FREMO Freundeskreis Europäischer Modellbahner eV.

13.01.2007

[FREMO contents] [gauges] [German version] [versione Italiano]

... recreated with modules

The Prototype

The Rhätische Bahn (RhB) - Ferrovia Retica - is the railway of the canton Graubünden in the southeast of Switzerland. The main lines are:

• Landquart - Klosters - Davos - Filisur
• Landquart - Chur - Reichenau - Disentis (interchange with Furka-Oberalp FO) - along the river Rhine
• Chur - Reichenau - Filisur - Albulatunnel - Samedan - St. Moritz
• St. Moritz - Tarasp (Engadinbahn) - along the river Inn
• Samedan - Pontresina
• Klosters - Vereina Tunnel - Tarasp
  This 'Stammnetz' is electrified with 11kV 16,7Hz AC

Chur - Arosa St. Moritz - Pontresina - Bernina - Tirano Italy, transfer to FS, Italian State Railways) the highest rail crossing of the alps. Bellinzona - Mesocco (Misox line - traffic now reduced to Castione-Arbedo - Cama (freight only)) The last three lines run for historical reasons under DC catenary of different voltages. The Chur-Arosa line was just converted to AC.

Downhill train near Albula-Viaduct IV (prototype)

Contrary to popular belief the RhB does not run on cog-rails - but some of their waggons have braked cog-wheels in order to be used in the famous 'Glacier-Express' running from St.Moritz to Zermatt via the RhB, Furka-Oberalp (FO) and the Brig-Visp-Zermatt (BVZ). These two use cog-rails via the Oberalppass, along the river Rhone and up the Zermatt valley.

The gauge is 1000 mm, mainly single track with many tunnels, bridges and cuts. The signaling is maintained at mainline standards with remote control.

Further information about the prototype can we be found at the Rheatian Railway and www.rail-info.ch.
The RhB-Logo and the map on this page were taken from this site with kind permission by Stefan Dringenberg.

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The modules

General

All general rules for FREMOduls shall apply. On this page only deviations and special issues are discussed.

Theme

The modules shall represent the typical scenery along the lines of the RhB. Its is recommended to recreate specific locations and use photos as a guideline. Some prototype situations already modeled include:

• The viadukt near Davos-Schmelzöfen
• The Fluenga-Tunnel
• The viaduct below Brusio on the Bernia line
• The Albula-Viaduct III

Books with wunderful pictures about the RhB and the neigboring railroads are are available at bookstores.

Turning viaduct near Brusio with Bernia crocodil (model)

End panels

One endpanel is used, which should be optained from the FREMO-Shop, if possible.

Endpanels Rhb92

A cork 'ballast' of 35mm width and 4mm height shall be placed a the 'track-level' as mentioned above.

Colors

The sides of the modules should be painted beige (RAL 1001) semi gloss.
At the end-panels a top margin of minimum 20 mm should be painted to match the adjoining scenery.

Heights

The height of the tracks above floor level should be adjusted at 900, 1100 or 1300 mm - everyone attending a meeting should be prepared for all three heights and have adjustable legs available.
Furthermore you shall be prepared to adjust a tolerance of ± 10 mm for uneven floors.

Tracks

H0m = scale 1:87 - 12 mm gauge - Preferably Code 70 tracks should be used.
The minimum radius in the open should be 510 mm - hidden trackage can go down to 330 mm
The minimum clearance between two tracks (at sidings) should be 46 mm (center/center)
The rails shall be fixed at the end-panels and run level for at least 60 mm.

Inclines

On the modules an incline according to the prototype can be modelled. The height difference on each module needs to be either 200mm or 400mm (Note: one module can extend over several sections with internal joints). The module joints should be level.
The transition between the grade and the level track has to be sufficient for all rolling stock.

Rolling stock

the wheels and the couplers shall conform to the BEMO Standards.

Ballast

- Woodland Buff medium B80 oder B81
- Rainershagener Natureals 7461c
or equivalent products.

Catenary

according to the prototype RhB is required.
The first and the last posts should be placed exactly 60 mm from the end of the module. For these posts Sommerfeldt No. 380 is highly recommended.
For each module a catenary joint according to drawing 11908 shall be provided by the builder.

drawing Rhb 11908 - catenary joint

Electrical standards

Parallel to the rails and the catenary a cable of min. 1,5mm² should be fixed inside the module. These shall end near the endpanels in 4mm sockets. To connect with the next module similar cables with min. 600mm lenght shall be used.The cables and connectors are colorcoded: red= rail on the lower side of the module, blue= rails on the higher side of the module, yellow= catenary.

The FREMO-RhB is run with NMRA-DCC and Loconet.

Connectivity with other modular systems

The 'Verein Furka-Bergstrecke' has developed a separate standard for display purposes in order to promote the reconstruction of the Furka mountain line. These standards are available in the WWW (in German Language only).

Furthermore there are some clubs with individual standard, which are not published.
Transition modules between all systems can be made, but a direct connection is not possible without compromise.

[FREMO contents] [gauges] [German version] [versione Italiano]