Monthly Archives: August 2026

Marklin Z Diesel Locomotive: DB Class 232 + 320

Marklin 88320 (2022 Insider Model). Note: item number aligns with prototypical classification
H.F.Wiebe Locomotive from Marklin train set 81320 (announced Fall New Items 2022)
Marklin 88322 class 232 Diesel Locomotive with fictitious paint scheme for TEE Service.

Just received third generation Era 4 diesel class 232: 88322. First and second versions of this locomotive class were released as Insider Model 2022 (Era IIIb) and train set 81320 (announced Fall 2022) painted and lettered for H.F.Wiebe including class 320 (Era 4) loco plus 2- Fcs hoppers and 2- Res low side cars. Regarded as the largest German diesel locomotive, it impresses in Z gauge!

Marklin train set 81320 (note item number aligns with prototypical classification)

Marklin 88322 is painted in a fictitious paint scheme for TEE Service, Marklin further describes the locomotive as an early 1970’s diesel which is interesting from the standpoint of its fictional status, but likely dating it to paint schemes used for the TEE train sets. From what I understand the locomotive was classed only as class 320 for the DB before it was sold to private firms, it was never additionally classed as 232 which shares the same classification as the ‘Ludmilla’ diesel locomotive built in Russia. But it is fictional so it doesn’t matter. Built by Henschel in the early 60’s class 320 diesels were used for all service including freight and passenger thus it could haul heavy trains and express ones too! What could be more attractive from the standpoint of a universally used locomotive and one suited for TEE service although never employed by it.

Marklin 88322 Diesel Locomotive class 232

Comparing 88320 and 88322 there is one improvement that stands out: wheel-set pick-ups are now darkened, they no longer are seen as shiny brass parts above wheel-sets as can be seen in photos.

Marklin 88320 with bright brass wheel pick-ups
Marklin Locomotive from set 81320 with bright brass wheel pick-ups
Marklin 88322 with darkened wheel pick-ups

88322 is a dynamite locomotive both attractive in TEE paint scheme, but it runs really really well with quiet propulsion. And it includes lighted and modeled engine room just like its predecessors. Modeling of vent fans is superbly detailed as we have come to expect from Marklin. A good bit of weight for excellent wheel traction and the power to haul long trains. Shell does not include the metal/plastic construction as other locomotives have been manufactured in last few years. Features bright warm white headlamps (forward) and bright red trailing lights that change over with direction of travel. The engine room features lighting, but brightness is subject to how fast the loco travels thus kind of dim at slow speeds. Marklin’s website describes the model having roof lighting, mine does not (both clear panels on roof do not light) perhaps a repair is needed(?).

Shell removed: Marklin 88322

Follow-up: loco arrived differing a little from Marklin’s description as noted in previous comment. I took the shell off, I discovered roof panels were blacked out with opaque black foam. I ran the loco without shell which revealed LED lights only on center of circuit board for engine room lighting, lights spills out from top of circuit board achieving good overhead lighting of the engine room detail with this part being slightly angled up instead of flat to the windows . Circuit board also had the red/white lights on both ends, but no lights for roof panels. I pulled loco 88320 from my collection, on the track this locomotive does not have engine lights, instead it has lighted roof panels only. In conclusion: depending on loco, collectors gets one or the other: roof panel lights or engine room lights: not both. It looks like someone mistakenly allowed the same description for both locomotives on their website. I think it’s more interesting that the locomotives are built this way, it gives each their unique character.

Marklin 88322 circuit board with LED’s for engine room plus warm white/red LED’s both ends

Note: if your loco arrives in need of warranty repair it will take effort and patience. First contact dealer you bought it from, the dealer will direct you to send it to them, dealer ship to Marklin, Marklin makes repair themselves, or they send to Germany. It may take months! If you buy from ZScaleHobo.com, Frank Daniels tests each locomotive to verify everything works which is a great customer friendly service only he offers thus you avoid the headache of Marklin warranty!

Another feature of this locomotive are the add-on metal hand-rails, which are shiny silver wire, as they are not painted, it gives the locomotive a three-dimensional appearance. Small manufactures of highly crafted Z gauge articles have used add-on parts including metal handrails for years, examples include FR Freudenreich and Z-Modellbau to name a couple.

Siding: with shell removed one can wonder where Marklin goes next with circuit boards and Z gauge: maybe Marklin Z Gauge digital is right around the corner!

AZL’s PA1 Brass Locomotives: Design, Manufacture and Performance

Not many parts comprise the AZL Brass PA1

An article about AZL’s out-of-production brass Z gauge PA1 locomotives was not planned, but it was the result of a test drive so to speak. I recently bought a pair of these locomotives from a friend who knows and collects all things Lehigh Valley Railroad. I long admired the beauty of these locos and authentic appearance since seeing this set in his collection. So far my stuff collected since the early 80’s sits on shelves or in boxes, I don’t have a working layout, but I test everything I buy to verify everything is okee- dokee.

Wheel assemblies are permanently married in housing with gearing, cast wheel details include posts that slide into 2 holes either side of center wheel with airbrakes on top

Test driving the pair of brass PA1’s revealed a couple of surprising and interesting details for an article. They are louder than AZL’s current diesel loco offerings. And they don’t run as smooth either. One of the locos runs much better than the second which also had an odd defect: wheel set detail parts (black) do not stay on.

Current AZL PA1 on top shows design for power collection whereas AZL Brass PA1 has no such design
Current AZL PA1 on top shows wheel sets as a complete part made of plastic whereas AZL Brass PA1 has removable cast brass wheel set details painted black

Problem solving a poorly running Z gauge loco is typically narrowed down to dirty track or hardened oil. There are of course a few other issues which another of my articles addressed before. Having ruled out dirty wheels and track I was lead to look inside. Removing a brass shell is similar to plastic ones except the material is not flexible, but I simply used a pair of guitar picks (.70mm) wriggled between wheel set and mid shell, working back and forth with care and caution the shell came off: bit more involved than plastic shells. I was surprised with the locomotive’s minimal design: very few parts! As for trouble shooting: cleaning wheel gearing is limited with wheel assemblies permanently constructed: pins and gears are non-removable. Without being able to take wheel assemblies apart it is difficult to see how they work except to say motor receives electricity thru its worm gears from wheel assembly gears: bit primitive! But it works!

Current AZL PA1 locomotive on top shows a very different configuration than brass model on bottom with inclusion of circuit board thus very different handling of track current by locomotive.

AZL current model PA1’s use heavy die cast split-frames, brass PA1’s are similar in design but heavier: PA1 (current models) weigh just under 2 ounces versus PA1 (brass models) weigh just under 3 ounces.

Plastic part covers middle part of split frame, the snap-on part is a guide to how much space should exist between frame sides: it should snap-on and not fall off
Glazing for 4 small windows in shell is achieved with acetate attached frame, masking tape may have been used so acetate retains folded shape and perhaps better fitting of frame inside shell
My go to gear cleaning tool: tapered soft bristle nylon brush purchased at a home improvement store.

The frame design is ingenious as it provides a substantial amount of weight plus it functions to hold wheel sets and motor securely in place. After cleaning and removing minor amounts of lint (not sure if locos had much running time) I found the frame is not screwed tightly together, but it is screwed together just enough to allow wheel sets to move freely plus engage with worm gears, I found this part was a bit trial and error with testing on track: tightened but not too tight. A folded piece of acetate was glued on frame as it provides window glazing for shell, and masking tape installed on acetate was used to seat frame in shell (?). Cast brass wheel details are secured with post/pins that slide into holes in wheel sets as seen in photo, but with this model three could not be secured, fourth is tightly staying in place. I tried a number of things to tighten their mounting, but I settled on a tiny bead of 5 minute epoxy (size of pin head) which I can remove in the future if the need arises.

AZL Brass shell is highly detailed with authentic paint and lettering for this late 1940’s diesel locomotive
AZL Brass PA1 is handmade with numerous details built into shell which has been soldered and shaped with precision
AZL Brass PA1 interior shell detail shows much handmade work

The shell is entirely handmade with numerous parts soldered, shaped and built into the highly detailed locomotive which was painted in prototypically correct ‘Cornell Red’ with accurate operating number. And ‘Black Diamond’ logo proudly displayed on front. Couplers are interesting as they are separate from trucks: bolted to shell. Brake hoses are rendered in fine detail too. Unfortunately no working headlight which is of little concern to me as I have other early highly detailed brass models without lights. Great looking locomotive even under high magnification: a significant accomplishment in Z gauge.

Locomotive built for AZL by AJIN Precision Mfg., South Korea. The now shuttered company was well known for precision brass manufacture, this being a very good example of what they could do.

Berlin Anhalter Bahnhof: Marklin 89200

Marklin’s massive building kit 89200 was announced as a new item more than 20 years ago, it was an eye-popping new release with a footprint 34 x 18 inches thus collectors had to have room or make room for it. The kit is now long out of production and hard to find, but some still circulate as dealer old stock. I bought one when it came out, but I ended up selling it owed largely to lack of space, but I regretted the decision and bought a second: it’s has been sitting on a shelf for years. Time has come to get on with it and build it with a proper dedicated table more as historic display piece rather than part of a layout.

There is much than can be read online about the old station which was built in the late 19th century and later largely destroyed during WWII, but if the bad guys had won the station would have gone anyway. Some of the building still exists mostly as a preserved ruin, its colors made up of various shadings of ochre.

For those interested in buying a kit, I want to point out a couple of things to look for in determining if the kit is complete. First the kit should include the plastic building parts which will be found loosely thrown in box without wrapping: many sprue fragments floating around. Second it should include an architectural rendering of the buildings footprint which is excellent and suitable for framing. Third it will include build instructions. And fourth it will include 4 ZAMAC die cast pieces to adorn the buildings facade, high quality detailed castings will be found in a plastic bag floating in the box. The large diecast piece in my kit is not level thus it falls over because of the uneven base (blue tape in photo was necessary for it to stand): repair should be easy. Much of the time this kit will have a damaged box due to flimsiness and large size.

AZL PA1 Diesel Locomotives: Lehigh Valley Railroad

AZL PA1 Diesel Locomotives in Brass and Injection Molded Plastic: left to right plastic, brass, plastic, brass

This Summer I am highly focused on the Lehigh Valley Railroad. I have been reading and acquiring many books on the topic, plus weekly get togethers with a Lehigh Valley RR expert and author. Not only was the L.V.R.R. running trains from NYC to Buffalo and Toronto as joint operation with Canadian National (Maple Leaf Train), but here at home they owned and ran the Liberty Bell system of electric trolleys with runs to Philadelphia, PA. If I were a kid growing up in Lehigh Valley before the take over of the automobile I would have ridden their street cars semi weekly or more to visit the tri-city area: Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, it was the way to get around Lehigh Valley, PA!

American Z Line (AZL) #1826 PA1 w/operating number 604 (brass edition)
American Z Lines (AZL) cardboard boxes for brass editions: blue top and white bottom with stickers one end. Boxes features dense foam inserts.

June included a trip to Hornell, NY to see the Union Pacific Big Boy which was a treat to see it and close to home, as my Wife and I missed it time and time again on its home turf. We chased it so to speak and saw it in Sayre (PA), Waverly (NY) and even behind a Arby’s somewhere near Binghampton, NY. The Big Boy’s trip to Philadelphia periodically had layovers including Sayre, PA on the grounds of the historic Lehigh Valley Railroad Locomotive Shops which closed March 1976. The former site includes extensive trackage and the old station is home to the Lehigh Valley Railroad Museum. A further note: Sayre is named after L.V.R.R.’s Engineer Robert H. Sayre, who made the railroad.

AZL PA1’s: 64416-1 + 64416-2 w/operating numbers 606 and 609
AZL Jewel Boxes for PA1’s include snap closures and contoured top and bottom cradles for locomotives likewise produced for other current AZL articles.

I plan to devote a couple of posts in coming weeks to the Lehigh Valley Railroad for Z Gauge, but the first one is a rather brief offering/introduction concerning paint scheme: AZL locomotive PA1. I have two pair of PA1’s: one brass and one injection moulded plastic. Note: prototypical L.V.R.R. trains ran pairs of PA1’s manufactured in the late 1940’s.. The brass set was released with four available running numbers in an edition of 16. The plastic set is currently available with two different operating numbers. Paint scheme for the L.V.R.R was ‘Cornell Red’ which is accurately represented only in the brass sets. As can be seen the current PA1’s are painted with a lighter color suggestive of orange/red. As a color it’s attractive, but it is way off from the prototypical paint which serious modelers may find disappointing. AZL got the color right with the original brass sets which also match Tru-Color’s ‘Cornell Red’ premix airbrush color. One day and perhaps another post I will have a solution to tone down the newest generation PA1 from AZL in the meantime buyers might want to consider if the ‘off paint color’ is an issue for them before buying.

Note: AZL is currently offering diesel locomotive class RS-3 for L.V.R.R. similar paint as the PA1’s. I would love to own this locomotive but not in this color.

A note about the prototypical paint scheme ‘Cornell Red’ used by L.V.R.R. includes documented variations in appearance: paint used by L.V.R.R. was ordered from various manufacturers thereby differences occurred with the color. Plus appearance of well used locomotives show color changes from dirt, soot and grime. Thus modelers concerned with prototypical trains may find historical color photos as best source for painting and finishing.

Manufacturing Note: brass editions made in South Korea by AJIN Precision Mfg. (1976-2008) and current plastic injection models are made in China.