Category Archives: Accessories for Z

Fire Station Laser Kits by Archistories + Wespe Fire Truck

Archistories “Dorpede” Fire Station #402191
Archistories “Dorpede” Fire Station #402191

Another very interesting European style (German) building for Z gauge is offered in two versions by Archistories: “brick in-fill open timber” (ARC 402191) and “stucco open timber” (ARC 401191 not pictured). Although this description rather generally portrays their difference a further examination reveals contrasting materials for roofing and hose tower sheathed in “saw tooth” green tinted timber versus the continuation of stucco on the other.

Two very different buildings with the same footprint are thus offered as “Kallental” fire station (stucco) and “Dorpede” fire station (brick in-fill). Framework construction is an architectural design found in Germany and widely modeled in Z and other gauges. Archistories kits offer features not found in other kits including true to scale design, partition walls and fine detailing. The latter translates to many separately applied parts that require time and patience but worth it in the end. The two fire stations also include hinged doors which if properly installed can be opened and closed to partially conceal a fire truck.

Archistories “Dorpede” Fire Station #402191 (Wespe Model truck not included in building kit)

Window glazings are scored thus giving the builder precise parts for installation. Plus layered construction with multiple parts create a precision model few could dispute as anything short of a very good building for a layout.

At just under under 300 parts this is a building kit that should not be rushed with some very tiny windowsills capping the most difficult parts to install.

The finished building represents a solid well maintained public works building featuring large garage and hose tower used for hanging and drying hoses.

Every fire station needs a fire truck, but few are offered in Z. An exceptional fire truck delivered fully painted is produced by Wespe Models of Romania, it offers very fine detailing and hand painting.

Wespe Models, “Opel Feuerwehr,” #CAV 22007

DB Tank Locomotive: Marklin 88955

Marklin 88955 class 74 Era III tank locomotive for German Federal Railroad (DB)

The class 74 tank locomotive painted and lettered for the German Federal Railroad is a recent release sort of (2017-2018), I got mine recently but it proved to be a rather difficult loco to get a hold of: I should have pre-ordered it! Other locos in this series with improved running gear based on the first generation 8895 (2000-2006) were much easier to find than this one. Perhaps some dealers have these in inventory, it is or should be a fairly popular loco lettered for the DB and based on Era III: a perfect loco for small railroads and regional passenger traffic.

Marklin 88955 class 74 Era III tank locomotive for German Federal Railroad (DB)

Several subtle modifications exist within the evolution of this tank locomotive for Z including brass bell prominently installed behind stack on the 88955. Identifying tank locomotives is easy, it is hard to miss the water tanks installed on the sides of the locomotive and coal hopper behind cab. Plus “tender-less” operation. Motor in the model is mounted vertically with worm-gear facing down, motor is 5 pole type with long brushes (part #89871) extending from the armature alongside the chassis providing current to the circuit board and LED lights. LED lights in this locomotive are bright and trailing lights continue to be rendered with paint versus working. Also features plastic couplers at both ends for push/pull operation.

Marklin 88955 + Marklin Special Imprint 98085: “Graffitiwagen-Knuffingen”
Marklin 88955 + Marklin Special Imprint 98085: “Graffitiwagen-Knuffingen” . Plus Faller 282704- Bahnhof Huinghausen.

The curious coach seen here with 88955 is the graffiti car issued by Miniatur Wunderland (Hamburg) as one time release in 2008 (600 total): Marklin 98085 “Graffitiwagen-Knuffingen” and Miniatur Wunderland’s Car #10.

Marklin 88955 + Marklin Special Imprint 98085: “Graffitiwagen-Knuffingen” . Plus Faller 282704- Bahnhof Huinghausen.
Marklin 88955 + Marklin Special Imprint 98085: “Graffitiwagen-Knuffingen” . Plus Faller 282704- Bahnhof Huinghausen.
Marklin 88955 + Marklin Special Imprint 98085: “Graffitiwagen-Knuffingen” . Plus Faller 282704- Bahnhof Huinghausen.

Faller’s continuing series of laser-cut building kits included this nice train station from a few years ago: 282704- Bahnhof Huinghausen (based on 1915 prototype).

Marklin 88955 + Marklin Special Imprint 98085: “Graffitiwagen-Knuffingen” . Plus Faller 282704- Bahnhof Huinghausen.

Siding: here is a link to Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg: https://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/

Holiday Releases Week: Halloween Cars in Z – Marklin

Marklin came up with the idea to release Halloween themed cars as part of two starter sets beginning in 2003; they included track, loco and set 00832 included a couple of ceramic jack-o-lanterns.

Unfortunately the starter sets included the standard class 89 steam locomotive that usually goes in starter sets, but the locos came in black; they would have been better if painted with Halloween theme?

The four cars total for Halloween included 2 per set released 2003 + 2004 respectively. Set 00815 included two cars (type 8600 and 8615) painted with glow-in-the-dark pigment.

“Ghouls” – Type 8600 refrigerator car from starter set 00815 (2003) Note: features glow in the dark paint
“Pumpkins and Ghouls” – Type 8615 car from starter set 00815 (2003) Note: features glow in the dark paint

And set 00832 also included car types 8600 and 8615 (2 cars total in set) with bright orange and black paint scheme.

“Scary Face” – type 8600 refrigerator car from starter set 00832
“Jack-O-Lantern” – type 8615 car from starter set 00832

After writing this post I realized there are any number of interesting Halloween themed trains including haunted houses, dead trees, candy corn loads for custom painted in orange gondola and on and on. A fun project to break up the long term goals of more serious layouts: we all need more projects?

Siding: collectors tend to sell these cars in pairs so keep an eye out, value for Halloween cars range from $25-$50 a piece; they are the most valuable part of the starter sets and the locos are not special so I recommend going for the cars only and saving some dough.

Holiday Releases Week: Easter Cars in Z – Marklin

One Time Release 2000

I have to admit, I did not start collecting Marklin Z based on their holiday releases, they came later after settling in for the long haul collecting Marklin. For collectors, Marklin’s holiday releases are “One Time Series” thereby making them limited and eventually rare. For train collectors who concentrate on prototypical railroading holiday themed cars will probably not cut it.

But collecting trains can have an outlaying interest: making fun and not so serious holiday layouts or novelty layouts which are theme based diverging from serious railroading which is ever present in most railroaders’ mindsets.

Kids and grand kids or those young at heart will respond with joy and amazement at one other version of model train collecting with Marklin’s theme based releases: Halloween, Christmas and Easter. Roughly speaking the first limited holiday releases were for Christmas in 1997. Plus this is an excellent opportunity to have the family creatively contribute to your hobby.

This week I thought I would share some of these cars from my collection which is complete for Christmas, incomplete for Easter and complete for Halloween.

Today is Easter! The first Easter release in my collection is a complete dealer display including wooden bunny which holds silver tray with one Easter egg ornament perched atop. This One Time Series for 2000 was released with 5 color variations of the paper insert including orange, blue, yellow, green and red. The design featured 3 colorful bunnies gracing the sides of a type 8615 box car with brakeman’s cab used mostly on holiday releases. Dealer displays included backlit graphic sign which slide into a custom made Marklin display which could be switched out for future releases.

Marklin 00811 Dealer Display “Bunny with silver tray” . One Time Release 2000 included type 8615 boxcar with acrylic Easter egg. 5 color variations of paper insert including: orange, blue, yellow, green, and red.
Marklin 00811 Easter car with 3 bunnies and chick
Marklin 00811

The One Time Release for 2001 is the “Frohe Ostern (Happy Easter)” car featuring flower design which also incorporated the type 8615 car.

Marklin 00000 Easter car with dogwood flower design. Note: ‘m’ symbol lower right indicating a limited release car. Note: may have been given to Marklin employees(?).

2003 was the year of the ‘chick’ with Marklin’s Easter release depicting yellow chick: 00813.

Marklin 00813: One Time Series 2003.

Breaking with tradition the type 8615 car was swapped out with a sliding wall boxcar for the 2016 Easter release: 80416.

Marklin 80416
Marklin 80416

An adorable “Happy Easter” design followed in 2017 with a design depicting two bunnies against colorful blue background: 80417.

Marklin 80417
Marklin 80417

Skipping a year due to hole in my collection we proceed to this year’s release combining a relatively new technology being used at Marklin: laser cut card-stock constructions. In this year’s release bunnies are depicted as cardboard cut-outs: a bit of sculpture as interesting cargo: 80419.

Marklin 80419 Note: car has a slight curl or warp suggesting a defect in manufacturing, if you get hold of this car consider returning it for exchange.
Marklin 80419
Marklin 80419

Marklin Easter releases are far more encompassing than simply a freight car in an acrylic Easter ornament, they include a large colorful gift box with Easter basket and grass.

Marklin Laser-cut Signal Bridge: 89601

Marklin laser-cut building 89601 + Marklin 88031

The recent release Marklin 89601 Signal Bridge is an inexpensive but extremely impressive building for Z modelers. One of the more important buildings to include in a layout is a relatively modern signal bridge thereby incorporating multiple possible era’s within a German model railroad. Marklin’s new release class 24 steam locomotive 88031 provides interesting scale to the new building, it represents an extensive redesign of the ’24’ with new coupled tender and improved running gear: side rod action on this locomotive is lively and expressive in a way early versions are not.

A very interesting small build kit with a very reasonable price based on a preserved prototype in Germany, 89601 is not an easy kit to build, it has it’s challenges, but it is none the less a good and recommended kit to try.

For one the building exhibits excellent scale in one particular way: trains running along side her are magnificently modest as they travel along under her wing. The scope of the building includes an attached shed and transecting observation and control room with controls depicted in cut-out illustration.

Such structures are common enough that their omission on a model layout should be reconsidered.

Build Notes: consider attaching all small parts after building the structure, these parts include small window sills and architectural decorative moldings as these may be exposed to excessive handling during completion of the building. Further veering away from printed instructions consider adding steel roll-down sheeting on two windows with attached parts otherwise omit in accord with personal preferences. Presumably the sheeting is covering adjacent windows rapping a corner to allow more wall small within the structure (?).

Another build note: extension over tracks is supported by a modeled steel framework which is a delicate part and inserted into a cardboard base, photos for this post do not show the main structure and supporting structure comprising base for track-over extension cemented to a base therefore they appear crooked or “out-of-sync” with each other, please disregard building will be perfectly lined up after permanent cementing.

Another build note: consider filling gaps between parts with wood glue followed with painting part ends/seams to create a seamless edge-to-edge appearance. *building depicted in this post document the building without any finishing touches.

Marklin Cast Metal Truck Set: 89023

Marklin new release diecast truck set features 4 trucks and a forklift: two trucks are factory weathered.

Several Era’s are represented in the set including Era 2-6 with interesting and advertising for a brewery truck and Marklin factory truck. Features of the set include custom weathering for two trucks but also fine graphic printing and painted details including grill and lamps on Marklin truck.

Attractive paint schemes for trucks found in several earlier releases including the factory, museum sets and insider models.

Forklift included with the set in bright safety yellow paint scheme, it features remarkably good casting and details.

Siding: set appears to be cast and painted in Germany

Two Small Bridges for Z: Faller + Archistories

Faller 282916 Laasan Bridge

Archistories “Norbertus” Bridge is packaged with a keystone dated 1945, it is a masonry bridge constructed of cut stone that serves as a small bridge for single track train. Faller’s “Laasan” Bridge is a much earlier bridge and the first cast iron bridge in Europe, the original bridge was destroyed in 1945 giving these two bridges an interesting connection.

The Archistories bridge is suitable for crossing small stream, path or road, it is a sturdy build kit with heavy cardboard frame and structure. The railing provided with this kit is sturdy as well. It is a very easy to build kit for a small railroad.

Faller’s bridge is not only based on a prototype, it is based on a very early bridge erected in Poland at the end of the 18th century. The filigree cast iron spans are dynamic and lively from several vantage points, it is primarily used for small cars and trucks plus foot traffic. The kit was very easy to build, but mine was missing the #3 parts thus missing ‘L’ shaped sections had to be modeled with leftover card-stock.

Marklin factory truck crossing bridge is from the recent release cast metal truck set: 89023.

Archistories American Prototype: 101181 “Goldtree Station”

If it is possible to visit a late 19th century western United States town built by gold perhaps this station in its small dimensions satisfies that goal. Measuring 5 inches in length x 2 1/2 inches in overall width x 2 inches in height the “Goldtree Station” by Archistories is the fictional hub and gatekeeper for the outside world, it greeted new comers with grand dreams of making it rich and goods to keep a decidedly inhospitable landscape habitable.

This year marks the important anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad: 150 years East and West coasts joined by rails at Promontory Point, Utah. And a good time to consider modeling a western gold rush community in Z starting with this nice building exclusively sold by ZScaleHobo.com. And Marklin’s “Bumble Bee” locomotive and its passenger set from a few years back are a good train set for this station.

A fairly simple to build kit featuring partition walls which aid in realistic lighting effects, filigree parts which add realism to platform supports, and a mix of building materials including terracotta roof tiles and wood construction.

Goldtree station signage is laser cut with an appropriate American style font of the 19th century.

Railroads grew quickly after completion of the Transcontinental Railroad as did towns throughout the United States. Station and depot types changed too thus small stations with attached freight depots largely disappeared in the teens and 20’s, they were replaced by masonry structures supporting a network of hubs as people and goods were transported all over the United States. Towns who’s singular purpose supported the gold rush either grew independent of it or largely ceased to exist.


Note: exclusive worldwide dealer for this item is Zscalehobo.com

Construction notes: the ingenious feature of this Archistories kit are snap-in window frames and glazing, pre-cut glazing snap into place with gentle pressure followed by window frames, filigree timber sections are finally glued in place and permanently seal windows. Open freight doors are possible but interior detailing will need to be designed by the builder. *use glue sparingly and use great patience with light paper parts which cannot be realigned after gluing, plus snap-in window frames are prone to easy breakage, fraying and distortion.

Another important construction note: Part F10 is a delicate filigree part comprising the main entrance framework, after removing this part from the part sheet two more tabs need to be removed from either side of door frame: brackets should be flush to the structure. In my interpretation of this building it was missed thus reflected in the photos. A second important point is to install the 4 brackets (Part H4) for freight room before attaching roof.

Marklin 88035- Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad 2-6-0 “Mogul” locomotive featuring brass construction (2004-2006)

Marklin 81772: DB “Light Freight Train”

Marklin 81772 and MBZ 16100 (Granary)

Just now arriving at dealers in very limited quantities is the Marklin train set 81772 for the MHI Program, it is another version of the V36 diesel locomotive in Z. Each release thus far has included modifications to the original prototype built as a solution for moving goods with less detection than steam trains during the war years.

Based on the Era IV V236 prototype of the German Federal Railroad (DB) featuring a roof cupola this train set includes interesting farm themed loads: hay bales, tractor and trailer.

Referred to as a “Nurnberg” roof cupola this modification relocates the operators’ controls and seat to the top of the cab thus allowing full 360 degree views.

Marklin 81772 + MBZ R16066 (Field Barn)

Type low side Klm 441 cars make up the train set and include tall stakes that can be installed. The interesting car type with metal sides and no hand brakes was released a year ago with and without hay bale loads. Hay bale load is molded composition and painted to reflect the color of natural hay. Tractor and trailer are wonderfully detailed including painted grill on tractor and rolling rubber tires. This set includes the very best tractor ever released for Z gauge.

Marklin 81772 + Archistories 111181 (Makeshift Tower) + MBZ R16066 (Field Barn)

New generation motor powers the loco which features leading and trailing LED’s. Locomotive runs smooth due to excellent weight and motive power.

Marklin 81772 + MBZ R16066 + MBZ R16069

A great collection of rural farmsteads are available in laser-cut kits by Marklin, Archistories, MBZ and Faller. MBZ’s “Granary” is one such rural building associated with grain and feed storage with very striking design.

Marklin 81772 + MBZ R16066 + MBZ R16069


Archistories 110181 + 111181: Railway Buildings

Archistories: 111181 (Makeshift Yard Tower)
Archistories 110181 (Railway Office)

Archistories new releases as of late Spring 2019 include 2 very interesting railway buildings: Makeshift Yard Tower and Distant Railway Office (Milepost 271).

Makeshift railway structures are a common feature of many railroads, they may include a recycled boxcar, repurposed building, or even a revamped “Donnerbuchse” (thunderbox) coach constructed by Archistories in kit form for Z. Built in the 1920’s thunderbox coaches were built entirely of steel and iron owing to their virtually indestructible nature and long life. Comfort was a secondary feature of these open coaches: rail and coach noises were amplified due to lack of sound buffering which led to the nickname “thunderboxes.”

A modification to the prototypical coach includes a bump-out which widens the mid section of the coach for viewing station. Further recorded in the model building are rivet heads along steel sheeting sections and heavy steel open frame steps and platform structure. This is a small building model, but it is packed with details and all edges are crisp: precision planning and implementation. Superb kit and remarkable achievement in a very small building. Light air-brushing to suggest dirt and grime is all that is needed with this perfectly pigmented kit.

Note: building kit presents two challenges: curling the roof section and assembling the stairs. Roof section: An un-tapered dowel, paintbrush, or other round implement is all that is needed to careful round out the roof section. Stairs: assemble one side of stairs at a time applying a small drop of glue with a toothpick followed by great care and patience with other side. Magnifying goggles, tweezers and toothpicks are required along with glue.

Distant railway offices are unknown in the United States in the form of this German example with 2 mechanical levers comprising a very small interlocking plant. Signage provided with the kit is lettered “Milepost 271” suggesting a particular point on the railway far from urban center. Perhaps the building further served as mail post. Kit includes two sets of signage with no hard-fast rule about placement.

Note: easy build kit comprising well made parts. Even with this tiny building no parts arrived damaged, distorted or missing: excellent kit!