Category Archives: Freudenreich Feinwerktechnik Z

FR New Release: Prototypical SBB Pantographs!

Marklin Z electric locomotive pantographs are of two types: older scissor style and single arm. Variations include silver, black and blackened. Plus a third prototypical pantograph made just for the GG1’s. Marklin’s Swiss and German electric locomotives have been installed with these two styles of pantographs even though they vary with the respective prototypes. Marklin’s pantographs are an excellent standard style universally supplied on all electric locos with more recent single arm examples in black or blackened finish.

An exciting new release by FR is an upgrade for Marklin Z Swiss class Re 4/4II and Ae 6/6 locomotives with a newly designed pantograph accurate to the prototype. Here is a part described by FR that is an exact copy of the original pantographs for these locos that is easy to install. I want to share this information as it has just been announced, how long they will be available is unknown. I have already ordered 10, when they arrive I will add another post describing the installation with photos, but it looks like a unique opportunity to upgrade these Swiss locomotive types.

Re 4/4II

Ae6/6

Check out other FR Swiss freight cars each equipped with standard mini-club couplers, this company has been the first to release a number of interesting freight cars including K3 boxcars. Marklin’s foray into freight cars for Swiss modeling in Z is very good but limited to few examples, FR offers freight cars that have not been offered by Marklin in Z.

OBB Class 1043.010 “Valousek”: FR 43.131.01

OBB’s class 1043 entered service in Austria in 1971, it looks a lot like the SJ series of Rc locos because it is. Following very successful test runs 10 units were eventually ordered. Based on the Rc’s thyristor technology this locomotive type has proven itself for many years as a reliable design, it is even included as a locomotive type in the United States.

The proposal to build this loco by FR was made by Z-Friends International thus it was released on a limited basis for their members and those who placed pre-orders, its second release will be made this Fall.

Variations of the SJ Rc series locomotive have included changes to roof equipment, color scheme and general appearance, and it is represented by FR for SJ and OBB railways only at this time. Exceptional detailing: even the mirrors are silvered and reflective.

As part of the classification it is called a “Valousek” locomotive as it is named after the designer of the logo and color scheme Wolfgang Valousek.

FR 46.809.12 SJ Hydraulic Side Dump Cars

As freight cars go “maintenance of way” wagens are everywhere along the railroad right of way, they are on sidings awaiting deployment to tunnels, tracks, signals, catenary, crossings or accident clearing. Maintenance is the name of the game for every railroad due to the daily impact heavy trains bear down on track and equipment plus weather is a harsh foe of the same. In Sweden weather is a factor on railroad right of way electrical equipment and track beds thus cars with the intended purpose of aiding in daily maintenance is required. FR’s side dump cars with a load of gravel or ballast is one such example, it is based on the prototype Eo hydraulic side dump car and used on the Swedish State Railways (SJ).

Although this car type can be used for various types of loads it can be included in MOW service if it were carrying ballast as a load. Full metal construction this set includes two cars with brakeman’s platform in prototypical red/brown paint scheme.

FR 41.332.02: SBB low side gondolas for MOW service

Rolling stock representing MOW service cars can be found for Swiss Federal Railways manufactured by FR. The FR 2 car set with item number 41.332.02 includes 2-type Xs71 low side gondolas used in this example for hauling away old wood sleepers.

Featuring authentic weathering and aging the sleepers in these loads look like perfect examples to be removed and replaced with new ones. Maintenance of way operations are as important in Switzerland as with any other railroad in the world, but their exemplary track maintenance practices excel far and above other countries including the United States.

As with all FR rolling stock the chassis is constructed of metal, and body is constructed of injection molded plastic (*some FR freight cars are constructed entirely of metal, the rule for FR seems to be utilizing the correct materials for the design build). FR insignia is incorporated on the underside of chassis.

This set combined with FR’s and Marklin’s Sersa sets round out a track maintenance trainset used in Switzerland.

Marklin 88692

Marklin 82517

FR 41.331.12

Siding: Sersa is a privately owned company for the repair and maintenance of railway right of way in Switzerland.

Hot New Release: FR’s Autotransportwagen Hccrrs 47.819.01 + …02

FR continues to offer unique items for ‘Z’ including the new forthcoming release of a two car “auto-transport” set for the Norwegian State Railway (NSB). The 2 draw-bar coupled cars are full metal construction representing fully enclosed auto-transport cars to protect from harsh weather and vandalism as described on the FR website. A bellows enclosure unites the two cars that conceal their contents without openings except for unloading gates on car ends. Privately owned by MOTORTRANSPORT A.S. Drammen this car type is classified as Hccrrs and registered with the NSB. Could these be one of the more unique railway cars, they certainly are designed for their country of origin! Lively colors make Scandinavian trains a real eye catcher to assemble and run in the countryside!

FR is accepting pre-orders for this carset with proposed release of May 26, 2017. And as with all FR releases this will be produced in small batches thus selling out fast. For buyers in the United States simply register on the site and price will be reduced automatically to reflect the deduction for Germany’s 19% VAT tax.

This carset is also available in two pairs with different reporting numbers under item number 47.819.02.

Harald Freudenreich is in a class of his own. Without FR Scandinavian railroads would only be represented by a few freight sets and NOHAB locos all of which are great pieces but small in number compared with Marklin’s production of Swiss and German.

Siding: FR locos brandish a unique coupling hook that engages seamlessly with standard Marklin couplers thus allowing for the much needed snowplows at each end. Freight cars are equipped with standard Marklin couplers thereby allowing remote uncoupling on Marklin’s specialized track section for this purpose.

Siding: Can motors of current design practice are installed in FR locos, combined with mostly metal construction FR locos have the ability for pulling very long train consists.

Freudenreich Feinwerktechnik (FR) : SJ Tc307

Harald Thom-Freudenreich just released a z gauge 2 axle loco with new tooling and design of a unique Scandinavian diesel-hydraulic snowplow: Tc307 for SJ Railways.

Built by NOHAB from 1969-1971 there were a total of 20 Serie Tc locomotives lettered for SJ bearing this paint scheme. In 1988 SJ’s Tc locomotives were transferred to Banverket and thus repainted and lettered for Banverket: yellow car body with white roof. A specialty locomotive for clearing the ever present snowfall in Sweden during winter it doubles as a general purpose loco in months without snow whose duties include maintenance of way and regional freight service.

The model features superb detail and coreless motor, but due to its unique design lights were not possible.

Sharing the rails with the Tc307 is the FR SJ Rc2 1103 which is comparatively larger than the Tc307.

Released this month FR’s 46.135.11 will be available in the future as kit form only for advanced modelers who have attained a high level of soldering and air brushing skills.

FR website: www.fr-model.homepage.t-online.de/

FR Locomotives: Switzerland

Switzerland is home to many exciting railway adventures. And many model railroaders gravitate toward modeling Swiss prototypes and scenic byways. FR’s first foray in Swiss z locomotion was modifying Marklin locos, one such example is the class Ae 3/6 electric. Not a great runner out of the box, FR redesigned it with an FR custom circuit board and motor with a flywheel. In order to allow the flywheel to spin freely window glazings had to be removed on that end of the loco. But another very interesting loco for Switzerland was designed and built from tip to toe by FR for the railway Rorschach Heiden Bergbahn, the model is entirely constructed of metal with separately applied details, and the first model of a cog railway prototype in ‘Z’ scale. It also incorporates the new technology of coreless motors.

Marklin 8851 loco modified by FR with upgraded FR circuit board and motor with flywheel. The brass flywheel can be seen in photo #3. I purchased this second hand, it was missing all the glazing. Later I found a shell with complete glazing, and I was able to file the bottom edge of glazing, with very careful positioning I was able to keep all glazing intact. The running characteristics are very good with the FR modifications.

FR – Rorschach Heiden Bergbahn (RHB) class Fzeh2/4 cog railway locomotive privately owned and lettered for RHB in Epoch 2 paint scheme.

*Siding: FR recommends teflon based oil instead of Marklin oil for its locos available from Hightech Modellbahnen.

FR Locomotives: NSB

The first and only NSB locomotive to grace z scale is the EL-18 produced in partial kit form by FR. FR delivered this loco with the shell painted and lettered, it was up to the new owner to make modifications in order to install the snowplows. What is an NSB locomotive without snowplows, and these are very well cast metal plows painted yellow. The modification of the FR EL-18: 1. remove shell 2. trim and level bottom edges of shell either end 3. spot/retouch paint if defects arise from leveling 4. using only epoxy attach each snowplow and hold in place until epoxy has become permanent (plastic glues will melt the shell making for poor results) 5. set shell aside after assembly of both plows are completed 6. chassis: remove both trucks 7. truck modification: trim each just behind coupler (couplers need to removed to allow shell with plows to be installed) 8. holding truck together make a very small pilot hole into the outer edge of truck which will be held together with a screw 9. install screws in each truck, epoxy maybe applied to screw head it is at all loose.

FR #47.198.10 – Norges Statsbaner AS (Norwegian State Railways) NSB, class EL-18 electric locomotive with snowplows. Edition size: 30.

Siding: FR’s NSB EL-18 is based on the Marklin SBB 460 locomotive series which is another very successful series by Marklin. And a great performance loco in ‘Z’. The prototype is also similar to the SBB 460 with modifications, it has proven itself as highly successful locomotive for Norway being used to haul freight and passenger coaches.

FR: SBB rolling stock

SBB and DB are the big heavy weights in Marklin’s long list of z scale offerings since 1972. Much has been produced for SBB, and much has not been produced in SBB. Marklin certainly isn’t to blame for any missing locos or rolling stock, the SBB has a rich and varied history and probably too much to cover by a single manufacturer. More on this topic will follow, but for now let’s talk FR’s SBB rolling stock. For the first time in z FR has produced K3 box cars types and other interesting items for freight hauling in and around the charming and majestic landscapes of Switzerland.

FR #ZF300a – BBC, type Fbkk hoppers for recycling haulage, lettered for the firm BBC. Full metal construction.

FR #ZF300c – SBB, type Fbkk hoppers for recycling haulage. Full metal construction.

FR #41.331.01 – SBB, type K3 box cars.

FR #41.331.02 – SBB, type Gms box cars formerly K3

FR #41.331.11 – BT, type X286 (former K3) box car

FR #41.331.12 – SBB / Sersa, type Gleisbauwagen V (former K3) box cars.

FR #41.331.22 – SBB, type Gms (former K3) box cars with graffiti and weathering. Limited edition: 25.

FR: DB rolling stock

FR’s DB rolling stock includes numerous box cars some in two car sets. Examples in this selection are out of production including mail wagons and a metal box car.

FR #49.334.71 – DB, type Gms30 box car lettered for Goggo Motor Roller.

FR #49.341.11 – DB / Deutsche Bundespost, type Post 2 ss-t/13. Full metal construction. Prototype from 1976.

FR #49.341.21 – DB / Deutsche Bundespost, type Post 2-s/13 SS. Full metal construction. Prototype from 1967

FR #49.343.31 – DB type Gms54 box car lettered for KALDEWEI. Full metal construction.

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