Category Archives: Railroad History

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”

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.

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.

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.

Archistories 110181 + 111181: Railway Buildings

Archistories: 111181 (Makeshift Yard Tower)

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!

Marklin 88001: Museum Edition Class 80 Steam Locomotive

The recent release 88001 steam locomotive continues Marklin’s limited release Museum locomotive series this time based on the class 80 steam locomotive in Bochum-Dahlhausen Museum’s collection.

Housed in a wooden box the locomotive comes with a numbered certificate with stated limitation of 499. Locomotive features photo-grey paint scheme with operating number 80 030.

The class 80 locomotive is a tank locomotive: coal bunker is behind the cab with water tanks welded to the sides. The model features the new generation brush-less motor and finely detailed running gear. Locomotive features metal construction with fine detailing, glazed cab windows and LED lights.

Marklin 88001 leading train of 8661 cars variously lettered SMI’s

Built in the late 1920’s for switching/shunting work, class 80 030 was built by Hohenzollern, its service life extended nearly 50 years retiring as an industrial switcher for the coal mining industry.

Marklin 88001, Marklin 8661 SMI cars variously lettered, and Archistories “Makeshift Yard Tower (111181)”

Marklin 88001 leading train of Marklin SMI 8661 car types produced in 1996

Marklin 88040 + 88041: class 42.09 Franco Crosti locomotives

The German class 42.09 steam locomotive from era III was realized in 2005 as another interesting Marklin Z featuring the Franco-Crosti modification of a class 52 locomotive, a collaboration between two Italians included a system modification which made use of exhaust steam as well as exhaust gases incorporating a main boiler and secondary boiler to effectively utilize more of the energy produced by the BR 52. A second boiler/smoke gas pre-heater below the firebox was thus coupled with a chimneys attached to each side of the boiler, this system modification would be identified as Franco-Crosti boiler.

Attilio Franco and Dr. Piero Crosti designed the first such boiler nearly 20 years before class 42.09 was built . Modification to the wartime class 52 locomotive by Henschel in 1952 resulted in reclassification due to increased axle-weight resulting from the added 2 ton weight of modification.

Referred to as economisers (Abgasvorwarmer) the Franco-Crosti modification of 2 class 52 locos had a relatively brief service life of less than 10 years, but another 31 class 50’s were rebuilt by Henschel with Franco-Crosti boilers by the end of the 50’s.

Marklin’s release in 2005 of the 88041 was preceded by another Franco-Crosti locomotive (88040) for Insider Members in 2003. Painted in photo-grey for Henschel’s builder photographs 88040 with operating number 42 9000 is based on prototype retired in 1959 (Bingerbruck, Germany).

Painted and lettered for German Federal Railroad (DB) Marklin’s 88041 includes Wagner smoke deflectors and tub-style tender with operating number 42 9001 thus based on prototype built in 1952 and retired in 1960 (Oberlahnstein).

Siding: more than 7000 class 52 locomotives were built during World War II by 13 manufacturers throughout Europe

Royal Wurttemberg (K.W.St.E) T 9 tank locomotive: Marklin 88952

The 2005 release of the Marklin T 9 tank locomotive painted and lettered for the Royal Wurttemberg State Railroad (K.W.St.E) featured a 5 pole motor and it was the first of its type for this railway produced in the mini-club line-up.

The 88952 produced in 2005 as a “one time series” celebrated “200 Years of the Kingdom of Wurttemberg.”

The Era I locomotive is appropriately coupled with Wurttemberg coaches: 80105, 8700, 8701, and 8739. Marklin’s recent release 5 coach set is also a very good choice: 87009.

Coach 8739 trails the T 9 with destination boards for Boll-Goppingen, its operating number E4 2733 was produced by Marklin from 1989-1998. Eleven years in production does not make this coach particularly rare, but this open corridor coach has been popular with modelers of early trains. Check out the next section detailing the relationship between this coach and locomotive.

Following years of innovation by modelers of Z one such development proved invaluable: marrying coaches with short locomotives. Locomotives of short length and weight have proven to be less than rewarding to operate on the mini-club layouts with turnouts and crossovers with their slight dip in power, short locos are challenged to pass freely through these track features, but one creative minded individual came up with a solution: wiring the axles of a coach to the leads of the locomotive thereby extending the length of the locomotive. In this case the 88952 with 3 powered axles has been extended with 2 additional axles. Wiring the coach involves some soldering and drilling with micro bits, but it is overall a fairly straightforward and easy repair the second time around, the first time should be counted as a learning curve. Adding an LED light panel at the same time is just a little more work. In this example a draw-bar was installed thus permanently coupling the loco and coach together. Performance for this type of locomotive is improved greatly.

Here are photos of the electrical upgrade:

Z-Modellbau: 3111 Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) class 200 locomotive

The Dutch Railways (NS) diesel electric locomotive “Sikken/Locomotor” (nicknamed SIK or Goat) is a shunting locomotive built starting in 1934 with the final locomotive built in 1951: 169 total. Operated from the outside of the locomotive, it did not feature a dead man pedal. No air compressor on the locomotive required its whistle to use spent exhaust air. A very simple and reliable shunting locomotive featuring original paint scheme modeled expertly by Dr. Andreas Scheibe of Z-Modellbau.

The Z-Modellbau 3111 locomotive features brushless/maintenance free motor, metal construction and marklin compatible couplers.

Note: Z-Modellbau’s coupler design is unique featuring a non-distracting thin metal system which does not engage with the Marklin uncoupler track, it is nonetheless a very unique and proven coupler design.

Siding: Z-Modellbau locomotives are delivered in a foam lined small blue box with brief instruction booklet.

Siding: Archistories ‘Gantry Crane’ ARC-114111 is available at zscalemonster.com and zscalehobo.com. Crane features swiveling platform and can roll on deck with its brass axles. Build is moderately difficult, I recommend building one their house kits first to become acquainted with Archistories build kits.

FR’s 1960 Talsvagen coach sets: 46.220.32 + 46.221.32

Furthering FR’s offering of 1960 Talsvagen coaches for SJ include the recent releases of 2 car sets: 46.220.32 includes 1- 1st class coach + 1- 2nd class coach and 46.221.32 includes 2- 2nd class coaches.

46.220.32

46.221.32

Painted and lettered for SJ following the paint scheme of the early 90’s these coaches also include the new logo: modern take on the winged logo dating back to the late 19th century which originally featured a railway wheel with chamfer and wings as seen here in a very early hat badge alongside a 1950’s updated hat badge:

Elegant bright colors exemplify modern SJ paint schemes following the originating paint scheme of red/brown with a simple boxed in SJ logo branding the 1st examples of 1960 Talsvagens.

A custom light panel comprising LED’s designed and manufactured by Passmann is available as an accessory on the FR website. Installation is not hard with the right tools including soldering iron, tweezers, magnifying goggles, and tool (Bug bending tool) for precision bending wheel wiper whiskers for electrical pick-up.

Note: Harald Freudenreich can deliver the coaches with bogies and roof panel removed to make installation of the light panel easier versus disassembling the coaches for the upgrade.

Siding: Bug bending tool is an indispensable tool for etched metal build kits, I haven’t found anything quite like it and I would highly recommend this item for every Z gauger’s tool box.

Marklin: 88135 newest ‘Ludmilla’ diesel

After reunification in Germany the class of diesel locomotives nicknamed ‘Ludmilla’ were reclassified BR 232 by Deautsche Bahn (DB AG) with their former life as BR 132’s of the East German railway system (DR- Deutsche Reichsbahn: 1949-1993) built starting in 1968 by the firm Voroshilovgrad (Russia).

This heavy weight freight locomotive is still in widespread use within Germany and Poland with 400 operating units. It is a beautiful and particularly impressive locomotive with two cabs and a length of 68′ 3 3/4″. More than 700 locomotives were built between 1973-1982 with 3000 hp motors and operating speed 75 mph. Other class ‘Ludmillas’ were soon retired after German reunification, but the class 232’s are still in use today nearing 50 year service record.

Marklin’s recent 2018 release of 88135 is painted and lettered for DB/Railion (Era V), it is now designated as ‘sold out’ at the factory. 88135 is the latest release in the series which includes: 88131 (2009), 88132 (2014), 88133 (2013), 88134 (2016), and 88135 (2018). Plus sets: 81450 and 81451.

Note: Marklin 88131 is based on the BR 234: rebuilt 232 with bogies allowing an increase in the operating speed (87 mph)

Note: Marklin 88134 is based on the East German DR’s BR 132 with representative paint scheme from 1982

Note: Marklin set 81451 features the class 233 ‘Tiger’ (Ludmilla), this trainset is still available. A very nice and interesting H0 scale version of the Tiger (Ludmilla) includes the very latest cold steam technology and in digital operation can be controlled to simulate engine start-up idling (minimum exhaust), running operation (medium exhaust), and maximum exhaust, it is found under item #36431

81450 (2009/2010)

81451 (2017/2018)

88131 (2009) MHI Release

88132 (2014)

88133 (2013)

88134 (2016)

88135 (2018)

A common feature shared among all models in this class are LED headlamps and trailing lights, cab interiors suggested in white relief, superb running performance even at low speeds, excellent pulling power and varying roof equipment details specific to the prototype. A truly outstanding series of Marklin Z locomotives.

Siding: ‘BR’ designation preceding locomotive classification number is an abbreviation for the German word Baureihe which means class thus BR or class refers to locomotive classification

Siding: Archistories building kit ARC-114111 “Gantry Crane” is seen depicted in the background with Marklin 88135, it is a fine detailed kit with swiveling platform. It is available from zScalemonster.com and zScalehobo.com.

Excursion: The Milwaukee Road Heritage Center

The Milwaukee Road Heritage Center in Montevideo, MN is a railroad museum dedicated to the history and preservation of the The Milwaukee Road:

https://www.montevideomrhc.org/about.php

My Wife and I passed through Montevideo about 5 years ago which was our first visit in the yard of the Heritage Center. No fence or people were present on that visit, it largely looked abandoned, our guess for many of years? But we were drawn to the site after seeing the dome ends of two Hiawatha sky-top coaches or should I more aptly describe as the barebones framework of the signature sky-top cars unmistakable from Montevideo’s main street.

Just this August we were in the neighborhood and decided to stop; we hoped to see if any progress was made in the 5 years since the last visit. This time we were greeted by the friendly and knowledgeable Director of the Heritage Center who also gave us a complete tour of the site lasting 3 hours: what a treat! And boy oh’boy what a difference 5 years has made to this unique railroad museum with a growing and already impressive collection of coaches, MOW vehicles, locomotive switcher, turntable, station, loco shed, sanding facility, and museum quality working HO layout which displays the working yards of Montevideo in the glory years of The Milwaukee Road.

Max Hinde, Director of the Milwaukee Road Heritage Center stands adjacent to the train station in Montevideo, Minnesota. Housed in the station is a very large collection of Milwaukee Road artifacts, photographs, and station masters’ office complemented with all the essential equipment. Max is ‘tops’ in my book for remarkable practical expertise with all the railroad equipment and historical knowledge.

Not much progress has been made with the sky-top domes, the museum is currently looking for a qualified welder: the plan includes modifying a coach in the collection. ‘Wishful thinking’ are not words that apply to this museum which boasts 160 volunteers who are passionate railroad people with the grit and sound judgement that is already on display.

A beautifully restored sanding facility (sand house) furnished with every essential tool for locomotive maintenance sits track-side. An Eagle Scout earned his certification roofing the sanding facility which sits in its original location down track from the working turntable.

An impressive locomotive shed is home to a working switch engine retired from refinery work along with a very interesting MOW crane. Note: large chest below headlamp on loco is not a toolbox, it is the cabinet housing for the sand cylinders.

The cab of the diesel switcher is impressive as a static piece of industrial equipment, but our guide offered to start it up which further impressed the heck out of me. Nothing better than the sound of a diesel locomotive coming to life. Doubly impressive that our guide effortlessly cold started this large diesel locomotive.

The Milwaukee Road used MOW vehicles as do all railroads here are two interesting examples:

Speeder used to haul men and tools when coupled with a trailer, it was propelled by a simple gas engine seen here in its own shed at the Heritage Center:

Another MOW vehicle was a tractor equipped with rail traction and coupler: soft rubber tires carry the vehicle over the tracks, rail wheels align with rails, operator engages hydraulics to slowly lay the rail wheels in place on the tracks, rail car couples with tractor thus making simple switching functions in the yard possible. The tractor was limited to sideways movement on the rails, it is a unique and interesting piece of railroad history.

Note: sand cylinders and coupler with lower piston to adjust height

360,000 pounds of heavy duty machinery, this rail crane boasts two engines: one for the wench and one for the swiveling deck, it is also one big crane that is capable of lifting a locomotive off its trucks. Pictured on the deck of the behemoth crane car is a thick heavy cast steel yoke used to fasten either side of a locomotive shell for lifting and/or righting a locomotive after derailment. This too is operational although it was not running during our visit.

Two interesting original Milwaukee Road cabooses include the standard bay window design used by numerous North American railroads, but a big difference applies to the two in the Heritage Center collection. On the left can be seen the standard design caboose mounted to a very long deck matching the overall length of coal cars used by The Milwaukee Road.

Bright paint and lettering adorn the exterior of the 01960 caboose while inside the caboose shows its original charm and splendor in you are tough as nails, sport steel toed work boots, overalls with plenty of mends and grease. Otherwise these cabooses were full of hard steel edges and no much in the way of ‘comforts of home,’ but railroad people are durable to machine and weather visiting these rare cabooses gives a window of working life of the end car.

The original turntable is fully operational with a few coaches alongside, a recent newsletter comments on the feasibility of rebuilding the roundhouse, it will be a fascinating addition to this impressive museum.

Membership is reasonably priced at $25/year: http://www.montevideomrhc.org/membership.html

Address: Milwaukee Road Heritage Center-Milwaukee Road Depot, 301 State Road – Suite 1, Montevideo, MN 56265

Lastly: I briefly mentioned the HO scale model railroad earlier in this post, but it too deserves a few words as it encapsulates the history of Milwaukee Road railroading in Montevideo, MN which was an important layover for cattle coming from the Dakotas and heading to Chicago. Several digitally operated F7’s make their way along a very large layout with many scratch built structures and scenery plus custom painted mural surround.

Siding: the locomotive axle bearings were greased with packing within a hinged covered box referred to as a journal box

upgraded Timken bearings can be seen on the 360,000 pound crane which does away with the journal box

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