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 Posted - December 08 2009 : 9:49:13 PM
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Woodlandz in NJ, anyone know it?
http://www.northlandz.com/
if you do it's apparently the second largest MRR in the world. Notable because as the curator says "We run Mantua Locomotives on the layout...    
Anyway thought I'd mention it!
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
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Posted - December 08 2009 : 10:10:20 PM
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| Never been G - but will one day. Germany currently has the largest model railroad layout in the world. it is there 2nd top tourist attraction.
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Posted - December 08 2009 : 11:05:51 PM
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Hi Gareth. Was there back in 1998. It was pretty big back then. I remember the many levels that you went to see the layout from many sides and different heights.. It took a while to get thought it. Then there was the Organ and the many dollhouses. Back then they said that all of their engines were Mantua. Wonder what it is like now... Have to put it on my list of places to go back to. Here is a picture of the Boxcar I bought there.
Carl
Numquam Immoderatio Satis Est
(Too Much Is Never Enough )
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Posted - December 09 2009 : 06:30:54 AM
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V-HO:
cute car. I'll be in NJ I hope in early January. Maybe I'll visit. Appreciate the Latin too, wished I kept up what I knew.
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
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Posted - December 09 2009 : 08:42:31 AM
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Actually Woodlandz is MUCH bigger with 8 miles of track. Loxx in Germany only has 4 kilometers, or about 2.5 miles of track. Loxx is the world's largest DIGITALLY operated miniature railway - Northlandz is the largest period!
I guess it took 25 years to build. I would love to go there some day - maybe I can talk my wife into it for next summer.
Rus
Starting my Tyco and other favorites collection over again after 37 years.
My still in progress list of inventory and wantlist: tyconut.com
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Posted - December 09 2009 : 09:33:38 AM
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| wow neat I wants that car!
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Posted - December 09 2009 : 12:36:14 PM
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I have no clue how much truth there is to this. But I read online a post from someone who use to work at Northlandz on why they used Mantua. They claimed the wiring was very bad in most spots. When they would try to run Athearns or Protos the motors would burn up over time due to the weak current on the track. The Mantua's apparently ran on less current and lasted far longer. What was cool was mention of loco's coming back it with deformed drive wheels because they have been on the layout so long the would get wear into a different shape. They would slap a set of nickel wheelsets on and send them back out.
If you go on youtube you can get video of some of the views on the layout. There is something to be said about full floor to ceiling scenery 
EDIT: While I still don't know how true the above is, I did some searching online. Turns out Mantra donated the locos (same locos sold under model power so I don't know if they still donate or not). Basically all you will see is GP20's and F2's doing laps.
Edited by - ChrisC on December 09 2009 2:00:19 PM
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Posted - December 09 2009 : 2:10:30 PM
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| Northlandz is a dc layout too! They use MRC power packs as they have said their tried and true
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Posted - December 09 2009 : 3:17:42 PM
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Ahhh, Northlandz... What a great place to visit... The owner is, shall we say, a mite eccentric. He has a very large Theater Pipe Organ centrally installed and when the mood strikes him plays it extremely well. However, there is no announcement that Mr. Williams is about to render a tune. Your only notice is the thunderous roar of the opening chord of whatever piece hes going to play. 'Bout scared me out of my skin! Makes for a great family outing.
On the other side of the coin is Roadside America, Inc, the granddaddy of all large display railroads! Located across the Delaware River in Shartlesville, Pa it is older than I am. Construction began in the early 1930s and ended with the creators demise in 1963. The family descendents maintain the layout but havent changed the original plan. Lionel 3 rail reigns supreme in this time capsule of North American model railroading! I highly recommend a visit. ( roadsideamericainc.com )
Loopy
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
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Posted - December 09 2009 : 10:05:24 PM
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I've been to Northlandz a few times, simply amazing in scale. As Loopy mentioned he's eccentric and it shows in the layout. You can spend hours there looking at all the weird little scenes craftily placed throughout. Bottom line, this guy is having fun.
I work in Flemington, NJ where this is located and have been there 3 times, it's getting time to go again. If someone is planning on going, I can meet up with you there, that would be fun..
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Posted - December 12 2009 : 4:47:50 PM
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Ahh, Northlandz... I love that place! I first went when I was really little, so you can just IMAGINE what it was like. They even let me into the room with the controls, and I drove the train through the world's only toothpick farm! IT WAS SOOO AWESOME!!!
Anyways, the place really is huge. I would really recommend going. A couple of years ago, it really was in disrepair, but a lot has improved. They have got more trains running, fixed damaged scenery, and other things of that nature. I've got both their boxcar and tankcar, too...
By the way, I just find is sick how people would punch holes in scenery, through things to see how far a vally really is, through pennies to short track, damage a scratchbuilt castle that took years to make, and other such morbid things... that is just sick.
D.J. (Yeah, I'm "that kid"... Deal.)
http://railroadrandomness.blogspot.com/
Look; a new blog...
Yippee!
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Posted - December 13 2009 : 4:21:45 PM
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They also have a Tank car # 8583 by Life-Like 
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Posted - December 14 2009 : 04:15:46 AM
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Well I have to say thank you to Gareth for starting this thread. I have to give the to the people who got this site started - Tony - right? Because I will be perpetually BROKE now - too much cool stuff and every single thing I see that I like I put into a wantlist, including both of these Northlandz cars now. :-P I HAVE to get both of these cars!
At least if I die broke I will die happy. =) This site is the GREATEST!
Rus
Starting my Tyco and other favorites collection over again after 37 years.
My still in progress list of inventory and wantlist: tyconut.com
Edited by - Tyco Nut on December 14 2009 04:17:20 AM
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Posted - January 10 2010 : 4:32:32 PM
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quote:Northlandz ... he's eccentric and it shows in the layout. You can spend hours there looking at all the weird little scenes craftily placed throughout. Bottom line, this guy is having fun.
Originally posted by New_York_Central-December 09 2009
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I think that's the most fun part about model or toy trains.
You can have a loop of track, locomotives, and rolling stock. That's what I refer to as a train "set" ... which is like thousands of other train sets. Pretty lackluster and, well, boring. Might as well watch ice cubes melt.
It's the detailed scenes one builds around that loop of track which gives it interest and makes it a train "layout" ... the small things like kids playing baseball in a model houses' backyard, raccoons tipping over scale trashcans, a campsite by a stream with a flickering light campfire. The things that give you (the visitor) some personal insight into the person who made the layout.
I think that's the reason why I frown a little on all the pre-fabricated layout "bolt together" modules, built-up structures and scenes, and RTR rolling stock kits. (Pre-painted people are actually something I like though - never had fingers steady enough to do it right.) They somehow take a lot of the "individual creativity" out of the hobby. It's like "buying" a hobby - but not putting anything of yourself into it. With enough money, one could assemble an entire basement layout complete with scenery in a weekend and have passenger service up and running for Model Railroader to photograph on Monday ... all without ever opening a tube of model glue, unrolling a grass mat, or shaking up a bottle of paint.
I believe that the key component of our hobby ... is us. Or, what we put of ourselves into it that makes it so interesting. And that's certainly true of Northlandz and Roadside America. If you ever get frustrated with your own layout ... just take a trip to either place. The creators have put so much of themselves and their unique personalities into these masterpieces, it just saturates you with creativity. And if that's not enough to get you recharged and give you that warm "model railroad" glow, I don't know what will.
I like caffeine and a chainsaw ...
Edited by - HOScale Model Railroader on January 10 2010 4:38:29 PM
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Posted - January 11 2010 : 08:53:05 AM
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Just got back from Northlandz, My impression is:
Impressed with the size of the layout. The building itself is impressive as well.
The detail was lacking, but with a layout that size i would expect that.
The builder loves bridges, thats clear and tons of buildings.
They only run F7s which was disappointing, no other trains running.
The whole layout is whimsical, not typical. houses on the sides of mountains, roads that have very steep angles, Etc.
Overall the place is worth the trip. The owner clearly is a well off older gentleman, who enjoys modeling and built it for the pleasure and something to do in retirement. I am sure we all wish we had the resourses to do it.
The owner is also a organist, he has a small concert hall in the center and plays for visitors on weekends.
I was there Friday, so I missed meeting him.
My hat is off to him and what he has built.
Neil
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