It’s 2022, and many new Z items coming this year from Marklin including Vectron series locomotives. The first release for this new series is painted and lettered for OBB as item #88234.
Based on OBB (Austrian Federal Railways) prototype class 1293, Marklin 88234 portrays a multi-system locomotive built by Siemens Mobility. Era VI thus currently used in Europe. Operating for little more than 4 years the multi-system OBB Vectron’s are certified for use in Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, and Italy.
The very handsome modern locomotive is modeled in Z with 4 pantographs, add-on handrails with highly polished silver wire and bold paint and lettering for OBB. Snow-blades are suitably represented too!
Running characteristics are up to the standards achieved with the new motor technology. And headlight and trailing lights are LED powered.
Very exciting new locomotive class featured in the Marklin Z line-up.
Noticeable differences apply to Marklin’s Era III Class E 18 electric loco both on the outside and inner workings.
The Class E 18 electric locomotive was designed for express train service, it was built over a 20 year span starting in 1935 in Germany and Austria. Although it was designed for express train service it subsequently became an important general purpose locomotive. Marklin’s 88080 and 88088 are based on post war (Era III) prototypes.
Marklin 88080 was released in 2002, it stayed in the program until 2008. This attractive locomotive was the first mini-club Class E 18, its features include 5 pole motor and LED headlamps.
Marklin 88080Marklin 88080
The recent release 88088 features a new motor designed to be maintenance-free: no longer are worn brushes changed out as was the case with the earlier 3 pole and 5 pole motors. The paint scheme is similar for both locomotives, but paint sheen varies: 88088 is matte (prototypical?), and 88080 is glossy which gives the paint an appearance of more saturation and maybe bluer looking.
Marklin 88088
Both generations of the E 18 are good runners with the 88088 running a little quieter and better at slow speeds. It should be noted that earlier versions of the E 18’s performance are exceptional: in my opinion no great improvement between the new release and the older versions, I don’t think a trade-in of the old for new is warranted: save your money for other new releases (?). Perhaps others may feel differently, but I have felt since its release in 2002 the 88080 ran superbly, and I still do, including all the various releases since 2002.
How do they look? Paint scheme of 88088 maybe more prototypical (?). Paint is brighter on the 88080 due to its gloss finish.
Marklin 88080Marklin 88088
Siding: releases of the E18 have included a bright pink/red instruction sheet placed over loco in box with instruction to store loco in box with pantographs fully extended thus to avoid breakage of the delicate roof details and wires rendered in plastic. This loco did not include this warning slip, but it is advised to store your loco with pantographs up!
Marklin’s MHI Release 81356 includes a new design Class 141 electric locomotive and 3 “Silver Coin” coaches comprising their “Commuter Service” train set, but first let’s look at the loco’s new design.
Under the shell are numerous new details at work to support the new motor concept currently being used in new locos. A few basic observations are the robust cast metal frame supporting the circuit board and trucks. Another interesting detail about the frame is its split design: frame is actually two parts held together with 6 machine screws located variously: 1 pair each end and 1 pair in the middle inside an easily removable section between the trucks. Circuit board is sandwiched between the two sections of frame as are all inner workings, and lamp circuit boards are held in slots front and back, two small pieces of black foam are installed between the two sections of frame below the lamp circuit boards. Everything looks different than a traditional Marklin Mini-Club model, but similar in their straight forward design thus it is possible to take it apart but with some difficulty.
Removal of 6 screws holding the frame together should provide easy disassembly of the loco but that is not the case. Bushings holding the frame parts and screws are tightly fitted and prone to breaking plus circuit board is taped down on one end (2 bushings on my loco were stripped with a crack in one). And freeing the circuit board is half the battle as the frame is gently pried apart a little at a time from end to end with care not to break the bushings. Bushings are tightly mounted in the frame thus the frame is tightly held together even without the screws, it appears the screws main job is expanding the bushings thus making a tighter connection with the the 2 part frame (?).
After the frame is pulled apart the trucks simply pop out, their plastic housings fit within indents in frame and secured by pressing the frame parts together. A further interesting detail about the trucks are the nylon gearing which have been greased not oiled at the factory. And coupler/spring assembly is secured by plate facing up rather than down as with previous locos. If there is a problem with coupler/spring which there shouldn’t be the loco will have to be taken apart to free the trucks.
A motor with robust worm drive is maintenance free (no brushes to be replaced) and quiet to run, but instructions do advise oiling the trucks from time to time (intervals of 20 hours run time). Note: small pieces of yellow acetate are mounted below both lamp circuit boards.
The loco in my set arrived with poor/non-working running characteristics, one truck stiff and seized (angled upward not parrellel to underside of shell): trucks should rock gently up and down with wheel-sets able to make contact with track. Taking the loco apart and reassembled fixed the problem: something was out of sync likely due to shipping. Not a big deal, but I would advise sending defective items back to Marklin thus receiving full warranty coverage, I don’t advise following my lead.
The shell of this loco is a real winner as can be seen on the roof with improved detailing with addition of add-on parts. And grab rails below windows on both ends. The latter was a great surprise! This set is part of a small handful of items in recent years manufactured in China following the Kittel of recent memory.
Marklin’s description of the set: German Federal Railroad (DB) “Commuter Service” train set: 1- class 141 electric locomotive with 5-light headlights / marker lights, multiple forced air vents with vertical fins, and a continuous rain gutter, 1- type Bnrzb 725 “Silberling” (Silver Coins) commuter car, 2nd class, 1- type ABnrzb 704 “Silberling” (Silver Coins) commuter car, 1st/2nd class, and 1- “Silberling” (Silver Coins) commuter cab control car, 2nd class, with an engineer’s cab. All of the units look as they did in Era IV. Special One Time Release for the MHI Program (Marklin Handler Initiative).
81356-1 (Class 141 electric locomotive)81356-281356-3 (Note: yellow stripe denotes 1st class section)81356-4 (note: headlamps, marker lights and destination board illuminate in both directions of travel
Siding: Parts List for this set does not include part numbers for retaining bushings for frame and no part number for circuit board, Marklin indicates parts on schematic without part numbers require Marklin repair department.
This year a new release Eurofima car set has been released and available now (87343), it’s painted and lettered for OBB (Austrian Federal Railways). The coach set’s release is the second Eurofima set for OBB in 18 years. Released in 2003, Marklin 87342 features a different paint scheme that gives the set a very different look compared with 87343: deep red paint being swapped out with bright orange and broad white stripe. But the two sets fall within different eras marking the difference in paint schemes: 87343 (Era IV) and 87342 (Era V).
In 2003 set 87342 was released as a One Time Series which coincided with the release of the first Taurus (Marklin 88580), it too was painted and lettered for OBB (Era V). This history which Marklin charts is inclusive of the various eras with this striking example.
Marklin 88580 (2003) Taurus general purpose locomotive used throughout Europe (photo courtesy Marklin)Marklin 87342 (2003) Eurofima car set (photo courtesy Marklin)
As with its predecessor set 87343 includes 1- 1st class coach and 2- 2nd class coaches. The yellow stripe above windows indicates 1st class as well as its more obvious markings. Here is a round-up of photos including each side of the 3 coaches:
Marklin 87343_1a (type Amoz 1st class Eurofima express coach)Marklin 87343_1b (type Amoz 1st class Eurofima express coach)Marklin 87343_2a (type Bmoz 2nd class Eurofima express coach)Marklin 87343_2b (type Bmoz 2nd class Eurofima express coach)Marklin 87343_2a (type Bmoz 2nd class Eurofima express coach)Marklin 87343_2b (type Bmoz 2nd class Eurofima express coach)
Producing stories for magazines throughout the United States, my Wife Anne and I along with our two corgis (Le-le and Rookie) spend much of the time on the road. As luck would have it we found ourselves 2 hours due east of Wichita Falls in the city of Sherman, TX. And a weather delay freed us up for a day trip to visit our friends at AJCKids.
Route 82 connects Sherman, TX and Wichita Falls with a couple of interesting towns along the way including Muenster, Saint Jo and Nocona.
Muenster settled by German Catholics in 1889 was so called after the capital of Westphalia, but the town is not considered a sister city and few speak German according to its wikipedia page. The local grocery store features smoked meats and cheeses from their farms, Fishers Thriftway is a fun stop which includes all the staples and prepared relishes, salsas and pickles. Several antique shops with interesting age old offerings along North Main Street also include the cleverly painted mural on the local mill.
Muenster, TX
Saint Jo further along the journey is an attractive small town with center square featuring mostly original 19th century architecture of wood and stone. Everything Texas can be found here, but “what is Texas?”, the answer isn’t easy but through sentiments and feelings: specific and unspecific as concerns the mystery of a place.
Last stop before hitting Wichita Falls is Nocona, or I should say famous Nocona. Famous for the last American made baseball glove manufacturer: Nocona Baseball Glove Factory. A large art deco manufacturing building along Route 82 is home to Nocona Baseball Glove Factory as well as Nocona Boots and micro-brewer Nocona Beer who’s “Cut & Bale” blonde is considered very very good by this railroader.
Nocona Boots, TX
Roads out here head straight for the horizon intersecting lush landscapes of prairie grass, wild flowers, and sweeping oaks. Lush grazing land perhaps the finest in these parts support Texas cattle country, here there are more pick-ups than cars and more western hats than caps. And more cattle than people! No bull!
As we approached Wichita Falls we drove parallel to a waiting eastbound BNSF unit train with a couple hundred loaded coal hoppers. The BNSF Depot in downtown Wichita Falls is a busy hub on the BNSF mainline with long unit trains of petroleum and coal. A few blocks from the Wichita Depot is the Wichita Falls Railroad Museum which can be visited on Saturdays.
Mid-point through a day of adventure includes lunch: let’s hope so! Wichita Falls is home to one of the finest barbecue joints this aficionado has experienced many years in the smoke. And throughout the country to cowboy boot! A must stop in Wichita Falls is Prine’s Barbecue 1209 13th Street in Wichita Falls. Brisket is it! Here it’s served with a peppery slightly vinegar based sauce, famous mustard based potato salad with the consistency of mashed and bright crunchy cole slaw.
Many of my friends in model railroading are already familiar with AJCKids.com, but few may have made the trip to the store. AJCKids is a specialized train store which shares space with the high quality clothing store Annie Jewel & Charlie’s: family owned. The train store has a strong online presence as well as brick and mortar. The train store and its shipping department is located in the back of the building accessed through the larger presence of the clothing store. A large space with a very very large inventory of Marklin and other European model train manufacturers, AJCKids inventory encompasses all gauges currently offered by Marklin which is unusual for a dealer including large Gauge 1 trains and accessories. All inventory is new condition with many items further wrapped in plastic. Shelves are organized according to gauge and accessories displayed on racks. And all related scenery items include trees, ground-cover, building kits and Preiser figures; they have lots and lots of stuff, every model railroader will be happy! The very large selection of in stock Marklin H0 includes accessories too including all the catenary poles and related items.
AJCKids 3401 Kemp Avenue, ste B Square Shopping Center Wichita Falls, TX 76308
Worth a trip to the store: Z scale collectors will find numerous in-stock locos, rolling stock, and accessories including “sold out at factory” items; I found the very limited and rare Austrian Export Model from 2004: 88082. Fifteen years after its one time release and limitation as Export Model, 88082 was a very rare and unexpected find. Also in the red case housing some of the Z items in the store includes the out of production Eurofima Set: 87409 and 20 car funnel-flow set: 82530.
selection of Marklin Z at AJCKids: further Z scale items can be found within the store including other locos and accessoriesMarklin 88082 (Export Model for Austria 2004): class 1018 painted and lettered for Austrian Federal Railways (OBB)
Siding: inventory at AJCKids also include collectible cars of various yearly releases including Museum cars, Easter and Christmas releases
Marklin 88195 electric locomotive for goods and passengers is based on the SBB prototype ES 64 F4 with 2014 paint scheme. The class 189 locomotive is a four system locomotive allowing cross border traffic in Europe.
Built since 2003 by Siemens now in joint partnership with MRCE (Mitsui Rail Capital Europe) this one with paint scheme and lettering for SBB Cargo International. The striking black paint scheme and distinct white lettering includes painted light gray wheels in the Marklin model as the prototype adding another layer of detail. Four pantographs align with different voltage systems within the prototype as is included with the model. The 2 innermost pantographs on the model can take power from Marklin Z gauge catenary system. Roof equipment is accurately included with 88195 and it includes LED headlamps and marker lights.
Homologation refers to certification from an official entity in the case of the ES 64 F4 (class 189) prototype this certification grants the locomotive cross border travel within the European network including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Slowenia, Croatia, The Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Slowakia, Hungary and all ETCS-lines. Having met safety and technical operating standards the class 189 is one of the most important and most seen locomotives in Europe hauling both freight and passenger traffic and numerous paint schemes already represented in the Marklin Z gauge line-up include: 88191 (DB AG), 88192 (SBB), 88193 (DB AG / Railion), 88194 (Rail Traction Company / RTC), and 88195 (SBB).
The current release from Marklin includes the “new generation” motor which responds superbly in a brief test including smooth acceleration and deceleration even a slow speeds.
Siding: Marklin Era I-V building structure 2 stall locomotive shed is seen in background to support earlier locomotives not including the modern electric class 189, but the structure could nonetheless be seen along some routes the ES 64 F4 travels in Germany. This is a fine building kit of high grade cardstock currently available in Marklin’s “Small Maintenance Facility” with item #89806.
Applause applause!!!! FR would win the Z gauge “Best Model” of the year if such awards existed. The recent release and still available 46.132.21 is based on the prototype class Ra 994 “Rapid 10” lettered for SJ.
Just 10 Ra’s were built by ASEA between 1955-1961, they were used on express train service for 30 years. The subtle resemblance to America’s F7’s is not an accident for it was the inspiration for the Ra’s design.
Typical of Scandinavian locomotives is the inclusion of snowplows modeled in metal by FR. The locomotive features brushless motors, it is recommended regular servicing at 50 hour intervals. FR advises their shop for servicing due to the engineering complexities of their locomotives, sounds like the precision workings of a fine German camera or car. On the tracks FR’s locos run smooth and quiet with bright LED lighting.
This is the 2nd Ra locomotive released by FR the 1st was the earlier Ra 846 (#46.132.01), its headlamps included 3 large aft and fore this one is based on a later prototype which included a headlamp modification. FR is aware of all the historical details and changes thus rest assured each model is well researched and accurate in Z.
FR 46.132.01 – limited release of 32 total
FR 46.132.21
Siding: Faller’s “Corner Townhouse” item #282782 card-stock building is the backdrop in this post.
A locomotive that will surely garner attention on a Z layout is this small battery powered locomotive and trailer based on the prototype from 1929: Behnke release “1929 AKKUTRIEBWAGEN Muller.
Built by G. Muller in 1929 the locomotive appears to have been used for MOW service and yard work. Standing room only in the cabin this was a no frills work a day probably every day workhorse.
I sprayed the completed model in a dark red brown, followed by an inky black to top structures and finished with dry brush in a very dark gray to accentuate the details of the trucks and platforms. Headlamps are rendered in bright white paint with very fine brush.
Note: Behnke kits do not provide couplers, wheel sets or buffers, this model is awaiting buffers from FR available later in 2018.
Faller and Marklin will help me introduce the superb Z-Modellbau E 69 02 “Pauline” electric locomotive for DB (article #2101).
The prototype was built in variations starting in 1905 culminating in 1930. A beautiful model of the prototype never offered in Z except by Z-Modellbau.
I will be posting some interesting research on electric locos coming in the future but for now many photos and not many words.
Handrails and add-on parts bring great detail to this loco that is not surpassed by any manufacturer.
Metal construction with brass gearing and brushless motor are standard features of Z-Modellbau.
Z-Modellbau locomotives are delivered in a small blue box lined with foam and small instruction sheet noting this locomotive is maintenance free and should not be taken apart.
3-D printing is all the rage these days, any manner of thing seems to be offered by this new technology. And now Z items are available through the company Shapeways. I hadn’t even thought about searching for such things but a few months ago I came across the Shapeways website. My Wife and I had a day off in some far off land so I had time to check out the 12 pages of Z gauge offerings by a number of designers, and I found it very enjoyable and ordered one. The item I ordered was a German class 701 catenary maintenance locomotive, it arrived packed in a sturdy box by the time we got home from our trip.
It is interesting to order from Shapeways, items are printed on demand with the disclaimer that the order maybe cancelled if Shapeways feels the item is too delicate to print so presumably not everything is available. The item I ordered was printed, and I am very happy with the finished shell. The plastic is translucent with a slight texture that will take paint well. Because of the translucent material lighting the loco will be disappointing unless a solution is made by masking (later problem to work through).
The locomotive came in two parts including the main shell and service platform. Detailing and design is quite excellent including warning beacon lights and roof top observation window. Shell has the same specs as the standard Marklin railbuses so adding a chassis and motor will be easy. A small hole is included in the roof to accommodate the single arm pantograph. Challenges for completing this project include painting and thus masking for three separate painting phases: safety yellow, gray and silver. Note: I find it easier to paint the dark color first inside and outside shell, finishing the roof as the final paint is what I do. Brushing the silver hardware for windows and black paint for buffers plus any touch-ups before following up with the final matte clear coat. Much easier to airbrush using water based paint diluted to flow through the airbrush used. Attaching the work platform permanently with 5 minute epoxy only, but the cool loco is designed for a pivoting work platform secured with a screw.
The prototype well depicted by the 3-D printed model as can be seen with two paint schemes by Marklin and Trix, and the roof observation hood as seen in the third photo of the prototype:
photo: Trix N scale class 701
photo: Marklin HO class TVT 6219 Esn
photo: prototype class 701
Notes on Shapeways products for Z: many curious items are offered including autos and loads as well as buildings, locos and rolling stock. These are projects that need to be completed and some that are offered will be more successful than others.
