La Vie en Rail

[Garfield]

Pardon, monsieur! Où est la gare? Je veux prendre le train...

 

When I'm not frying my brain trying to model Irish Railways in OO or American railroads in N, I'm concentrating on modern day SNCF in HO scale. In all honesty, it probably has greater priority than the other two areas for me right now.

 

My plan is to eventually build a layout loosely based on Langogne station, on the famous Cévenol route between Clermont-Ferrand and Nîmes (photos here). It's a lightly used trunk route that's seen better days and, although the stock is modern and the scenery is fantastic, the infrastructure looks rather dilapidated, and there's still semaphore signalling and hand-operated points in places. Added to that, the freight and track maintenance trains are magnets for graffiti artists (see photo link).

 

Here's a rough trackplan of Langogne that I cobbled together:

 

 

My layout will be a somewhat simplified version of this. For one, the yard will be smaller and there will only be one engine shed and water tower, and possibly no turntable. I also want to fit in some features found at other stations along the line.

 

As for stock, passenger services will be handled by X73500 and AGC diesel railcars, and loco-hauled Corail coaches hauled by the venerable BB67400 diesels - all operated by TER (regional railway division) of the Auvergne and Languedoc-Rousillon regions. As for freight, the only flow currently transported over the line is timber and pulpwood, handled by a pair of EuroCargoRail MaK/Vossloh G1206 locos. Maintenance trains are handled either by the long-lived BB63000 or BB66000 locos, or by privately-owned contractor locos. Light shunting is undertaken by Y7100 'locotracteurs'.

 

Here's some of the stock that I'll be running:

 

X73500 in TER Auvergne livery...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Y7100 locotracteur in Arzens livery...

 

 

 

 

 

Inox coaches (to be heavily weathered and graffiti'ed and used as dormer/workshop coaches on works trains)...

[Warbonnet]

Nice one Patrick, are they all Jouef models? I must admit that I know next to nothing about French outline, although I have enjoyed some jaunts throughout France by train over the years. I do have an interest in all things TEE however, and do love locos like the CC 40100s.

 

These were downright beautiful http://www.bzt87.com/9004/index.htm

 

These sound and look awesome

 

 

Have you got any LS models stuff Patrick? Heard that they do nice stuff, but a tad pricey.

[Garfield]

Nice one Patrick, are they all Jouef models? I must admit that I know next to nothing about French outline, although I have enjoyed some jaunts throughout France by train over the years. I do have an interest in all things TEE however, and do love locos like the CC 40100s.

 

These were downright beautiful http://www.bzt87.com/9004/index.htm

 

These sound and look awesome

 

 

Have you got any LS models stuff Patrick? Heard that they do nice stuff, but a tad pricey.

 

Cheers, Fran! The X73500 and Inox coaches are by Jouef and the locotracteur is by LS Models, who also produce the AGC sets. Pricey, but well worth it!

 

Nice video of the CC72000... those locos are absolute beasts!

[201bhoy]

Do they have the y8000s too? I have the roco one and for only four wheel pick-up, I think it runs really well. You should get the roco 68000, it's a lovely, detailed model.

[Garfield]

Do they have the y8000s too? I have the roco one and for only four wheel pick-up, I think it runs really well. You should get the roco 68000, it's a lovely, detailed model.

 

I had a secondhand Y8000 but I sold it on a while ago. It ran well but it was looking a bit rough around the edges and the model needs a detailing kit to bring it up to standard, in my opinion. I'll probably buy another one at some stage and detail it, though, because I do really like those locotracteurs.

 

The 68000 is nice, but I've never seen photos of one running on Le Cévenol - at least not in the last 10 years or so - so I couldn't justify the cost of buying one at the moment. Fab-looking loco, though!

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

Garfield I was thinking of picking up something like this sometime on eBay what sort of runners are the Jouef locos and what do I need to lookout for.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HO-gauge-Jouef-boxed-FACTORY-MINT-SNCF-8440M-electric-pantograph-loco-CC-6551-/251039430665?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item3a731db809#ht_1545wt_1037

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/jouef-8539-/190668058104?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item2c64b3adf8#ht_1160wt_1270

 

 

They remind me when I was 17 and went inter railing around Europe.

[201bhoy]

Garfield I was thinking of picking up something like this sometime on eBay what sort of runners are the Jouef locos and what do I need to lookout for.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HO-gauge-Jouef-boxed-FACTORY-MINT-SNCF-8440M-electric-pantograph-loco-CC-6551-/251039430665?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item3a731db809#ht_1545wt_1037

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/jouef-8539-/190668058104?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item2c64b3adf8#ht_1160wt_1270

 

 

They remind me when I was 17 and went inter railing around Europe.

 

Most of my SNCF locos are Jouef and they run really nicely. They're pretty detailed too

[Garfield]

Garfield I was thinking of picking up something like this sometime on eBay what sort of runners are the Jouef locos and what do I need to lookout for.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HO-gauge-Jouef-boxed-FACTORY-MINT-SNCF-8440M-electric-pantograph-loco-CC-6551-/251039430665?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item3a731db809#ht_1545wt_1037

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/jouef-8539-/190668058104?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item2c64b3adf8#ht_1160wt_1270

 

 

They remind me when I was 17 and went inter railing around Europe.

 

Hi Anto,

 

The locos in those auctions are old Jouef engines, so I'm not sure how well they run. The detailing wouldn't be up to quite the same standards as today's models either. The models they produce now are great runners and have excellent detailing.

 

Here are the the up-to-date models of those locos:

http://www.ontracks.co.uk/index.php?page=product&prodID=115104&catID=118

http://www.ontracks.co.uk/index.php?page=product&prodID=163893&catID=118

 

Roco also produce models of these locos, which are a bit cheaper but may need a little bit of 'hands on' work to get them to the same standard.

[201bhoy]

Jesus Jouef has got dear! I got a 26000 on ontracks for almost 100 quid cheaper than what they are now...

[201bhoy]

By the way, most importantly, does this station have corail luneas?

[Garfield]

By the way, most importantly, does this station have corail luneas?

 

Sleeper trains haven't used that route for many, many years now. The only Corails on the route are on three/four coach TER trains...

[201bhoy]

Ahhh no! I love the luneas. Roco do great detailed couchette coaches and piko do cheaper ones although they're not as good...

[Garfield]

Have you seen the LS Models Corails? Best of the bunch!

[201bhoy]

They do look good actually I hadn't seen them before!

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

Wow Garfield that's some price tag

[Garfield]

Wow Garfield that's some price tag

 

Aye, continental European models are fairly expensive. And some people complain about Murphy Models' prices!

[201bhoy]

To be honest it's really just Jouef whose prices have gone up so much. I bought a roco 22200 which is easily my favourite model French loco for only £130.00 in a model shop in Nice.

[Garfield]

Holy moly! RRR push-pulls now available ready-to-run!

 

http://www.jura-modelisme.fr/coffret-3-elements-rames-reversibles-regionales-rrr-region-rhones-alpes-livree-rouge-inox-logo-nouilles-logo-ter-5-phares-n-60.html

 

If the bank manager calls, I've moved to Venezuela...

[BosKonay]

Not a bad price either!

[Warbonnet]

And people complain about the price of cravens? We have it cheap here! They look fantastically detailed.

[Garfield]

This arrived in the post today via eBay...

 

 

About time I got one of these. I love the En Voyage livery and it suits the BB 67000s particularly well, I think. Must fix that hand rail...

[Warbonnet]

lovely printing. Jouef?

[Garfield]

lovely printing. Jouef?

 

Yep, it is.

[201bhoy]

Love it! I always loved those locos, now all you need is another one in multiservice or blue to double head it with I got a roco 68000 for Christmas one time, great model. Quite similar appearance wise to the 67400s.

[Garfield]

Yeah, the plan is to get another in blue and one more in multi-service!

[201bhoy]

Love the multiservice livery. Always thought it was striking.

[Garfield]

I'm off on the annual jaunt to France this week, and I've worked in bonus rail travel...

 

In addition to the usual loco-hauled (Sybic) trip from Paris to Clermont-Ferrand, I'll be taking the leisurely (5+ hour!) trip from Clermont to Nimes via 'Le Cevenol' - a rural route which passes through some of the most spectacular scenery in France. The train I'm taking is usually comprised of a veteran BB67000 diesel and three or four coaches, and speeds are moderate at best... should be quite the experience! I'm especially looking forward to it because I plan to set my proposed SNCF layout (a long way off/pipe dream) along this route.

 

The journey from Nimes back to Paris will be on board a TGV service, which will also be fun!

[BosKonay]

Sounds idyllic lots of pics please!!

Bon voyage!

[201bhoy]

I'm off on the annual jaunt to France this week, and I've worked in bonus rail travel...

 

In addition to the usual loco-hauled (Sybic) trip from Paris to Clermont-Ferrand, I'll be taking the leisurely (5+ hour!) trip from Clermont to Nimes via 'Le Cevenol' - a rural route which passes through some of the most spectacular scenery in France. The train I'm taking is usually comprised of a veteran BB67000 diesel and three or four coaches, and speeds are moderate at best... should be quite the experience! I'm especially looking forward to it because I plan to set my proposed SNCF layout (a long way off/pipe dream) along this route.

 

The journey from Nimes back to Paris will be on board a TGV service, which will also be fun!

 

Is that the jounrey that passes through the Massif Central? I've heard that's stunning, have a good time! I love the 67400s, I remember getting a night train from Annecy to Nice double headed by a pair of them when I was young. Plenty of pics please

[Garfield]

Is that the jounrey that passes through the Massif Central? I've heard that's stunning, have a good time! I love the 67400s, I remember getting a night train from Annecy to Nice double headed by a pair of them when I was young. Plenty of pics please

 

Yep, it passes through the Cévennes, which is part of the Massif Central. It appears on a lot of 'Great Railway Journeys' lists.

 

There's a good description of the journey here: http://www.enlightened-traveller.co.uk/pages/pages.aspx?pgId=423

[heirflick]

have a great trip - you are not missing anything here....lashing rain as i speak!!!

[Garfield]

have a great trip - you are not missing anything here....lashing rain as i speak!!!

 

Cheers Shem!

 

Staying in Dublin for the night because I have an early flight... somehow I always end up in the pub to meet up with old faces, even when I promise myself to hit the hay early!

[Garfield]

The postman delivered this on Friday morning... an old Joeuf DU 65 'draisine'. These little permanent way vehicles can still be seen scurrying along on railway lines over France.

 

 

The model is showing its age, the 'windows' are grey plastic to hide the motor inside, and there's some bad overspray on the factory paintjob. Should make an interesting detailing/upgrade project at some point, though...

[Garfield]

A nice photo taken by a staff member at Cité du Train (France's national railway museum) in Mulhouse yesterday shows the master with his creation: Jacques Cooper, who designed the TGV prototype, with a first generation TGV Sud-Est power unit behind him.

 

 

[Horsetan]

He reminds me of Robert Opron.