Even a small station can be quite large in miniature. The example of Lederhose station in Thuringia illustrates this problem, recreated here on a scale of 1:87. A drawing from the book “Track Plans for Model Railways” by Günter Fromm (transpress-Verlag, Stuttgart, 1997 – especially older track plans for smaller stations, well worth reading!) has roughly specified the track lengths. The graphic was created on a home computer, using Märklin C track for quick model construction on the floor – due to the model track having different switch angles than the original. However, this does not significantly shorten the overall length.

Model railway station Lederhose with C track – even the small station is more than two meters long in H0. (Photo: Attenhauser)The long, straight sections of track after the switches in the station area are about four to five centimeters long on the 1:20 scale graphic. Converted, this means a length of about 77 meters for the straight track area at the station building, 101 meters for the continuous main track, and 107 meters for the lower bypass track. If a locomotive about twelve meters long with two passenger cars, each 27 meters long, travels there, there is not much free space left in the station area.
Conclusion: If you want to base your model on realistic station lengths, you should think more about small stations – after all, the Lederhose station in Thuringia shown here in H0 scale is already more than two meters long.
According to the book, the station, which went into operation in 1909, no longer exists today. At least on the pages, the station lives on in memory through the drawings and sketches of the track plan and station buildings.