A different kind of hobby

Styrian builds a wonderland of trains

Karlheinz Grubelnik's train layout

(Bild: Philipp Braunegger)

Karlheinz Grubelnik has built a huge train set in his garden. Dozens of small narrow-gauge trains race through stations, tunnels and past castles. 

There's one sentence Karlheinz Grubelnik doesn't like to hear: "He's playing with his train again." Because what the GKB engine driver and train operator has created in his garden in Pölfing-Brunn is a far cry from a toy. This is the largest garden railroad in Styria and probably in Austria! 810 meters of mini-track stretch around Grubelnik's pretty family home. 96 sets of narrow-gauge trains, consisting of around 500 wagons, make their rounds here.

The huge layout covers almost the entire garden.

(Bild: Philipp Braunegger)

From the Flascherlzug to the Zillertalerbahn
Everything that has run on the narrow-gauge network in Austria since 1960 can be seen here: from the Mixnitzer Lokalbahn to the Stainzer Flascherlzug, the Mariazellerbahn and the Feistritztal and Zillertalbahn. All on a scale of 1:22.5 and completely identical to the steaming prototype. "I was fascinated by trains from an early age, and in 2016 I started building the garden railroad. And the whole thing has become bigger and bigger," says Grubelnik during his visit to the "Krone".

Grubelnik has created his miniature world with great attention to detail.

(Bild: Philipp Braunegger)

Extensive, that sums it up quite well. Because the garden not only contains railway tracks, but also lots of little architectural gems. In addition to original replicas of Austrian narrow-gauge railway stations, there is also a smithy, a farm, church towers, a bathing lake and a castle to marvel at, lined with dozens of small figures, from conductors to hikers. Grubelnik has painstakingly constructed a total of 60 buildings. "All with sound effects, of course, such as church bells or announcements from the conductor or a celebrating party on the Murtalbahn," he says proudly.

"Staging yard" in the basement
The attention to detail knows no bounds, Grubelnik has even built in the train driver's snack bag. Everything is controlled by a sophisticated system via cell phone and laptop. "When the trains are not running, they are in the basement in the so-called shadow station, which is also where my warehouse and the train workshop are located. From there, they run independently through a tunnel by the basement window to the outside and back again." The train operation is simulated 1:1, the computer always knows where the trains are and where they are running. "This prevents accidents. The lighting and signaling system works just like at a real station. I can therefore also use the garden railroad as a training facility," says Grubelnik.

The Styrian has also installed dozens of figures.

(Bild: Philipp Braunegger)

Visits possible
The layout is lined with small trees that are trimmed with shears. His current project: "I'm recreating the station scene from the classic film 'I think of Piroschka so often' with the actors as little figures and the corresponding train set."

Grubelnik is slowly reaching the limits of his space, but at least he doesn't have to worry about the continuation of the huge layout. His seven-year-old daughter is already busy building and will continue the garden railroad. Visitors can visit the garden railroad if they are interested and contact [e-mail].