INTERMODELLBAU will be held again at Messe Dortmund between 20 and 23 April 2023, with superb exhibitors, leading brands and programme highlights offering visitors everything a model builder's heart desires. The model railway section traditionally occupies Halls 4 and 7, and this year a stage in Hall 6 is also being dedicated to this segment. Many large and small scale manufacturers, publishers and dealers will be represented at INTERMODELLBAU again this year, making the show THE meeting place for the model railway scene where every model railway enthusiast can stroll around to their heart's content, browsing the latest products and trends, gathering ideas for their own layouts and perhaps taking some great products home with them. 

Dortmund, 28 March 2023 – The world's largest model making and model sports exhibition, INTERMODELLBAU in Dortmund, is the highlight of the annual event calendar, designed for visitors of all ages and appealing not just to accomplished, long-time model railway enthusiasts but also to newcomers and those returning to this fulfilling pastime. As well as the latest innovations in the model railway industry, visitors can also expect to see around 30 model railway layouts in all common gauges from Z (1:220) to IIm (1:22.5) and from many different European countries. Nine layouts alone are being shown for the first time at an exhibition in Germany. Among them are three layouts from Germany, two from France, two from the Netherlands, one from Norway and one from Belgium – an international get-together for the best layout constructors.

As if time stood still – 

From the Far West of the US to Hamburg in the days of the Kaiser 

A modular model railway layout based on the US model will be presented by IG Beans US Modelrailroad from Wuppertal. The twin-track main line is operated by the Union-Pacific Railroad/Chicago & North Western Division. The landscape could well be somewhere in Iowa. Among the fictional places are the small town of Lotzburgh and its agricultural county surroundings, and Dakota City with factories and office buildings providing jobs for the surrounding area. Union Pacific remains a major employer in the region with its railway facilities and marshalling yard. The attraction of the layout is the busy traffic with long trains on the main line and lots of shunting. Each train driver goes around the layout with his or her train, dismounting to move each set of points manually, taking other traffic on the line into account. 

Thorsten Pfeiffer's installation also transports visitors to other times. This H0 model railway is a true scale model of the eastern section of Hamburg's central station in the imperial era from around 1907 onwards. What makes it so special is the fact that all details are based on historical drawings or photos, and that everything is home-built. The tracks and the numerous historic bridges are exactly as they were back in the day, and the entire surroundings are also depicted in scrupulous historical detail – from the Hamburg city street lamps to the streets and buildings of that era. The layout really brings Germany's Edwardian age back to life. The prototypical railway operations are particularly wide-ranging, depicting both the Prussian state railway on the Hamburg-Berlin route and the Lübeck-Büchen line. Even the 'S-Bahn' commuter service is included, running parallel to the mainline track. In addition to the steam traction of the time, the layout also includes the first full-production electric train. 

70 metre long track modules – true to style for the 1950s 

Modell-Eisenbahn-Club (MEC) Bregenz will be back after a long absence. The association is presenting its revised modular layout of Austria's 'Arlbergbahn' mountain railway, specifically the western ascent, designed as a fully detailed layout. The stations at Langen am Arlberg, Dalaas and Hintergasse have been recreated in the style of the 1950s. Structures such as the Schmidtobel Bridge, the Engelwand Tunnel, the Rüfe Viaduct and the Röcken and Plattentobelt Tunnels are also included. It consists of 48 track modules with a total length of 70 metres. There is also a yard in the background measuring 6 metres and consisting of 3 modules with around 20 metres of track. The total track length is around 130 metres, with 29 sets of points installed. 

Famous-name manufacturers presenting their innovations 

At INTERMODELLBAU, model railway enthusiasts can stroll around to their heart's content and look at the latest products available from manufacturers. Among the exhibitors will be big names such as Auhagen, Bachmann Europe, BEMO Modelleisenbahnen, BRAWA, ESU electronic solutions, Lenz Elektronik, ROCO and FLEISCHMANN as well as NMJ Europa, NOCH, PIKO, Tams Elektronik, TILLIG, Viessmann and Weinert Modellbau. Manufacturer Gebr. Märklin & Cie will also not miss the world's largest model making and model sports show this year and will be presenting its new products in its usual attractive exhibition space: “We're looking forward to welcoming visitors to our 315-square-metre stand featuring the Märklin, Trix and LGB brands,” said Eric-Michael Peschel, Head of Event Marketing at Gebr. Märklin & Cie. “We will be exhibiting current 2023 innovations, and visitors will also have the opportunity to experience them live. For each gauge and brand, we'll be showing superb layouts that are a great encouragement to get building oneself. Children are welcome to use our play area and play with Märklin My World, the Start up set or with the LGB layout. Our team will be on hand and will be delighted to answer any questions.” Natalia Pychtin from Marketing at Gebr. Faller can hardly wait for INTERMODELLBAU to open: “INTERMODELLBAU in Dortmund, a part of Germany that lives and loves model building in all its facets, is the ultimate meeting place for all model building enthusiasts. The FALLER team is really looking forward to presenting the much sought-after new products and highlights of the versatile FALLER brand world for the first time live and to a large audience once more. Come and be inspired by new demonstration layouts, fascinating effects and a unique interplay of models.” 

Expert seminars and special fun for big and small 

There's one very special highlight in store for model railway enthusiasts of all ages. Hall 6 at INTERMODELLBAU will include a genuine miniature steam train (scale 1:10) from local steam enthusiasts' society Dampfmodellbau Freunde NRW which will be running through the hall, taking visitors on a journey through a world of miniature proportions. The steam train's 1.5 to 2 horsepower locomotive will have no trouble pulling its valuable cargo of adults and children. The society's stand will also feature models of historical steam locomotives, some of which took around 15 years to build. Also on display will be extraordinary steam engines running on air. And let's not forget an impressive garden railway on a scale of 1:22.5 running on real steam. Also, model railway manufacturers and the German Model Railway Association (MOBA) have organised a handicraft programme for children in Hall 4. The JuniorCollegeEuropa® of the National Association of German Railway Friends (BDEF) will also be offering activity areas for children and young people (Hall 7). From this year on, the popular MOBA seminars will be held in the 'Modellbahn' model railway experience area in Hall 4 where MOBA will be holding daily seminars on the subject of model railways in collaboration with producers. As in previous years, the dominant theme will be 'digital control'. 

Updates on the exhibitors, the programme and the highlights of INTERMODELLBAU are available on the trade show channels Instagram, Facebook as well as the exhibition website and via newsletter. 

EXHIBITION AT A GLANCE

INTERMODELLBAU – WORLD’S LARGEST EXHIBITION FOR MODEL MAKING AND MODEL SPORTS

Once a year, the world’s largest exhibition for model making and model sports opens its doors to everyone interested in experiencing the world scaled down to miniature proportions. Here, a huge range of exhibitors, models, layouts and products from all over the world delight experienced model builders, new enthusiasts as well as entire families. Whether it is aircraft, railways, boats, ships or cars – either working models or cardboard modelling – there is something for everyone. Visitors can also experience model making – literally – at first hand at Dortmund Exhibition Centre, as numerous hands-on activities, demonstrations and feature shows await them at INTERMODELLBAU.

DATE:

20 - 23 April 2023

EVENT ORGANISER:

Messe Dortmund GmbH

TARGET GROUPS:

Experienced model builders, newcomers and families

CONCEPTUAL SPONSORS:

• Deutscher Minicar-Club e.V. (DMC)
• Deutscher Modellflieger Verband e.V. (DMFV)
• Interessengemeinschaft Modelleisenbahnausstellungen (IGEMA)
• Modellbahnverband in Deutschland e.V. (MOBA)
• nauticus e.V. – Deutscher Dachverband für Schiffsmodellbau und Schiffsmodellsport e. V.