Internationale Modelbahn Ausstellung - November 2014

摘要

The 31st International Model Railway and Steam Meeting was held in the Koelnmesse Exhibition complex in Cologne over the weekend of the 21 st-23rd November. With exhibitors from 12 countries, including the UK and the USA, and with an expected 60,000 visitors the organisers, Messe Sinsheim had provided a major event in the model railway and model engineering world. The exhibition was presented in the usual format with the large indoor 5″ and 71/4″ gauge track laid out on the upper floor of the building and the smaller gauge railway layouts and equipment on the floor beneath it. I have to say that I was disappointed by the content of the model engineering displays with a minimum of trade stands and models on show. However, what was there was of excellent quality so the overall impression was good. The public running which takes place in the same area was something to see with trains regularly hauling 70+ passengers. As I have said before when visiting German exhibitions of this sort, the number of family groups and ladies actively involved in both operating and spectating is impressive. We never get this level of participation at any show of this size in the UK. It was very good to see and perhaps this is why there is so much more interest by younger people there.