Category Archives: Nuremberg Toy Fair Releases

Marklin 88146: Already Rare or at Least Hard to Find

Marklin 88146 (released 2021)

I plan to spend a little more time with this model in a future post, but for now I am sending a shout out to anyone interested that now is the time to track one down even if you have a preorder for it.

Marklin 88146 (released 2021)

In October (2021) Marklin sent a letter to dealers announcing a limited release of this model, they further explained the release would be smaller than anticipated and not all customers with preorders would receive one. I am one such customer thus when one became available on Ebay I ordered it. Some models might still be available through Marklin’s USA Dealer network or German dealers on Ebay.

Note about the model: small steam powered locomotive with passenger compartment based on the Era II prototype with paint and lettering for the German State Railroad. Manufactured in China, Marklin 88146 is a companion to the earlier release 88145, both are similar in appearance with the exception of paint and lettering, add-on parts and mechanism are identical. Collectors sometimes comment on Chinese manufacturing as a problem, but every add-on part which there are many was individually applied. And this level of production with a Marklin Z release is usually well done in China. “Usually” is the word of the day: my first 88146 was missing the left hand side rod, my second one was missing the add-on part installed behind left cab window. Both defects are covered by Marklin’s 2 Year Warranty, but I will be without this locomotive for quite some time.

Marklin 88146 (released 2021) + Nuremberg Toy Fair Cars (White Box Edition)

Paint, lettering, and details are finely produced on this model, it is a perfect locomotive to feature in a small railroad perhaps in a country setting too! It could be conceived to be a railcar propelled with steam propulsion, this all-in-one locomotive with passenger compartment can be hitched to a coach or freight wagon as the prototype required. Two Nuremberg Toy Fair cars from 2008 and 2017 complete the train each commemorates German Railroad history. The 2008 Toy Fair car painted and lettered for the RHEINGOLD train, and 2017 Toy Fair Car commemorates the 60th anniversary of Trans Europ Express.

Marklin 88146 (released 2021) + Nuremberg Toy Fair Cars (White Box Edition)

Siding: Laser-cut cardboard building kit featured here is newly released (2021) by Faller as item #282773 (Eutin Pharmacy).

Marklin 2017 Toy Fair Loco: E 94 in BLACK: 88228!!!!

The 2017 Toy Fair Loco 88228 is painted and lettered in celebration of Theodor Friedrich Wilhelm Marklin’s 200th birthday. The very attractive release of another E 94 this time with black paint scheme and red handrails based on a fictional prototype. I use the word “another” in jest, one never tires of this electric locomotive with articulated frame.

Presented in a wooden display case the locomotive is further packaged in a box printed with illustrations of Marklin’s historical articles preceding their specialty in manufacturing trains.

Features new generation of brushless motor and LED lighting.

 

Marklin 81001: “Leig-Einheit” Train Set

If you happen to own the Z Collection Book from 2015 you may notice this train set cataloged as DB, it is actually an Era II DRG train set. I have poured over this book which is a useful aid in researching Marklin Z and this is the first typo I have noticed.

Produced in 2011 – 2013 this train set included two pairs of GII “Leig-Einhart” Dresden box cars permanently coupled together. Coupled to a class 86 tank locomotive this lightweight train as it is referred formed a goods train in Era II, its development followed the need to procure lightweight trains for fast freight service with speed approved to 100 km/hour. This trainset would last until 1978.

The locomotive at the head of this train is the BR 86 tank locomotive as can be seen in the photos the tanks run either side of the boiler, this design cleverly allowed for some preheating of the water tank at the same time adding stability to the locomotive operation, its limitation was only the amount of coal it could carry.

Fifteen years of production starting in 1928 yielded 775 total units for regional and branch line service. One of Germany’s longest serving steam locos the class 86 served variously throughout Germany for 60 years.

Marklin’s 81001 BR 86 locomotive is painted and lettered for Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft (DRG), it features a 5 pole motor with 4 pairs of driving wheels and cast metal body with many detail features.

The 81001 train set is sold out at the factory but a recent search shows these to be available through various dealers.

Good luck and have fun!

Siding: an excellent resource for regular production Marklin Z is the 800 page catalog Collection Marklin Z, published by modellplan GbR, 2015. Its author Thomas Zeeb has provided the “go to guide” for collectors of Marklin Z. This number one source was included with the release of the 2015 Toy Fair loco: BR 111 with experimental paint scheme. The book and the loco were delivered in an attractive black box illustrated with its contents. Marklin item number for the set is 88422.