Going to Europe - Germany & Czech Republic

[nkp_174]

I I'll take your advice and make my way there if I get this opportunity again.

Re: tender drives, I found several makes at the toy fair that used these on HO steam locomotives - I did not expect that. One of the makers I was most visually impressed with (Gutzhold) was one of them. I think the lack of a gearbox, etc. was probably one of the reasons I liked the locomotives - they had a nice, light look. I was impressed with how smoothly the mechanism was, considering it had no motor to mask any binding.

Another maker - I think it was Fleischman, supplied some power to the locomotive's drive wheels, but most of the power was via the tender.

Very odd compared to what American modelers are used to / expect.

Matt

It took me a while to figure it out on my 2-10-2! Unfortunately, it isn't so great now. I personally like the idea of both the locomotive and tender being powered. I can't stand gearboxes that are visible...but I prefer them to visible worm gears (need puke smiley here). I'm going to hide the gear tower for my On3 2-8-0 in the firebox above the #4 drivers. I'm doing the same thing with the 1:20.3 Colorado Central Cooke mogul that I'm working on as well.

Here are a few pictures I took to wet your appetite for Oesterreich...


Innsbruck


The Zillertalbahn's 0-8-2, Jenbach.

Vienna:

The Vienna town hall...Weiner Rathaus


The State Opera...Weiner Statoper


Schonbrun Palace...the Hapsburg's equivalent to the Bourbon's Versailles


The subway (U-bahn) station near Schonbrun


St. Peterskirche near St. Stephens


Near St. Stephens


The Hofburg...the winter palace of the Hapsburgs and site of the Viennese castle. Home of the Lipizzaner stallions, the finest crown jewels outside of London, and the Holy Roman Emperor hardware.

Oh, and the street cars (S-bahn) still use many ancient wooden cars.

Michael