Category Archives: Marklin Z

Marklin Insider Car 2019: 80329

Marklin 8800_Goldene locomotive and Insider car 80329 “Miele” (2019)

Two bits of history hitched together: 47 years apart. This year’s (2019) Insider car for Z (released 2020) is painted and lettered for the German firm Miele pictured here with Marklin’s “Goldene” locomotive from 1972.

Recently released 80329 is the 26th freight car given to Insider Members as part of membership in the club which also includes other perks including subscription to Marklin Magazin, Marklin Insider magazine, yearly catalog, invitation to purchase Insider locos and last but not least the bi-annual DVD showcasing news from Marklin as well as railroading highlights from around the world.

German firms chosen for the Insider Club release cars are sometimes known to collectors in the United States and sometimes not, Miele may fall within the latter partly due to little advertising in the United States and small dealer network for their products, but this appliance manufacturer who opened their doors in 1899 has revolutionized household appliances including inventing the vacuum cleaner, electric dishwasher and household laundry machine.

The type GI 11 high capacity box car forms the basis for this release and used on the German Federal Railroad (DB) during Era IV.

Forty seven years is a long time since the release of the 8800 “Goldene” locomotive, but we are fast approaching the 50 year anniversary of Marklin mini-club thus the little loco type 8800 with version 1 tooling is appropriately finished in gold to celebrate this upcoming milestone.

Siding: Insider Members belonging to the club for 5 consecutive years receive the special imprint car “marklin INSIDER – 5 Jahre”.

Marklin BR 18’s, S 3/6’s and C’s: Survey in Z Gauge

Probably it’s the wind-splitter cab that makes the class BR 18 express locomotive recognizable, but its 4-6-2 wheel arrangement identifies it as a Pacific type. With its roots going back to Era I Bavarian class S 3/6 and Royal Wurttemberg class C are complimented by CIWL serie 231’s from Era II and III.

Marklin’s extensive offerings of this express locomotive type include sets with coaches (81…’s) and solo locomotives (88…’s).

Variations in the line-up are wide ranging and go beyond having/not having smoke deflectors and paint scheme to include various motive power: 3 pole, 5 pole, and brushless motors.

Marklin 88185- Royal Wurttemberg State Railways (K.W.St.E.) class C express locomotive. Era 1 (1915).

Marklin 88922- K.Bay.Sts.B. (Koniglich Bayerische Staatsbahn – Royal Bavarian State Railroad) BR S 3/6 express steam locomotive. One Time Series 2008.

Marklin 88923- K.Bay.Sts.B. (Koniglich Bayerische Staatsbahn – Royal Bavarian State Railroad) BR S 3/6 express locomotive. Era I. One Time Series for MHI Program – 2015.

Marklin 8108 (train set)- Societe nationale des chemins de fer francais (National Society of French
Railways/French National Railway Corporation) / Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (SNCF/CIWL)- “Nostalgie Istanbul-Orient Express” Serie 231 Pacific express locomotive with tender. Era III.

Marklin 81080 (set)- French State Railroad / Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (ETAT/CIWL) “International Long-Distance Express Train (Orient Express)”: BR 231 express locomotive with tender (ETAT). Era II. One Time Series 2008.

Marklin 88183- German State Railroad Company (DRG) BR 18.1 express locomotive painted and lettered for 1936 Olympics. Insider Club Model 1996. Era II. Operating number 18 137. One Time Series.

Marklin 8133 (set)- German State Railroad Company (DRG) “Rheingold” BR 18 (Pacific Express with operating number 18434). Era II.

Marklin 81331 (set)- German State Railroad Company (DRG) “75 Years of the Rheingold” BR 18.4 express locomotive and tender. One Time Series 2003.

Marklin 81332- German State Railroad Company (DRG) “90 Years of the Rheingold” BR 18.4 express locomotive with type 2’2’ T 26.2 tender.

Marklin 81426- German State Railroad Company (DRG) express locomotive with tender BR S 3/6 DRG Bavarian Group Administration (operating number 18 434) . Era II.

Marklin 88910- German State Railroad Company (DRG) BR 18.4 express locomotive with operating number 18 470.

Marklin 88184- German Federal Railroad (DB) BR 18.1 express locomotive based on 1954 prototype: Era III.

Marklin Side Dump Car Set for RTS: 82435

First the freight car set and then sometime in the future the designated locomotive such is the case with set 82435 who’s locomotive (88204) has yet to be released, thus if you plan to run that locomotive you might consider buying this set before it sells out.

The bright and lively paint scheme of this car set comprises three type Eamos side dump cars painted and lettered for the firm RTS Rail Transport Service GmbH, Fischamend, Austria.

This is not the first release of this car type which is popularly used by several rail services, it features hydraulics to lift and dump loads.

Siding: Marklin RTS diesel locomotive class 221 (former V200) is the appropriate locomotive to complete this Austrian set.

Marklin 88204 class 221 diesel locomotive

“Von Haus zu Haus”: Marklin Freight Set 82329

“From house to house” freight transport during the Economic Miracle thru the 1960’s comprised open and closed container types for transporting all manner of goods: gravel to food. Goods delivered from customer to customer according to Marklin literature presumably circumventing a distributor.

Cars rebuilt from war time G 10’s provided frames for the newly classified BT 10’s used to haul open bins in this Marklin new release set.

Included with the set is a Kälble delivery vehicle with trailer and Eosakrt container load.

Era III set painted and lettered for use on the German Federal Railroad (DB).

Marklin K.P.E.V. Era I set: 86604

The recent release freight car set of 3 painted and lettered for K.P.E.V. includes gas car, beer car, and livestock car for Era I railroading.

Graphics and variety of early car types make for some very interesting early railroading possibilities.

Included in this set is a tank car comprising three cylinders for transporting coal gas used for lighting and heating. This car type could be dispatched with coaches to replenish a station, it was not exclusively coupled to a freight train only.

Livestock car comprising a brakeman’s cabin, sliding doors and open gates likely included the latter for ventilation otherwise it was a closed wall box car.

Lastly is the bier wagon car type featuring historical paint and lettering for early companies within Europe, in this example the firm Lorenz Pfannenberg Söhne, Zerbst (Germany), Exportbier Brauerei.

Marklin Christmas 2019: 80629

Another Christmas has come and gone but with it we are left with a unique freight car celebrating Christmas with a snowman theme: Marklin’s 80629 for Z.

A couple of decades worth of Christmas releases each with their own design and acrylic ornament, but this year’s release featured a rather curious snowman theme with etched acrylic design standing upright inside the freight car.

The very striking design including two snowmen and presents is further brought to life with crystal clear etched and polished plexiglass. Acrylic ornament is two tone with colorless front and orange background shell riddled with glitter. The very pretty low side freight car is painted red with snowflake design.

This year’s release will catch a lot of twinkle lights under the tree, and it is still available.

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.

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.

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).

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

DRG Brewery Freight Sets: Marklin 82519 + 86615

Five hundred plus years since the German Beer Purity Law casting Germany as serious about beer as anyone can be. Beer advertising is a widely produced motif on Marklin freight cars in Z crossing numerous eras and freight car types. Two freight sets for DRG (Era II) include one time series sets from 2001 and 2003 for MHI Program.

The first set to consider for Era II modeling is set 86615 which includes road transport set for Ganter Brewery (Germany). Set includes refrigerator car painted and lettered for BRAUEREI GANTER, FREIBURG im BREISGAU plus Kaelble type 70 021 tractor and DRG Culemeyer design road roller. One Time Series 2001. Set features die-cast road roller and truck.

Another brewery themed freight car set is 82519 released in 2003 for the MHI program. The one time series Deutsche Reichsbahn-Geselischaft (DRG) bierwagen set is painted and lettered for Ledererbrau Nurnberg. Set includes refrigerator car with brakeman’s cab, low-side car with brakeman’s cab and die-cast delivery truck with 3 wood barrels. Packed in a custom tin box along with beer coasters lettered for LEDERER PREMIUM. Era II.

German Federal Railroad Freight Set: 86000

Marklin 86000-1 (2013-2014) German Federal Railroad (DB) Era III.

A good lesson in collecting Marklin Z: if you missed out on something because it “sold out” perhaps a dealer somewhere may still have it. Occasionally dealers are offered incentives to buy a particular item from Walthers at deep discounts thereby having an inventory of a particular item. As we all have experienced with certain dealers who no longer stock an inventory of Marklin Z it is easy to assume an item is no longer available forever and ever, but this is not my experience: set 86000 is one such example, I never got around to order it when it was easy to pick up, but I checked in with a local dealer and whala! Never give up the hunt for out of production Marklin Z and don’t ever settle for spotty condition reports from individuals selling used, more times than not those items are far worse than reported: buy new and take care of your stuff!

Modellbahn Ott Hobbies in Boyertown, PA is family owned and winner of several “Marklin Dealer of the Year Awards!” I know them well, I have been buying trains from them since the mid 90’s, you won’t find a problem here! Set 86000 I have the privilege of now owning, and I am thus pleased to feature this set released 4 years ago thereby adding another set of cars to Era III modeling.

Marklin 86000-2 (2013-2014) German Federal Railroad (DB) Era III.

The set includes 2- type Glmhs 50 box cars, 1- type Tehs 50 refrigerator car painted and lettered for Lowenbrau (Munich) and 1- type R 10 stake car with brakeman’s cab with load of rails (12 total). Marklin’s description of the set includes reworked prototypical car floors in the box and refrigerator cars.

Marklin 86000-3 (2013-2014) German Federal Railroad (DB) Era III.

Note: upon inspecting and photographing the box cars in the set I noticed a variation in the paint color which is interesting: 1 appears to be brown while the other is red/brown in a darker hue: curious! And cool!

Marklin 86000-4 (2013-2014) German Federal Railroad (DB) Era III.

Recommended USA Marklin Dealer: Modellbahn Ott Hobbies, 42 E. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, PA 19512 – https://www.modellbahnott.com

Acid Transport Cars in Marklin Z: 82315, 82318, and 80821

The very interesting acid transport car based on its prototype from the early 1920’s was released first as a set of 5 in 2011 (82315). Plus an individual car for Marklin Magazin’s 2011 (80821) edition. This year a second set was released for Era II as item number 82318.

Marklin Magazin’s 80821 featured acid pots with characteristic Prussian Blue paint scheme associated with the series. Often newly tooled freight cars are released first for the Marklin Magazin series.

Marklin 82315 freight car set included 5 acid pot cars with brakeman’s platform, it was one time series for MHI Program (2011). Two versions of the set were released this one being 82315-A01 with all cars featuring brakeman’s platform only, version 2 included two cars with brakeman’s cab and three with brakeman’s platform. All USA dealers at the time of release sold version 1 thus version 2 is the rarer set: some rumors suggest set 2 was a mistake (?). Based on the Era III prototype cars are painted and lettered for the firm VTG and used on the German Federal Railroad (DB).

Marklin 82315_1 with car number 599 526 (2011-MHI) lettered for VTG Hamburg

Marklin 82315_1 with car number 599 529 (2011-MHI) lettered for VTG Hamburg

Marklin 82315_1 with car number 599 532 (2011-MHI) lettered for VTG Hamburg

Marklin 82315_1 with car number 599 537 (2011-MHI) lettered for VTG Hamburg

Marklin 82315_1 with car number 599 548 (2011-MHI) lettered for VTG Hamburg

Freight set 82318 released 2018 includes 1 tank car and 2 acid pot cars: “DRG Liquids Transport” set. Based on the early 1920’s prototype each acid pot car includes a brakeman’s cab. Era II.