One of the nearly realistic French model railroad layouts - HO scale model trains of SNCF in France

In France, model railroading, railway modelling or rail transport modeling is of course also a very popular hobby. And when real artists, such as the members of the “Club Ferroviaire de Franche-Comté” (CFFC), start constructing model train layouts, they create truly brilliant model railroad layouts. It is a nearly realistic model railway layout because the Club Ferroviaire de Franche-Comté builds absolutely realistically and true to the original.
The miniature world presented in this video, depicts the train station of La Praz (“Gare de la Praz”) located at the “Culoz-Modane Railway”, sometimes called “Ligne de la Maurienne”, a 135 kilometers (84 miles) long railway running from Culoz to Modane in France. Together with the Italian “Turin-Modane Railway” it is often called “Fréjus Railway” or “Mont Cenis Railway”. The “Culoz-Modane Railway” is one of the most important railway connections in Europe and one of the great transverse valleys of the Alps, namely the “Maurienne Valley”.
This magnificent HO scale train layout represents the railroad line between the mountainous region of Modane and Chambéry in the 1970s. In 1925 the railway was electrified with 1.5 kV DC, using a third rail. This was the highest voltage ever used on a third rail system in Europe. In 1976 the third rail was replaced by an overhead wire. This is why we see electric locomotives that run without pantographs. Furthermore, train traffic concerns exclusively the period from 1956 to 1973.
The members of CFFC have attached great importance to the landscape design. Therefore, many parts of the model railway layout and of the model trains have been wonderfully weathered. The quality of the scenery is astounding and the landscape looks very realistic. The model train layout consists of several modules with a length of 9.0 meter in the foreground and a large stabling yard for trains in the background.
Club Ferroviaire de Franche-Comté
www.cffc-asso.org
Pilentum Television
www.pilentum.org

[@Tom-Lahaye]

To all complaining about the absence of overhead wires, this is a model of the Maurienne railway which used 1,5kV DC third rail. So the electric locomotives used here had both pantographs for use on other lines and third rail pickup shoes to operate on this line. All is in the video description The third rail is modelled, it can be seen between the 2 tracks All the locomotives used are prototypical for this line, including the modern CC6500 locomotives of which a batch also had third rail pickup shoes for use on this line. These locomotives were introduced in 1969-1975 so fit in the time frame, they could even have encountered steam locomotives as steam was withdrawn in 1973 in France. All the other electrics are older classes of course, built in the period from the 1920s to the 50s. In 1976 after lowering the tracks in the tunnels overhead wires were installed.

[@jhhenio]

Mała stacja, a do tego tyle się dzieje. Poza tym realne dźwięki - Brawo! 👍 (h).

[@andyfiala7500]

Awesome! Great simulated real stereo sounds of trains exactly in the direction of travel! Congratulations!👍👏🚉

[@user-mi2xu4qw6m]

Super model! Mersi Pilentum!

[@franckrichir6446]

Moi je suis juste admiratif d'une telle qualité. Mon réseau est très loin d'atteindre ce niveau. Bravo.

[@TonisalpenmodellbahnN58]

Hello, very nicely designed layout, congratulations and greetings, Toni

[@pieterotten3848]

I've started collecting Jouef trains two years ago here in north carolins. I had a set when I was a kid in the seventies in the Netherlands This is a beautiful set up, love it

[@alanmusicman3385]

Really excellent! Thank you.

[@chrisarbeene4855]

Amazing detail and sound.❤

[@fv7145]

Davvero emozionante! Bellissimo ❤

[@bearowen5480]

Wunderschoen! Very relaxing to watch. Beautiful scenery, and incredibly well done sound effects and coordination. Congratulations to the talented modeler!

[@davipimentel2585]

Amazing!!!

[@suvomoymitra]

Hours after hours, pure peace.

[@jeannot46]

Magnifique végétation

[@SvalbardSleeperDistrict]

The sounds help so much with immersion for these videos.

[@erodiantrolls6907]

Eye cooling Video ❤️

[@gabry1994]

Capolavoro 👍💯👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋‼️

[@marcoperez6952]

Is that a third rail next to the railway rails? I had no idea the French railroads used third rails like the NY subway system.

[@lottaaction8072]

In my next lofe I want to be a miniature train landscaping architect/artist.

[@G_de_Coligny]

Let's just wait for the first comment complaining about the lack of catenary wires...

[@derekrussel-hill8597]

Are all the electric locomotives fitted for third rail pickup? I am assuming this is the case, including the Nez Caisse?

[@pieterotten3848]

I'm struggling with this issue. Not sure if I want to install them.

[@resitupfer7950]

This is absolutely deadly nonsense! No contact wire, no masts, and electric locomotives still run. A technical miracle! French air electric transmission.

[@G_de_Coligny]

@@derekrussel-hill8597 only older Maurienne line locomotives but they have been converted back to overhead wire pickup… something about third rail, snow and road salting I think…

[@G_de_Coligny]

@@pieterotten3848 the japanese “tetsudo mokei” clique who are around 99% N scale go 50/50. They put the poles but not the wires. Which work for a small scale. Especially for layouts that are open to cats… The Kato(/tomix ?) poles look somewhat French and are really cheap too…

[@victorpinho4103]

👏👏👏👏👏🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@waldekprezner4172]

👍🚂🇵🇱👍

[@rinaldovernero9335]

No catenary because there is the third electric rail.

[@antonytwyman9090]

Another piece of fine art in my book. Just get rid of the music. I'd sooner listen to the birds.

[@lelangeseppe5619]

Magnifique, son très réalistes mais ... pas de caténaire, une erreur ou une faute de goût ?

[@user-le5tv9sm1q]

Cherchez bien et vous comprendrez 😎

[@davidducasse5146]

La critique facile

[@rustinpieces]

Trains running almost a tad too slow rather than (as usual) way too fast - immediately gets my attention!

[@loco141r3]

Well if you consider that this line is one of the steepest ramps on the french network, it’s perfectly fine, train usually don’t go other 60/70kph on this part of the Maurienne even today

[@pierrevignaud9919]

Manque plus que les caténaires

[@user-le5tv9sm1q]

Cherchez bien et vous comprendrez 😎

[@Vanillakyra1103]

Kereta api

[@keerthijayarathna9108]

262nd like..

[@turismotrenicucina7124]

Lodevole averci messo il rumore di sottofondo dei treni veri però si capisce che sono sbagliati e rendono il video non realistico. Meglio mettere un video coi rumori originali del plastico.

[@Lakeside1943]

Nice layout for sure, but "realistic"? Ever seen electric locomotives without overhead wire ?? Better switch to diesels !

[@loco141r3]

This is perfectly fine and even perfectly accurate, since the Maurienne line used a mix of 3rd rail and catenary wires for lower parts of the valley until the middle of the 70s. Here the section depicted, near La Praz in upper Maurienne valley, was electrified with a 3rd rail which you can see between the tracks. All engines running on the line were small series inherited from the PLM and conceived for the line in the 20s/30s + some engines modified from larger series, including BB 1 to 80, CC 7100 and CC 6500. You might have needed to check that before posting such a thing…

[@Lakeside1943]

@@loco141r3I do apologize and had no idea that such operations existed !

[@jorgesabater8640]

Too much plastic. It's not just the absence of catenary.

[@marcvandyck8052]

There is no need for catenary. This line was electrified with 3rd rail.

[@resitupfer7950]

This is absolutely deadly nonsense! No contact wire, no masts, and electric locomotives still run. A technical miracle! French air electric transmission.

[@ws13bf]

Doesn’t matter, it‘s a toy anyway.

[@loco141r3]

This is perfectly fine and even perfectly accurate, since the Maurienne line used a mix of 3rd rail and catenary wires for lower parts of the valley until the middle of the 70s. Here the section depicted, near La Praz in upper Maurienne valley, was electrified with a 3rd rail which you can see between the tracks. All engines running on the line were small series inherited from the PLM and conceived for the line in the 20s/30s + some engines modified from larger series, including BB 1 to 80, CC 7100 and CC 6500. You might have needed to check that before posting such a thing…