Miniatur Wunderland

[GrauGeist]

I seem to recall that this massive train set has come up before, however, Google has teamed up with Miniatur Wunderland to create a "Google Earth" of it and some of the photos and video is really awesome!

Smithsonian ran an article about it, you can see it here: History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian

Or you can check out this video here:

 

[mikewint]

Really cool Dave. Amazing does not even come close

 

[Wurger]

 

[GrauGeist]

Mike - Ages ago, I had an American Flyer layout (S-gauge - roughly 1/64th scale) and I tried to figure out a way to capture the locomotive's perspective. By the way, the American Flyer was A.C. Gilbert, not the modern Lionel junk.

My only option at the time was an 8mm movie camera, mounted to a flatcar coupled ahead of one of my engines.

It looked ok and of course, I was excited at the outcome, but the quality and finish was nothing like what's available today in the way of imaging.

 

[Gnomey]

Very cool!

 

[Airframes]

I never tire looking at the Wunderland layouts - wouldn't mind visiting it.

 

[mikewint]

Alfred Carlton Gilbert, Chemistry sets and Erector sets had them both. Never one to work up to things my first project was the Parachute Drop. Lionel actually had some pretty good stuff back then. Dad and Grandpa were into trains, the old O-gauge 3-rail stuff and had several locomotives (actually blew smoke) and several types of action cars. I loved the milk car where the guy would shoot out pushing a milk can onto the station deck. Right after Thanksgiving the four 4X8 plywood sheets would come out. Tracks were all screwed down as were the switches. Then came the tree right in the middle of the boards. Once decorated and lit we started on the train scenery. My job was to crawl behind the tree when needed. We had 3 trains that ran at the same time around the tree.

 

[Shinpachi]

Amazing work
Thanks for sharing, Dave!

 

[Pisis]

I have visited the Miniatur Wunderland this February while in Hamburg on a business trip. What a place! I had about three hours but still haven't seen it all. What is kinda annoying though is that you need to wait for about 30min-1hr to get in, you get a little queue ticket and gotta sit down in a café and wait... But it is worth it.