It is August once again, and for the 5th time (already!), I am happy to talk about the awesome Bauspielbahn-Treffen 2025 (BSBT)—a LEGO fan event dedicated exclusively to trains. BSBT takes place in the charming town of Schkeuditz, just 12 km (about 7.5 miles) northwest of Leipzig, Germany. My previous BrickNerd articles discussing BSBT are linked here for 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

As always, the sublime quality of layouts and trains exhibited is truly special. BSBT attracts a fellowship of like-minded and passionate LEGO train builders. I cannot think of an event that sparks a similar level of inspiration and excitement from the perspective of a LEGO train fan.

Also, I cannot forget to mention the amazing team which organizes and hosts BSBT: LEN-Eisenbahner, a subgroup of LEGO train fans within LBrick.de. It is an enormous amount of work to coordinate an event like this, and BSBT’s success is due to the hard work of the LBrick team of volunteers.

Setup and Construction

As per usual, the BSBT layout is a continuous double-track mainline which snakes its way through each participant’s module, e.g. a station, yard, diorama, etc. Remarkably, the infrastructure for the layout is built on-site, from scratch, every year! For a couple of days, the drone of power tools heralds the creation of tables, bridges, helixes and other bespoke structures to support an entire train layout. To give an idea of the scale of the layout, the diagram below was photographed from the reference track plan:

Layout construction is such an integral part of the event, it even inspired a delightful MOC:

For the past couple of years attending BSBT, we (at Fx Bricks) have contributed a train yard consisting of many 100s of track elements.

After 5 years, it’s somewhat difficult to find a new angle to write about BSBT. Therefore, I’m simply going to highlight some random, yet interesting details or subjects that stood out to me.

Super Sized

A classic and charming LEGO train scene ingeniously replicated in three different scales! The up-sizing of the classic LEGO fir tree with discrete LEGO elements is ingenious!

At first glance, it's not noticeable—but this LEGO train is supersized 10x! Made from 3D-printed replica elements at 10x scale. The locomotive is also powered and remotely controlled.

Underground

In one section, an “underground” subway station was built with a mesmerizing colourful gradient. The station was also fully illuminated and looked equally impressive at night.

Overground

A beautiful intersection of double-track at two levels. This bridge module was built by the LEGO train hobby legend Holger Matthes.

Small Details

Sometimes it’s the small details that can make a big difference. It’s helpful to crouch down to “eye level” with the minifigs to really see some details and special touches that you might just miss with a quick glance from the “sky.”

Sublime trackside details with clever use of texture and colour:

Sometimes, it's not just the trains that can stand out. This beautiful model of a combine harvester contains some seriously impressive building techniques. Easy to miss if you’re not looking!

An electrical sub-station is not an obvious subject for a model; however, when combined with some power line pylons and cables, it becomes a focal point instead of the backdrop.

in this long shot, you can see layers of details and flourishes which although subtle, make a big difference. Note the subtle changes of elevation in the foreground, the retaining walls beyond the yard, the lampposts (which work!), vehicles, trees, etc.

I love ballasted track! A subject not often modelled is winter-time track scenes—especially not to this level of detail and texture. The use of colour, texture, and partial snow coverage combine to make a beautiful and convincing winter scene!

There is no shortage of impressive “big” locomotives and rolling stock on display at BSBT. However, sometimes, it’s the “small” rolling stock which can have a big impact! This delightful collection of trams representing urban transit from all different eras, starting from horse-drawn carts up to modern low-floor accessible trams, is a beautiful showcase of smaller-is-better.

Night Mode

As usual, on Saturday evening the lights are turned off and the layout and its models are showcased by their own light sources.

My contribution to BSBT was this specially modified LEGO crocodile locomotive and Orient Express coaches. The locomotive was modified to operate on 9V metal track with the substitution of the leading pony truck wheels with Fx Bricks metal wheelsets. I also added custom directional headlamps, also powered from the track. Lastly, I installed interior lighting to 4x Orient Express coaches, all powered directly from the track, with metal wheelsets installed to one bogie on each coach.

In front of the impressive train station built by Donat Raab (from Hungary) is a laptop showcasing an incredible automation system. Donat’s station has fully operational lighting, signals, switches, and train-occupancy detection sensors. All of this is combined into a software control system that allows for semi-automated route setting and train operation.

Footnote

After leaving BSBT, we drove up to Hamburg (to see Minatur Wunderland of course!). On our way, we stopped to see a Cold War Border museum at the former border control point Marienborn-Helmstedt (Gedenkstätte Deutsche Teilung Marienborn). It was a sobering yet fascinating glimpse into the history of a very divided Germany. Incredibly, I found a LEGO dimension to this story as shown below:

One section of the museum was a showcase of items that were prohibited from import into the former East Germany. Since this was a border crossing, all vehicles were subject to rigorous inspection, and prohibited items were confiscated. Among the obvious items, such as western books, movies, electronics, etc., were toys and collectibles—including LEGO and model trains!

Closing Thoughts

Five years in, Bauspielbahn-Treffen continues to deliver a unique mix of passion, precision, and creativity that keeps the LEGO train community inspired. From supersized builds to subtle details, the event proves once again why it’s one of the highlights of my year. Each visit brings something new to admire, from technical innovations to artistic touches that push the boundaries of what a LEGO train layout can be. And as always, it’s the people—the builders, collaborators, and friends—that make BSBT truly unforgettable.

How do you light up your train displays? Let us know in the comments below.

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