QUOTE (jag @ 19 Jan 2008, 18:35)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Does anyone have a Germany, Italy, Switzerland station plan with a 'rolling road' loading facility for tunnel transit? Fleischmann have the rail vehicles in N (8270 etc), do these load from the side (as Channel Tunnel) for from the end? Thanks to anyone for any assistance.
Hello hello hello Jag! Welcome to the Forum!! There is a thread about this
here.
The majority of RoLa wagons load from the ends, but there are new versions that load from the side. The end coaches have opening tailgates and then the lorries drive along the train to position. Fleischmann makes models of the German ones and also offer the liveries of the Italian, Swiss and Austrian versions and they look very good with Herpa 1:160 trucks. Regarding a station plan...I have been looking but haven't found one! Perhaps if you know where the RoLa trains operate from and to, then searching for pictures/satelite coverage of these end places will yield a plan. However you don't need any special infrastructure for them - just a siding for the train, a ramp and a car park for the trucks to wait in to load onto/off the train...
The Rollende Strasse isn't just used for tunnels, but rather for crossing the Alps where big heavy polluting trucks would clog the winding roads, and allow the drivers to have a rest, now a legal requirement in the EU I think, but keeps the trucks moving. The trains operate from northern Italy to southern Germany via Switzerland or Austria, from end to end along Austria, from the ports of Eastern Europe etc. etc. although of course there are plenty of tunnels involved! Try looking at the HUPAC (Swiss), ÖKOMBI (Austrian) etc. websites for more information!
I hope some of this of use to you!