Advanced or experienced train people need not read this brief introduction about assembling a train consist, but for those new to European trains modeled by Marklin and others an introduction is a helpful way to get you started. First their are two types of freight trains designated as ‘unit’ or ‘mixed freight’. Unit trains are comprised of similar car types hauling one type of freight, unit trains of hoppers typically haul minerals such as gravel or coal as well as tank cars hauling liquid or gas. Mixed freight trains are made up of various car types: tank cars, container cars, flat cars with machinery loads and numerous others. In the United States freight trains may comprise rolling stock of various railroads as well as cross border cars from Canada, but in Europe freight trains frequently pass from one country’s border to the next and often times include cars that vary from the country of origin. European trains are shorter in length compared to a 100+ car train set you might see crossing the ‘Great Plains’ in the United States. In creating an accurate train consist based on European prototypes keep in mind correct Era’s attributed to cars by Marklin. And consider including not just German rolling stock in your train set.