Part 2 Bahnhof Dammtor build kit: Marklin 89793

Supplementing the Marklin Bahnhof Dammtor station kit is 89793 for the bridges and arcades and the prototypical presentation of the station and its elevated rails.

Overall 89793 is a good kit and far easier to assemble than the station kit, but it has two shortcomings due to relative incompleteness. First the arcades and shops provided are not enough to complete both sides of the approach, if you look at the marketing photos and compare them to the actual kit it is finished on one side only. Buying two kits will provide the missing parts and double your budget or you can limit access to that side of the layout which would otherwise spoil the illusion. The station kit provides detailing on both sides, why not this supplementary kit? Also the surface of the approach is unfinished as it is also with the station, but this is understandable, each of us will have our preferences on this topic, but the manufacturer could help with some guidance.

There are a series of parts tinted green (part #32) of a decorative nature that are illustrated in the instructions steps M + N. After researching this part of the Bahnhof Dammtor I was able to locate a photograph of the arcades with these decorative embellishments, they are used along the edges of the track approach each separated by masonry blocks. As can be deduced the kit does not include these sections instead the kit is designed for these sections to be glued together in a continuous line-up.

A busy web of traffic skirts around the station in Hamburg, whether you incorporate the prototypical roadways and markings or opt for a reduction of intersecting traffic patterns is up to you. In the prototype the four bridges cross over roadway on one end of the station before the four tracks reduce to two leading away from the station. On the opposite end of the station I believe the approach is less specific and a continuation of the same gradient of earthen construction. As more is learned I will post updates. Any helpful guidance from first hand witnesses is greatly appreciated as is always the case here at ZTrainsWeekly.com.

Instructions and parts make this a very good kit to go along with the station kit, my only word of caution is to hold off positioning/cementing the bridges until the track placement leading out of the station is determined, there is not much wriggle room for track orientation over the bridges so fine tuning is only possible if the bridges can be easily adjusted during installation on the layout.

Notes on instruction manual: Step I shows bridge supports constructed of 12 layers, but only 11 layers correctly comprise this assembly. Step J shows two large masonry columns in this step use the two beige ones. Step K shows two large masonry columns in this step use the two remaining ones which in this case will be red brick. Also part 73 needs to be trimmed, I found it to be too long. Before gluing this part match it up and see if you agree!

Detailing including architecture and bridges is stellar with this kit, the time consuming part is gluing the bridge supports onto the side of each one, this part of the construction seems endless, but it provides necessary detailing that would be missed without these parts. Plus the walkway and railing need these supports to be in place. Note: railings attach to the outside of supports/walkway. Also kudos to the manufacturer for including and designing parts that won’t be seen including bridge underlay girding!

Note: my kit included one parts sheet that was not cleanly but by the laser, in this case carefully help the cut with a new 9mm razor blade, don’t force the parts out of the sheet because the fine brick etchings will easily tear.

Siding: stay tuned and on the lookout for my next posts covering the following topics: MBZ build kits, laser cut kits: a comparison by various manufacturers, and glues for laser cut kits.