Z Scale Micro Layout True to the Original: The East Frisian Model Train Diorama of Helenensiel

Published on February 8, 2025

The province of East Frisia is located in the very north of Germany. The region is characterised by its proximity to the North Sea. Somewhere in that region, there is the imaginary village of Helenensiel, built in 1/220 scale by German railway modeller Dirk Kuhlmann. The model railway layout „Helenensiel“ is constructed on a base area of 165 cm x 65 cm and depicts a lonely, but idyllic-looking place in East Frisia. The centrepiece of the micro layout is the small station, a fictitious terminus of a branch line.

Well-known model railway designers such as Josef Brandl, Wolfgang Langmesser, Rolf Knipper and Bernhard Stein have set new standards in railway modelling with their landscape design. And what works wonderfully in H0 scale (1/87) should also be possible in Z scale (1/220). This describes the motivation of Dirk Kuhlmann, who built the train layout of „Helenensiel“.

Despite the idyllic atmosphere that Helenensiel exudes, railway traffic here is intense. Trains that run here usually consist of a diesel locomotive with goods wagons. A rail bus transports passengers from the harbour to the station. The trains circulate in a sweeping curve through the countryside until they reach the small terminal station. In front of the dyke and next to the station facilities, there are a small warehouse, a ship chandlery, a lighthouse and a restaurant.

All the details, such as railway barriers, traffic signs, willow fences and much more, were built by hand. Because the selection of typical North German buildings is very limited on a scale of 1/220, Dirk Kuhlmann had to improvise: Kitbashing became the method of choice to make houses and buildings look authentic. Trees and bushes are another special feature that lend this beautiful diorama its individual character. The crooked East Frisian trees were created using copper strands, self-mixed wood trunk colour and foliage material from the manufacturer Polak.

The model railroad layout can only be seen from the front. On the other three sides, the model rail layout is framed by wooden walls. A background drawn around the sides gives the landscape an impressive depth effect. For realistic illumination, a fluorescent tube with daylight colour was placed above the scenery in such a way that disturbing shadows are visible as little as possible on the whole miniature world.

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nA2Dv8iRQA

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