Category Archives: New Releases

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 Insider Model 2018: BR 01 (88012) Locomotive

Marklin’s Insider Model for 2018 is based on the 1957 BR 01 express locomotive of the German Federal Railroad (DB). The particularly attractive locomotive featuring steel blue paint scheme is released as an important anniversary model celebrating 25 Years of the Insider Club.

Locomotive features the new generation motor thus a maintenance free brush-less type still requiring infrequent light oiling of moving parts only.

Warning stripes are realized on locomotive’s pair of buffers. Tender too!

Locomotive can be seen passing Marklin’s new station 89703.

Hand-painted boiler bands in silver.

A specially designed wood presentation box is included with the locomotive featuring its design on the lid.

Siding: some dealers have suggested having extra 88012’s available this year for non members of the Insider Club, but joining the Club is easy and comes with numerous perks including yearly catalog, Insider News Magazine, Marklin Magazin, “A Year in Marklin” (DVD), invitation to order Insider Models, and the free Insider Club car in choice of gauge.

Faller New Release: Bahnhof Durlesbach #282708

Faller has continued releasing laser-cut kits with the addition of #282708 station kit. Building features a freight depot, sheltered waiting platform as well as interior public spaces and telegraph room plus upstairs apartment for station master.

Based on the prototype from 1911 it is another historic train station offered by Faller as a laser-cut kit in Z gauge.

Faller kits do not feature partition walls, but they do include very ingenious paper masking giving each window unique impressions of window treatments: curtains and shades. New LED lighting systems generate enough output to illuminate this feature, traditional mini-Club 10 volt bulbs don’t cut it. Plus LED’s can be adjusted.

Faller kits arrive in sturdy cardboard boxes with well wrapped parts. Instructions are for the most part clear and orderly, and quality of parts is good. Some experience building laser-cut kits is recommended due to the lightweight nature of some parts, modelers will be less likely to be able to move parts after glue as with plastic kits. Roof sheathing looks great out of the box with already a natural like patina.


Archistories: Church St. loannes Paulus II (404181)

The recent release by Archistories is a neo-Gothic church solidly built of stone, leaded and stain glass at least for the prototype, its interpretation into Z scale is rather remarkable with an overall height of 4 1/2 inches x overall length of 4 1/2 inches.

A lovely 19th century church dedicated by namesake with Pope John Paul II is every bit as charming as its real world counterpart existing in same form throughout Europe and America.

A large bronze bell can be peered through slats in the clock tower below the gilt weathervane.

Intricate window moldings are assembled without glue owing to the high degree of design and precision found in Archistories kits. Simply put: printed mylar suggesting lead glass or stain glass is popped into each window opening followed by likewise installing moldings lastly followed by tiny bit of glue on the exterior framing surrounding each window.

Light naturally falls in and around the building further highlighting the architectural details.


The smallest details are found with the separately applied strap hinges on the real wood doors.

Although small in size this kit will take the better part of a day to assemble as it combines layers and layers of detailing all but vacant in other manufacturers’ kits.

Key features of this kit are the very well produced and illustrated instructions which are meant to be followed in order. Please note: part ‘B’ which there are 4 total appears on two parts sheets and careful to glue on clock faces in correct orientation.




Pairing 2 New Releases by Archistories and Marklin

The year is 1957 as the DB BR 01 crosses Altenbeken Viaduct pulling “Lorelei” train set.

Recent Releases: Marklin 88012 Insider Model 2018 and Altenbeken Viaduct by Archistories (item #128171). Trailing the BR 01 loco is the “Lorelei” train set by Marklin released in 2003 – 2006 as an MHI Exclusive release.

Coming soon: posts covering each including cross reference guide to Marklin’s passenger sets and individual coaches thereby facilitating easy determination of era’s and railways.

Plus next time the viaduct is seen it will be authentically weathered after filling gaps in the cardstock and retouching.

For now:



Marklin: 88185 K.W.St.E. express locomotive

Marklin’s newly released 88185 class ‘C’ express locomotive of the Royal Wurttemberg State Railways features Era I paint scheme from 1915. The model features improved detailing and motor compared with the earlier version and includes improved side rod details and brushless motor.

The 88185’s cab has been the location of the backside of motor in the early release as well as this one, but the large brushless motor significantly protrudes through the cab of the 88185 thus maybe be seen as a less successful release in recent memory of Marklin Z steam locomotives featuring the new style motor. As for running and performance this locomotive runs very well with smooth acceleration and deceleration even at slow speeds.

An elegant steam locomotive with early streamlining characteristics including wind splitter cab.

Era I around 1910-1915 is as early as Marklin has gone thus far in the mini-club line-up – having one of the Wurttemberg locomotives is essential equipment for pulling Marklin’s wonderful coaches for this railway including: 87940 (2001/2002), 87950 (2001/2002), and 87960 (2001/2002). But the soon to be released Wurttemberg coach set 87009 is another option featuring for the first time interior details and gas tank installed on undercarriage of the class Di Wu 04  and Ci Wu 05 open platform coaches.

Marklin 87009

Maybe a future release of an Era I baggage coach and mail car will be a possibility.

Railex’s (Germany) models in Z gauge include Wurttemberg coaches from the 19th century made of brass and released a number of years ago with designation “Wurttemberger Zug – Set 1”:

Siding: Railex models in Z include coaches, freight cars, and locomotives with a primary focus on early 19th century German trains. Locomotives although very finely detailed and handcrafted lack their own power, ghost cars are generally used to propel the trains with motors hidden in coaches. Railex models are unique in Z having released many limited models exclusively in metal of prototypes not generally touched on by other manufacturers.

Siding: K.W.St.E. is the abbreviation for Koniglich Wurttembergischen Staats-Eisenbahnen with English designation Royal Wurttemberg State Railways.

 

FR: 1960 Talsvagn Cinema and Bistro car of the SJ 46.220.31

Another new release by FR is the combination Cinema and Bistro car to supplement the 2 car sets: 46.220.32 and 46.221.32 with early 90’s paint scheme and lettering.

46.220.32

46.221.32

Based on the prototype half the car features elevated seating and cinema screen, other half features bar/bistro counter, bankettes and seating. And I am talking about the model too! Model features hand-painting of interior details thereby accentuating the elegant features inside this coach.

FR: Bio / Bistro (Cinema and Bistro) 46.220.31

Of course FR offers an LED lightpanel by Oliver Passmann custom designed for all the 1960 Talsvagn coaches, but in this case an easy modification needs to be made including filing down the slot housing the capacitor. A Dremel tool with blunt end fine grit grinding tool at low speed will remove enough of the extra floor panel giving room for the large capacitor. Note: other 1960 Talsvagn coaches do not require modification.

 

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.

 

Marklin 88195: Swiss Federal Railway (SBB) ES 64 F4 locomotive

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.