CarMotion Viessmann: Automated Model Vehicle Control System for Model Railroad Layouts in HO Scale

Published on October 24, 2025

At the large model railway exhibition, called “Grote Modelspoor Expo” in Leuven, Belgium, it is traditional to hold a competition for modelers. Small dioramas and micro model railway layouts are built, which are then judged by visitors to the exhibition. René Modeldijk has built such a diorama, in which the focus is not on model trains, but on scale model cars.

René Modeldijk did not want to build a model train diorama, but rather a miniature world for automated movement of model vehicles on roads. He uses the new automated vehicle control system, called “CarMotion” by Viessmann, specifically designed for model railroad layouts. His miniature world depicts a quarry where three different truck models are used, for example a Mercedes Actros tipper and a round bonnet (short-bonnet) truck.

The landscape was modeled from fly screens, plaster and wooden stir sticks. In the middle of the model railroad layout, a short freight train shuttles between the quarry and a loading facility. The model trucks enter the miniature world through the tunnel on the right, then cross the front area of the diorama and disappear into the tunnel on the left after a few moments.

With Viessmann’s CarMotion, realistic traffic scenes come to life – from construction sites to freight yards. Whether on a diorama, in a display case or on model railway layouts, this automated vehicle control system makes any miniature world come alive. The scale models combine fine detailing with modern driving technology. The CarMotion system by Viessmann contains integrated motors with finely adjustable driving behaviour, automatic cruise control for smooth traffic flow without collisions, functional lighting with indicators, high and low beam headlights – and finally – realistic driver’s cab with figure. At the moment, Viessmann’s CarMotion is one of the most advanced systems for moving vehicles in HO scale.

CarMotion by Viessmann allows the simulation of vehicle movements on scale model roads and offers more dynamic and realistic experience for modelers and for spectators. This system is typically used with scale model cars, trucks and other vehicles that move on roads within a model railway layout.

Vehicles can follow predefined routes, including intersections and stop signs, which adds a layer of realism. The system allows model vehicles to accelerate and decelerate smoothly, mimicking the behavior of real-world cars, rather than simply moving at a constant speed. The system works seamlessly with existing model railways, allowing vehicles to move in synchronization with the trains or other elements of the layout. Furthermore, the system can control traffic lights and signals in a way that vehicles stop and go based on the signals, just like real-world traffic.

The system is scalable, allowing to start with a small model railroad layout and expand it as the collection of vehicles and cars or the complexity of the model railway layout grows. There is a range of different vehicles and road types, so it adapts to any model railway design. Some scale models can be integrated with sound modules, so vehicles might honk their horns or activate lights in specific situations. Finally, the movement of vehicles adds a new layer of interactivity that static scale models cannot provide. CarMotion by Viessmann supports a wide range of scale vehicles, from cars to trucks to buses, all of which can be fitted with small motors to enable them to move realistically on miniature worlds.

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haWT5tC9RdI

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