A cute little model train diorama of a sawmill - On30 scratch build micro railroad layout

Published on May 30, 2026

For many decades, the German model railroader Hanns Hirblinger has been known for his focus on building model railroad layouts and dioramas, most of which are based on American narrow-gauge railways. Sometimes those dioramas depict forest railways, industrial railways or field railways. Hanns Hirblinger’s latest diorama is called “The Saw Mill.” The cute little model train diorama depicts a sawmill for railroad ties. While the sawmill is a model kit from “SierraWest Scale Models”, the workshop - including its interior furnishings - and the locomotive shed were built from scratch.

The vehicles, historical trucks, were also built from model kits by “SierraWest Scale Models”. The rail vehicles - consisting of a light railway diesel locomotive, a railcar and a steam locomotive - are scale models from “Bachmann Trains”. The rolling stock has been modified, weathered and redesigned with extreme attention to detail. Hanns Hirblinger builds his micro model railway layouts in On30 scale. That On30 gauge is a model railway standard for narrow-gauge railways in 1/48 scale (North America) or 1/43.5 scale (Europe), which run on 16.5 mm track.

While the sawmill, the vehicles, the locomotives and the railcars have been built with an incredible attention to detail, the blue backdrop stands out in a negative way. The gaps aren't finished perfectly. However, the track layout is designed in a typical exhibition layout style, meaning that the rolling stock enters the diorama from the left behind the workshop, makes a semicircle, and exits the miniature world again at the back wall. Additionally, the track layout allows numerous shunting maneuvers on a parallel track across the crossing. The miniature world measures approximately 80 cm wide and 50 cm deep.

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttEl3SkcT6U

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