Comments on: New video of incredible model railroad in Hamburg: Miniatur Wunderland

By: Jonathan Ferro

Jonathan Ferro — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:21:00 +0000

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=knuffingen

Nice.

By: ddh819

ddh819 — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:48:00 +0000

are any of those documentaries on netflix?

By: Bob Webb

Bob Webb — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:40:00 +0000

OMG, I went there last year, on an exchange trip to Hamburg. The person I was with did a work experience placement there, so he knew pretty much everything about how it worked.

It was pretty fucking awesome. The fact that it’s called the “Miniatur Wunderland” is a bit misleading, because even though everything’s in miniature, the exhibit itself is massive. It’s ridiculously detailed, too.

By: wygit

wygit — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:05:00 +0000

Kirsten Dunst was talking about it on Conan recently:
http://teamcoco.com/video/kirsten-dunst-reveals-pervy-disney-secrets

M.W.’s Facebook page lists newly posted YouTube videos (there are tons), and has little tidbits like a bunch of paint jobs for the new A380 model, where the fans get to vote on which one they’ll use.

By: Tino Morchel

Tino Morchel — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:34:00 +0000

Careful people. But it’s noteworthy that they have a special air conditioning that keeps this place as dust free as possible.

By: turbo

turbo — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:59:00 +0000

Was that a Stargate at 2.31?

By: TheMudshark

TheMudshark — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:22:00 +0000

1. Drive up to Hamburg
2. Get utterly baked
3. Spend the whole day at Miniatur Wunderland
4. ???
5. Profit!

By: Webbie Webbster

Webbie Webbster — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:16:00 +0000

It’s only a model

By: Christian Buchner

Christian Buchner — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:55:00 +0000

That’s just way too much German accent… ;)

By: jere7my

jere7my — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:43:00 +0000

For Americans who can't get to Hamburg, Roadside America in central PA is another miniature world, different in that the tech is cranked way down and the weirdness cranked way up. On a purely technical level, it can't compete with this, but as an example of loving outsider obsession it's pretty amazing, and the weird little vignettes in the video could have been taken straight from Shartlesburg. Be sure to stay for the Night Pageant.

By: Bottle Imp

Bottle Imp — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:43:00 +0000

I see this sort of thing and wish I’d gone down a different career path. I like the world more just knowing someone gets to make this for a living.

By: robuluz

robuluz — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:27:00 +0000

I came for the railway, but I stayed for the voiceover. Pure Gerhard Reinke awesomeness.

“And a new fire starts not too far away!”

By: TimmoWarner

TimmoWarner — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:06:00 +0000

I can’t believe I almost didn’t bother clicking on the video.

This is amazing!

By: Hanglyman

Hanglyman — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:45:00 +0000

I’ve been there, and it’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. If you get the chance, GO.

I’d skip the Hamburg Dungeon next door, though… London, Paris, Edinburgh and several other cities have their own nearly-identical dungeons, and it appears to be a franchise, the McDonald’s of tourist attractions, with very little connection to the history of the cities in which it’s based.

By: robdobbs

robdobbs — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:01:00 +0000

I didn’t see a single minotaur in that video.

By: Bink Binkerson

Bink Binkerson — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:40:00 +0000

I live and work near this exhibit, have seen it several times. It’s actually a lot *better* than what you see in the video. The attention to detail (and the little jokes the artisans hide away) is incredible. The fact that this whole thing started as a fun little project by twin brothers, and just kept growing, is enough reason to love it.

By: RufusTheGreat

RufusTheGreat — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:37:00 +0000

The video does not, can not, do it justice. I was there last month with my 8 year old son and he had to pull me away from the airport (he likes to stare at the control station, where 30+ monitors show the goings on of the whole place). It was our third trip there, but the first time with the airport, which alone is worth the 2 hour drive for us. The HO scale planes taxi themselves around and take off while others land and go to their assigned gate, and the arrivals/departure board is even correct (with delays and everything). The only problem part is the crowd watching is huge.

I’d be proud to build just something with the coolness and quality of one of their vehicles or building. Although, I suppose after building 2 dozen vehicles it would start to feel like a job though. You’d probably have to start a hobby flipping burgers or as an accountant to “get a break from it all”

By: Sebastian Spinczyk

Sebastian Spinczyk — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:30:00 +0000

Uaargh. That narrator is unbearable.
But yeah, the place is awesome. And it’s right next door to the Hamburg Dungeon, which is also always worth a visit.

By: Michael Drüing

Michael Drüing — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:25:00 +0000

This is sooo absolutely awesome… I’ve been there once and I’ll definitely go there again sometime (I live at the other end of Germany, sadly). But whatever you do, do *not* rush through it: although you can view it in one day I think you’ll at least need two days to appreciate all (most of) these little details….

As for cleaning, it is constantly being dusted during off-hours, it takes them a few weeks or so to completely clean everything (they use vacuums and more often than not have to replace little figures or trees after they’re sucked in ;-) and when they’re done they’ll immediately have to re-start from the beginning again… Sounds like a tedious job…

By: TokenFrenchDude

TokenFrenchDude — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:16:00 +0000

Great, now I have to go to Hamburg.

By: RuthlessRuben

RuthlessRuben — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:58:00 +0000

There’s been a few documentaries on that place already, and whenever they think up something new, one of these comes out, and it never seizes to amaze me what they do.

And it makes me try to think of excuses to go to Hamburg other than “looking at model trains” because that would be kind of odd, even if it is only two hours away by plane.

Also: I don’t know if the woman at 0:19 is in awe, or just completely bored…

By: Bob N Johnson

Bob N Johnson — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:57:00 +0000

One question: who has to dust this thing?

By: obeyken

obeyken — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:46:00 +0000

I want to go there.