Going to Eindhoven next month

[lordwinslow2]

I am going over to Eindhoven, Netherlands next month for a couple of two week stints.  Being close to Germany and Amsterdam opens up a lot of possibilities of things to do.  Thinking of getting a rail pass as work will let me expense it.  I know I am going to to take a weekend and head up to Hamburg to visit Miniature Wonderland -> http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/

 

Any ideas on the area?  Hobby shops, places to visit and the like.

 

Winslow

[Martijn Meerts]

Not much to do in Eindhoven really. There should be 1 or 2 hobby shops, but they haven't been decent ones for a long time. Basically, if you don't do Marklin, they won't help you (okay, not that extreme, but they certainly don't like helping non-Marklin people ;))

 

Eindhoven -> Hamburg is quite a long trip, probably around the 5.5 to 6 hour mark (if you go by train, and partially grab the ICE (Cologne to Hamburg)). The layout there is possible to see within a day, although you won't see all the details. It's definitely worth taking a tour behind the scenes there, and it's probably best to make a reservation for it.

 

There's also Railz mini world in Rotterdam, which is a Dutch prototype layout in H0. Personally I enjoy Railz more than Miniatur Wunderland. I feel that Miniatur Wunderland has become more and more obsessed with making the layout as big as possible, and the detailing starts to suffer a bit from it. Railz seems to think a bit more about the scenery and everything around the tracks themselves. Of course, the Swiss Alps in Miniatur Wunderland are incredible, and I'm sure the airport bit is great to see as well.

 

 

Other than that, you might be interested in a theme park called "De Efteling", which is a really nice park and worth a visit. They also have a fairly large layout on display there, which for the most part is scratch built. Of course, they also have a little steam train doing circles around the park :)

 

Another interesting thing is Madurodam, which is a miniature city out in the open. They took some of the more famous buildings in the Netherlands, and made large scale models of those. They've also got a garden scale train running through it with all scratch built Dutch trains.

 

If you want, I could probably tag along to some of the places you might want to see, the train stations here aren't always the best for the non-Dutch speaking crowd :)

[Kabutoni]

Also, for a well sorted shop, go to Düsseldorf in Germany: Menzels Lokschuppen at the end of the Köningsallee. This is probably the most popular shop in the area and with quite friendly staff as well as reasonable prices. They even carry some Japanese stuff. Not too much though. The connection to Düsseldorf from Eindhoven only takes a transfer at Venlo (where you need to buy a German ticket at the vending machine in the station hall).

[lordwinslow2]

Thank you Martijn and Toni, I look forward to going, haven't been to this part of The Netherlands before.  Looking forward to it, mostly in being able to ride trains.

 

Winslow

[lordwinslow2]

Ok Leaving for Eindhoven on Monday, should be there Tuesday around noon.  I think I am all set.  I printed bus and train info so I can be fine with the translation and since the Hotel is right near the main station in Eindhoven I should be all set.  I am excited to ride on trains.  The the last time I was in Amsterdam I rode on a Thalys train to Brussels, so it will be fun to ride the normal trains around the country. 

 

Winslow 

[Martijn Meerts]

Don't expect too much of the Dutch trains though ;)

[lordwinslow2]

Don't expect too much of the Dutch trains though ;)

 

 

As long as it gets me there I should be fine.  I am just looking forward for a couple of weeks of not driving. 

 

Winslow

[lordwinslow2]

Made it, will take some pics soon.  I am right out side the main station here in Eindhoven,  I have to admit this town is awesome.  I just spent an hour walking around all the back streets and looking through some of the boutiques and shops.  Lots of interesting restaurants. 

 

Martijn, you were right the trins here were nothing to write home about.  I did like it anyway, about the same level as the T (MBTA) Trains I use from time to time.  Did have an issue where there was a bad accident between Utrecht and Eindhoven.  Had to go the long way around but got here, it was fun. 

 

Winslow

[Martijn Meerts]

There are often issues at Utrecht, be it accidents, turnouts not function, power failures in the catenary, or whatever else they can think of ;)

 

Of course, Utrecht alone has a LOT of turnouts around the station area. I believe some report linked on the forum here mentioned something like 160-180 turnouts, crossovers and single/double slip switches :)

[lordwinslow2]

I think the problem was someone tried to commit suicide and drove a car or threw themselves in front of a train.  I found out the next day about that.  However I will say the NS staff was very nice and able to get me (and another passenger from Boston) rerouted around the system and to Eindhoven.  Instead of being their in the early afternoon, I didn't get here until after 3. 

 

I do plan on heading up the line a bit to do some train spotting.  I know that there is little variation in the train types here, but I want to get one of those intercity trains at full tilt. 

 

Winslow

[Martijn Meerts]

People throwing themselves in front of trains isn't unusual unfortunately.. You may have gotten lucky with the NS staff though, because quite often they're not that helpful and just grumble a bit and point you towards the bus. Of course, staff gets a lot of crap thrown at them with any delay, regardless of the cause, so if you're actually friendly to them, they're much more inclined to help out.

[lordwinslow2]

People throwing themselves in front of trains isn't unusual unfortunately.. You may have gotten lucky with the NS staff though, because quite often they're not that helpful and just grumble a bit and point you towards the bus. Of course, staff gets a lot of crap thrown at them with any delay, regardless of the cause, so if you're actually friendly to them, they're much more inclined to help out.

 

 

I think it helped that I didn't act like a typical American and be loud and expect everything to be handed to me.  I just kept asking questions and if someone wasn't that helpful I found another person.  Since I do travel a great deal, and most of it to places where I cannot speak or even read the language you learn how to get around.  However I will say that the people here are very nice and been super, except for those terrorists on the bikes...    I got to remember to look before I step in the bike paths, I have almost been taken out several times this week already. 

 

Winslow

[Martijn Meerts]

Ah yes.. They to tend to think they own the road, and bike paths, and sidewalks, and pretty much everything else ;)

 

The ones on race bikes are the worst though, they seem to think they're above everyone else, and that the bike paths are for them alone. I've had them yell at me for not giving them enough space to pass, even though I'd have to go off-road to give them that space :)

[lordwinslow2]

I just need to remember to look.  The weather is nice though, a bit chilly last night.  Went out with the lads from work here and had a bit of a night.  Paying for it today...

 

Winslow

[scott]

Made it, will take some pics soon.

 

Looking forward to seeing those...

 

  I am right out side the main station here in Eindhoven,  I have to admit this town is awesome.  I just spent an hour walking around all the back streets and looking through some of the boutiques and shops.  Lots of interesting restaurants. 

 

Martijn, you were right the trins here were nothing to write home about.

 

Compared to the US, even the dullest NS line or station is exciting. 

 

Ah yes.. They to tend to think they own the road, and bike paths, and sidewalks, and pretty much everything else ;)

 

Don't we? ;-)  OK, not the sidewalks, though.

 

The ones on race bikes are the worst though, they seem to think they're above everyone else, and that the bike paths are for them alone. I've had them yell at me for not giving them enough space to pass, even though I'd have to go off-road to give them that space :)

 

Often true. Unfortunately their bright clothes and obnoxious behavior (not that they're all obnoxious) tend to draw more attention than the low-key, more relaxed cyclists do.

[lordwinslow2]

That is the problem, there are more bikes than cars here.  The guys that look like they belong in the Tour du France, are easy to spot.  It is the guy or lady dressed up nicely just cruising along.  They are the ones you don't notice until they are right on top of you.  Of course I am to blame a bit as well, as I just blindly wander into their lanes...forgetting that it is a bike lane.

 

Winslow

[Martijn Meerts]

Hehe.. Try Amsterdam is you want to see a LOT of bikes :)

[disturbman]

I love that three storey bike park near Amsterdam Centraal. It's humongous. I'd love to see that kind of things in other cities.

[Darklighter]

That is the problem, there are more bikes than cars here.

 

In my hometown (Muenster, Germany) there are twice as much bikes as residents (500,000 vs 250,000).

[lordwinslow2]

What a trip, had a fun time, so much so I am going back for another two week stint.  I had some train photos but they came out like crap.  But I will upload what didn't and put some links to films I took.  I am on another trip since I got back so I hope to get something up later in the week when I am finally home.

 

Winslow

[lordwinslow2]

Back in Eindhoven for another two weeks.  Got in on the early flight today and made it here by 8am.  It is nice when public transport works as expected.  Got a sweet hotel room in the Holiday Inn here, I am on the back end of the 7th floor, and I have a fantastic view of the train station.  As I write this I can see trains coming and going from the work desk. 

 

Very happy on this trip.

 

Winslow

[harukablue]

Your not that far from Kamen where Heiko Stolls shop is,,,lots of Japanese stuff there, also Hunerbein in Aachen is well worth a visit, ive never been to a train shope before that has shopping carts!!!

[Martijn Meerts]

Kamen is about 2 hours from Eindhoven I guess. It's not the biggest shop, but it's an interesting one :)

[lordwinslow2]

Kamen is about 2 hours from Eindhoven I guess. It's not the biggest shop, but it's an interesting one :)

 

Cool where is the shop located?  Do you have a link? I would be interested in heading there on Saturday.  Would be nice.  I was at MB Kline/Model Train Stuff outside of Baltimore last week on my way back from a job interview in VA, they had a nice staff and shopping carts too.  It was a fun shop to visit.

 

Winslow 

[Martijn Meerts]

The store is http://www.japanmodelrailways.de/, address is Wiemeling 7 in Kamen (close to Dortmund).

 

Kamen does have a train station, and I do believe the store is walking distance from the station. Only been there once myself, and that was by car ;)

 

(If you do go there, you'll probably go from Eindhoven to Venlo, and there get on a train to Germany. Venlo is where I live :))