Marklin BR 218 in Z! What else?

The German BR 218 diesel locomotive includes numerous variants following the 1968 reclassification of the V 164. Six of those variations produced in Z by Marklin are included here. Many versions of a Marklin Z loco suggest to me many fans of this prototypical class otherwise Marklin would have produced some other loco instead. A relatively short rather boxy locomotive with trim ends describes this loco in short order, but what makes this loco so cool is all of that and more. A compact and I dare say elegant locomotive that was appealing to its engineers as a quiet alternative to steam engines, and a generally good locomotive to be assigned to if your career was as a coveted engineer, at least to me. 2500- 2800 horsepower isn’t bad coupled with multiple gear ratios thus giving this loco the stature of ‘multi-class’ locomotive. A long history is one way to mark success, of the nearly 400 built many are still in operation throughout Germany: 40+ years (*nearly 50 but who’s counting). And that’s 7 days a week most weeks for those 40+ years! Happy belated birthday old friend!

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  1. 81782- H.F. WIEBE, former class 218, privately owned and lettered for the firm H.F. WIEBE. Originally sold as part of a train set with rolling stock lettered for H.F. WIEBE. Sold through Conrad Electronics in an edition of 500.
  2. 88786- DB, BR 218, operating number 218 320-0, ocean blue and beige paint scheme
  3. 88787- DB AG, BR 218, operating number 218 260-8, current ‘traffic red’ paint scheme,        Era VI, One Time Series 2013

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4. 8878- DB, BR 218, operating number 218 438-0, Era IV, Marklin Program: 1988-2008                   5. 8879- DB, BR 218, operating number 218 104-8, Era IV, Marklin Program: 1989-2004                   6. 8880- DB, BR 218, experimental paint scheme, operating number 218 217-8, Era IV, Marklin Program: 1990-1999

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Quiz: Can you name the locos?