 as DB 03 219 (released 2018)

Märklin 39658 as DB 65 026 (released 2019)

Märklin 37444 as E 44 088

Märklin 42061

Märklin 42071

Märklin 42081

27.6.2020 ~ A r r i v e d a t t h e S h o p

My dealer called me that my backorder was in the shop... looking forward to picking it up.

No less then six Brawa cars (including the green Champagne, just outside the picture), 5 boxes with 5 fir trees (alas no more boxes with 18 pcs),

two sheets of Busch summer grass 1301 and one box of Nature Trees.

The waiting is still for Märklin's Württemberg G 12 (Märklin 37586) to be send to my dealer's...

15.6.2020 ~ F u r t h e r o n ...

Today I opened the second bottle of Noch 60874, so now the upper reaches of the waterfall have running water as well.

10-11.6.2020 ~ W i l d B o a r s

Never knew that wild boars would have so many different coat colors. Or that a buck stands out from a red deer because of its rump patch.

Anyway, after some research this afternoon, I was able to provide both the wild boars and the roebuck with an original color, and that in various stages, of course.

The hairy skin, the tusks, the hooves, even the light gray nose of the boar, with an eye for a boar or sow. These are the details, which only become clear after studying various photos. For the roebuck I used a mixture of sand brown and black with a lick of amaranth red. A mixture of sand-white, beige and brown was applied for the rump patch, the striking spot under their tail. You may not see them again when they disappear in the forest of the Cochemer Wald. Anyway, it's the idea that counts. See: Chapter 30 of Journal 5.

9.6.2020 ~ A d d i t i o n a l M a t e r i a l s

Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 many orders are being delayed. Still, I was able to buy some stuff again last Saturday. Like wheels for the two Trix cars I recently purchased; a turf needed for the front of the Cochemer Bahn; and a 500 cc bottle with 'water' for the waterfall.

The wild boars and deer are good for a spot somewhere on the edge of the forest, although their fur could use some extra color.

Alas, NOCH has stopped this year in releasing their 18-trees-in-one-box item (Noch 24530, € 60). That's why I'm now advised to fall back to 5-in-a-box (€ 20) for the remaining trees, which entails additional costs.

Trix 23903 & 23906, now forseen with Märklin close couplers and a new pair of wheel sets (at the right: E34382604).

Sheer beauty.

4.6.2020 ~ Transition

My attempt to make a natural transition between gravel and vegetation with white dune sand was not a great success.

Therefor, I started drying with sand-gray watercolor, which gave exactly the effect I was looking for.

1.6.2020 ~ Frontal

The last stripped parts at the front are receiving vegatation. Read more in Chapter 29, Approaching the Finale.

25.5.2020 ~ G r i t & D i r t

A dear friend of mine, working in 'earthmoving', brought me 10 sachets (they're more like bags!) of soil and grit.

Five kinds of color (from gray to yellow), respectively five kinds in size (prox. 3 - 8 mm).

Now that is a great opportunity in finding the right colouring (or mix of them) near the tracks, as well as spots and trails in the woods, where appropriate.

21.5.2020 ~Ascension Day

After the Ascension Day Service, the rest of this lovely day was spend on the landscape around the Lorelei Tunnel. I planted a huge tree that 'made the scene'!