72 photographs of “Arid Australia” at the 2008 Perth Model Railway Show are now available as a Picasa web photo album in the gallery. (This is the first time I have used a Picasa web photo album on this site so please let me know if you experience any problems with it.)

Several (informal) attempts were made to break the world record for longest model train over the weekend with varying degrees of success. The best attempt occurred on the final day of the show when a 902 car train was assembled by joining five sections of 180 cars, each hauled by one locomotive (with one extra set of two cars on the end, with the end of train marker). The resulting consist travelled a distance of around 50 feet without interruption — the best of the day.

Whilst this train was long enough and technically travelled far enough for it to reclaim the world record, it was less than what the “Arid Australia” crew were actually hoping for. In their eyes it isn’t a proper train unless it does at least one complete circuit of the layout without derailment or outside assistance. Sadly they were unable to achieve that goal.

“Arid Australia” is now planning to travel to the Sydney Model Railway Exhibition at the beginning of October where they plan to break the world record properly (with a bit of luck)!

Image: Some of the 1100 iron-ore cars stacked in the holding sidings.