Category Archives: Steam Locomotives

Marklin 81371: “Heavy Freight” Train Set (factory weathered)

Marklin’s Era III 81371 train set is still available but in limited supply: 499 sets. The train set features the heavy freight loco class 44 paired with 6 hoppers. Striking in appearance, the set features realistic heavy weathering and detailed running gear. Lot’s of action from greatly improved side rods is what’s going on in Z at Marklin these days: steam locos with grit and character more closely resembling their prototypes than ever before.

Manufactured well before the Second World War and through it until ’49 the BR 44 was a heavy hauler freight locomotive. Its numbers approached 2000, but not all locomotives stayed in Germany, twenty five percent stayed within the railways of PKP, OBB, CSD, SNCF, and DR after the war and today all but two remain operational.

The 81371 locomotive with operating number BR 44 1754 features 10 coupled and powered driving wheels with smoke deflectors. Weathering on the locomotive is tinted red with light but heavy application leaving all inscriptions legible which is a fine trick and difficult to achieve. The prototypical color of the weathering is suggestive of the acidity created by the mixing coal soot and steam on the sides of the iron boilers and plates.

Marklin has been slowly releasing weathered versions of locos and rolling stock after regular versions have debuted. For modelers looking for more and more realism these Marklin weathered items are tops! Surely impossible to weather as well as Marklin has done here certain talented folks out there could attempt the same with airbrushing, but color is as important as technique, and I am glad not to have to attempt it here!

*Archistories Prussian brick loco shed gives accurate scale to this loco thus providing historical context as well.

Six type Ootz hopper cars weathered with sooty black complete the set with lettering Erz IId. No coal loads are included, but the empty cars include weathering throughout their bays. This car type included two partitioned sections each with sloping hoppers for very quick dumping of bulk materials.

Siding: airbrushing results are far easier and trouble free with water based paints likewise water based final coat of clear lacquer should be considered to protect your work.

Siding: 81371 comes packaged in a carton housing cartons for 2 sets of 3 hoppers and 1 for the loco, item numbers printed on the cartons is as follows: hoppers (81371-01 + 81371-02) and loco (81371-03). Boxes are important to collectors and keeping them pristine is important too: open flap boxes with a butter knife to save from denting and dinging. And no butter on that knife!

 

Marklin’s Steam Railcar “Kittel”: 88145

Wow!

I have been waiting patiently and other times impatiently for Marklin 88145, there were times I didn’t even think I would receive one, but last week I took delivery of one from the dealer Frank Daniels (zscalehobo.com). I can only wonder if the release was smaller than Marklin planned with some pre-orders not filled including a second one I ordered as soon as it was announced many moons ago. Note: pre-orders maybe filled, I haven’t received word as of yet that more are not on the way.

88145 is a further milestone in Marklin Z with prototypical accuracy, excellent running performance due to a brushless motor, and extremely fine detail work including many add-on parts. Add-on parts are always part of the finish detail work on Z locos, but the 88145 includes added details only found with the small firms of FR and Modellbau Z whose quality handmade products are unmatched but equaled with Marklin 88145. The add-on parts include cabin chimneys on roof along with top cap for boiler, but also grab-on rails fore and aft (nod to my recently deceased Father-In-Law who was a sailor) with platforms and accurate detailing on one end with buffer beam detailing including hoses, step-ups and coupling.

The paint scheme is crimson with lettering for DB thus an Era III locomotive but built in 1905 with firebox designed by Eugen Kittel. Two class Kittel CidT 8 steam powered rail cars were used on provincial railroads in Germany until their retirement in the early ’50s. A rather remarkable little rail car with but 4 passenger bays this locomotive would have hauled a freight car or two thus offering a dual purpose on less profitable routes.

As for the model — 88145 will prove to be a very big deal in Z modeling! And under the hood just as complex in design and fabrication as the outer shell! Parts diagram includes numerous mechanical and add-on parts thus confirming the necessary amount of assembly labor involved in this release.

The only point of comparison to be made with small high end manufacturers is add-on parts are made of injection molded plastic rather than etched nickel silver, but it is hardly a discrepancy worth noting as these parts are perfection! Running performance although not tested on all track by this reviewer could be assumed to be rather poor through turnouts or dead spots (due to lightweight and short wheelbase), but continuous rail there is no loss in power or performance witnessed.

All positive! The new Marklin 88145 is superb, but it maybe a once only production: the price tag on this release should have been comparable to other locos on the market with similar workings and detail work, instead it sold for at least half maybe 3 times less than comparable locos on the market: assembly labor alone must have been very high.

I would like to see Marklin continue with outrageous models such as this one, maybe a second line like the “Fine Art” series from a few years back that did not take hold.

A quick note on the carton: loco was delivered in the current white carton with loco housed in a two part plastic sleeve similar to ones used in the HO line to protect the delicate add-on parts, mine arrived with pristine paint and nothing broken. *Even the box was thoughtfully designed! Lastly: box has a “Made in China” sticker attached to it which makes perfect sense to me, Chinese labor is very good with fussy and intricate assembly of tiny parts and this model is exceptional in every way, it maybe the best Z loco in terms of detail work and craftsmanship.

Siding: I am a long time collector of Marklin Z, all periods in Marklin Z are represented in my collection. A few fears ago Marklin produced Z in China much to the consternation of fellow collectors, with very few exceptions “Made in China” did not resonate with me as poor quality or less collectible than “Made in Germany”, Z products continued to arrive during this time-frame that more than satisfied this collector. And I suffer from extreme pickiness! First time I have admitted to that in public. We may only have the Marklin 88145 because it was made in China which may turn out to be one of the most sought after models by Z-scalers in years to come.

A perfect boxcar for the loco and timeframe is a G 10 from set 86391 or 86392 (not pictured).

Siding: Faller’s 282781card-stock building is depicted in this post, it includes two kits glued together.

German Federal Railroad BR 38: Marklin 88998

Marklin’s 2013 announcement of the 88998 was the last in a long line of P8 locomotive versions this one being the Era III class 38 with tub style tender painted and lettered for the German Federal Railroad. With a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement and operating number 38 1910 this locomotive has smoke deflectors installed indicative of later Era P8’s.

But this release was more than another version featuring new lettering and paint scheme it also featured improved side rods thus including partial new tooling of a proven design. Further improvements include LED headlamps.

Coupled to the locomotive is a large high capacity tub style tender a feature of post-war locomotives in this class.

The 5 pole motor works perfectly to move this locomotive effortlessly down the tracks even at slow speeds, but it is perhaps the last version of this locomotive type that will feature a traditional brush motor as Marklin continues to incorporate the new technologies of brushless motors into the mini-club line-up!

Grand Ducal Baden State Railways P8 Locomotive: Marklin 88999

Another version of the P8 steam locomotive was released by Marklin in the colorful 88999 for Bad. Stsb. (Grand Ducal Baden State Railways). The model was announced in 2009 in bright Prussian Blue paint scheme with hand painted brass boiler bands, it features a five pole motor and cast metal construction thus providing the weight and ballast for excellent pulling capacity. The P8 in Era I for Bad.Stsb. did not have smoke deflectors installed as with later Era locomotives in this class thus they are not present on this model.

The prototype was built in the years 1906-1923 for a total production of more than 3000, it would prove to be a hugely successful locomotive in service in some cases as long as 5 decades. Prewar P8’s were coupled with small capacity tenders whereby post war P8’s were coupled with tub style tenders authentically modeled by Marklin in other mini-club locos of this class.

The running performance of all versions of mini-club P8’s is outstanding even at low speeds.

Siding: numerous versions of the P8 exist in the mini-club line up including trainsets, it was even updated with improved side rods, but it still uses the proven 5 pole motor with traditional brushes and armature: brushless motors maybe on the horizon for future versions of the P8, but I hesitate to wholly endorse this improvement.

ETAT Class 231 Express Locomotive

The 2008 mini-club release of an Era II French State Railways (ETAT) class 231 express locomotive was included with trainset 81080 (“International Long-Distance Express Train”) which also included 4 coaches and a baggage car painted and lettered for International Sleeping Car and Dining Car Company (CIWL).

The operating number for this locomotive (231-997) indicates it was originally a class C Wurttemberg with 4-6-2 wheel arrangement. Following WW1 three class C’s were given to France with operating numbers 231-997, 231-998 and 231-999 assigned by Chemins de Fer de l’Etat. In service until 1937 all three locomotives were destroyed by bombing in 1944, Marklin’s 81080 locomotive preserves the prototype of the class 231-997.

The model is beautifully painted and lettered with hand-painted bands. Excellent weight and 5 pole motor make this a locomotive with very good running performance even at slow speeds.

 

 

 

 

 

New SJ L5 steam locomotive build kit from FR: Part 2

Not long ago I posted about FR’s recent release of the class L5 steam loco for SJ, it is a build kit, and I just received mine today! The kit is a well designed precision kit, it provides a rarity for Z modeling.

The kit comes packaged in a plastic container with numerous parts enclosed along with visual instructions. It is a kit that requires a Marklin 8801, 88956 or 8803 for motive power along with modification of the side rods and painting the wheels black. The cylinders were placed within the locomotive chassis in the prototype thus the cylinders are removed for this model.

Note: Marklin tender is not required for this kit which provides the correct prototypical tender for the loco.

For those experienced with building rolling stock in Z or working with nickel silver this kit is self explanatory, but for the inexperienced modeler this kit should not be the first. Accumulating some experience with building etched metal buildings should probably come first for new modelers: gaining soldering experience with bigger parts first will be invaluable for assembling the small parts in this kit. I am in the process of learning to do these kits starting first with the excellent non powered Behnke kits offered by Scandinavian Galleries Quality Toys. Behnke kits do not provide instructions and careful interpretation is required to fully understand how they go together, but they are excellent kits that combine gluing, soldering and bending of small nickel silver parts; they provide a good place to start before tackling the very interesting L5 kit.

The packaging of the L5 kit separates parts according to their purpose instead of throwing everything together thus taking care of the guesswork. The beautifully cast metal boiler and cast plastic tender trucks are included with etched nickel and add-on parts such as the buffers which are brass. The tender also includes a tiny circuit board to allow it to pick-up power with its three axles.

Note: The age old technique of picking up additional power from the tender’s wheelsets is a very effective way to increase performance of small steam locos through turnouts and the like!

Some of the add-on parts are super tiny so I highly recommend a very fine tip soldering iron as well as 5 minute epoxy which work hand in hand on models. Until I build this kit I won’t exercise a preference for using glue over solder and vice versa for specific steps, suffice to say solder will be used more.

Paint finish will be applied with airbrush and water based paint followed by decals provided.  A finish coat of clear water based acrylic is always required otherwise the finish and decals would wear.

The kit is FR Item #46.140.91, it is currently available.

What you need to complete the locomotive: 1. Marklin 8801, 88956, or 8803 2. water based paint best suited for airbrushing 3. patience 4. time 5. soldering iron and/or 5 minute epoxy 6. tweezers 7. Xacto blade for cutting parts from sheet 8. time 9. patience 10. magnifying binoculars

Be the first kid on the block to own an L5 SJ steam locomotive in Z!

Stayed tuned for my future post on the completed L5 along with some tips on building the kit.

 

Streamlined Tank Locomotive BR 61 001: “Henschel-Wegmann”

The legacy of Marklin Z collecting is the historical heritage charted with unusual locomotives such as those we can no longer see in person. Germany’s BR 61 001 was one of two locomotives used for express train service for the Henschel-Wegmann trainset: Dresden-Berlin Route. Two versions of the BR 61 001 have been produced by Marklin for Z gauge: original prototype version (81436 trainset) and post-war version (88610).

photos: Marklin 81436 – Henschel-Wegmann BR 61 001 (DRG)

Built in 1935 the BR 61 001 (DRG) was a carefully designed locomotive for speed and efficiency, its lightweight and streamlining including coaches allowed increased speed, plus hauling just enough coal and water for one-way travel allowed further weight limits thus replenishing supplies in Berlin or Dresden was an efficiency standard implemented by its design.

photos: Marklin Z BR 61 001 (DRG) *originally released by Marklin as the “Henschel-Wegmann” trainset 81436 included 4 streamlined coaches with matching paint scheme not pictured.

Note: Marklin 81436 was the 2005 One Time Release for Insider Members.

Speed was everything in the mid 30’s with the BR 61 001 competing with the speed record set by the 1932 “Flying Hamburger” of 99mph seen here as Marklin 88870: 

 

The BR 61 001 was no slouch setting a record 109mph which would remain unbroken for the Dresden-Berlin route through the next century.

photos: Marklin 81436 – BR 61 001 (DRG) original prototype

Post War the BR 61 001 was repainted and lettered for the German Federal Railroad and allocated to Bw Hannover. Its use was limited to 6 months in the late 40’s followed by 1 year of service logging thousands of miles between November 1950 and November 1951 whereupon it suffered serious accident damage, a year later (1952) it was retired and finally scrapped in 1957.

photos: Marklin 88610 – BR 61 001 German Federal Railroad (DB) post-war version

Streamlining of early German steam locos was perfected with the class 61 incorporating the tank locomotive concept with bold body contouring which allowed fast express train service, it was state of the art in the mid 30’s whose life was cut short in the early 50’s. Another example of preserved railway history in Marklin Z.

photos: Marklin 88610

Note: fine detailing and large brass steam whistle

Will there be a BR 61 002 released in mini-club? The more powerful locomotive built in 1939 featured larger water tanks, smoke deflectors and 3 axle bogie, such a release would complete the historical record of this locomotive class.

Marklin Insider 88507: cab forward BR 05 DRG

One of the more interesting Z items released in the past few years was the 2014 Marklin Insider “Fine Art” edition 88507. The release of the BR 05 Era II cab forward steam locomotive marked the first and hopefully not the last special “Fine Art” releases, it was produced in brass with numerous add-on parts and filigree spoke wheels. Motive power is provided by new coreless motor with bell shaped armature. Available to Insider Members, the release was presented in special packaging including wooden box and certificate. Possibly due to the high price of this locomotive some were not delivered and a few are still available from dealers including Reynauld’s in IL.

Built in 1937 the BR 05 003 was the only cab forward design produced of the class 05, it resumed post war service in 1950 after restoration work was performed by Krauss-Maffei, it was retired in 1958. Cab forward steam locomotives are a technical marvel which allow better visibility but require larger crews.

The Marklin model is 5 inches in length over buffers, due to brass casting it is heavy featuring a robust motor thus mechanically sound and smooth running. If the locomotive is displayed it can be fitted with full skirting provided with the model or skirting can be removed for running on track with maximum radius of 195mm, with full skirting the locomotive can only go straight. Spacing adjustable between locomotive and tender. As with past historical releases Marklin has included a cast metal builder’s plate for Borsig.

BR 05 003 was scrapped in 1960, photographs and technical models provide the historical record of this interesting locomotive.

Siding: joining the Marklin Insider Club is less than a $100 a year, member benefits include the annual Club Car in the scale of choice, Marklin Insider Magazin, Insider Model reservation certificate, Insider Club News, annual catalog, laminated club card with member’s name, and “Year of Marklin” DVD.

 

 

 

SJ L5 Locomotive: FR’s new release build kit

An important new release for SJ railroading in Z is FR’s L5 steam locomotive, it comes in the form of a build kit with etched metal parts, cast boiler, and SJ decals. Note: I ordered mine and in a follow-up post I will review the kit and step-by-step photos. If you are new to soldering and assembling nickel silver/brass etched kits either buildings or trains the right tools make all the difference for this fun and rewarding extension of Z railroading: stay tuned!

FR L5 locomotive item #46.140.91 is available directly from FR for a little more than $100 USD including shipping. Ordering from FR is easy and shipping to the United States is fast. Visit FR’s homepage http://fr-model.homepage.t-online.de/ and set-up an account. Note: 19% VAT is reduced from posted Euro pricing for United States buyers.

The finished model includes loco shell only and tender without wheels, to complete the project Marklin class 24 or 74 locos provide the motive power. At this time I am not sure the recent release class 74’s are appropriate for this kit due to their new side rod design, perhaps the class 24’s with tenders are better choices due to the inclusion of the tenders and its wheelsets(?). I will follow-up next week after receiving my kit!

As is always the case with FR postings, I wish to announce new releases by this small high precision manufacturer because their offerings quickly sell out.

Prototype: class L5 locomotive built by NOHAB in the 1930’s was designated as a branchline passenger and freight locomotive of which 5 were built in Trollhattan.

 

 

New Propulsion: Marklin’s foray into brushless motors

This isn’t the first, and it won’t be last post commenting on the new motors for Marklin Z. With progress comes nervousness and apprehension about the future, and the new Marklin motors for Z are one such progression.

Oiling the wheel sets and keeping the wheels clean is all that is required for maintaining these new motors and locos. The new generation of Marklin Z includes numerous new item releases, re-tooling of older designs, greater detail of running gears, pantograph screws moved to the inside of electric locos, and new propulsion. In some cases the new propulsion replaces 3 and 5 pole motors used in older well known locos, and other newly tooled locos are designed with the new motor types. Brushless motors have been used by numerous manufacturers of Z with excellent results including FR, Z-Modellbau and Archistories.

My open question: Should Marklin start using this new technology? On the one hand the 5 pole was a very positive replacement for the 3 pole: quieter with smoother running performance, but the brushless motors are supposed to be even more quiet and smoother with lower idling speeds. There is more maintenance with the 3 and 5 pole including replacing brushes and unlocking transmission and running gears when oil hardens from prolonged storage. Everything seems to support this new advancement, but for some maybe not. The traditional motor is strong and durable winning the Guinness World Record for continuous running: 1219 hours in 1978. If it isn’t broke why fix it? Which takes me to the impetus for this post and my personal experience with the new steam loco 88974 featuring the new motor. Inexplicably this loco stops dead in its tracks on a clean oval test track after running well for a few minutes, it will resume running in the opposite direction before returning to running forward until it stops again. Problem solving with the traditional motor is easy with the new one it is more elusive. Possibly more precision is required to align the new motor and gearing owing to the precision hand assembly at FR and Z-Modellbau and their mastery with this new type of motor? Collectors of Marklin Z are in the early stages of acquiring Marklin locos with the new motor and maybe this is simply the “learning curve” phase.

Side by side comparison of the same class loco (new and old) shows the adaptation of the new motor in an older mini-club loco type. Locomotive Serie 231 Pacific lettered for SNCF from Orient Express set 8108 (1988-1997 released with 3 pole motor which can upgrade to 5 pole) photo: top shelf and Class S 3/6 lettered for K.Bay.Sts.B (One Time Series 2015 New Releases with current brushless 5 pole motor) photo: bottom shelf.

Note: larger physical presence of new motor extending outside the cab than the older brush motor.

Siding: Google brushless motors for detailed description versus brush motors and share your insights with me, I would enjoy adding to my understanding and education with this new technology. Cheers to Marklin for the continuing evolution of Z gauge.