Category Archives: Freight: Autos

Atelier Barkvieren (AB): NSB Locomotive Class EL-16

AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16
AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16
AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16
AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16
AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16

By now collectors of FR Freudenreich of Germany should be aware of Harald Freudenreich’s new company: Atelier Barkvieren (AB). The only significant change has been logo and rebranding: articles continue to be presented in custom acrylic boxes with new logo ‘AB’ in red versus FR’s former blue logo. The recent release electric locomotive for NSB as Class EL-16 is evidence of Harald’s continued high level of design/craftsmanship/execution in Z gauge.

AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16

Locomotive could be ordered analogue or digital, I ordered mine as analogue. As with most locos produced by Harald Freudenreich this one is no different exhibiting substantial weight for pulling long trains. Further this loco has a maintenance free motor which he has installed in locos for years prior to Marklin’s current practice.

AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16
AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16

This is a lovely loco with very bright red paint scheme and yellow snowplows. Paint scheme is distinctive as it is used by the NSB Railway (Norwegian State Railways). The former company FR produced another electric loco for NSB as Class EL-18 (47.198.10) in an edition of 30. This loco included a modified Class 460 Marklin shell repainted and lettered, it included a snowplow that required separate installation by collector following small modification to shell. Surprisingly Marklin never produced this loco in Z although one was produced for HO, perhaps a future release is in the making?

FR 47.198.10 Class EL-18
FR 47.198.10 Class EL-18
FR 47.198.10 Class EL-18
FR 47.198.10 Class EL-18
FR 47.198.10 Class EL-18
FR 47.198.10 Class EL-18: snowplows are cast metal, they were glued on to shell after shell modification unlike locos that followed with plows attached to truck assembly

Performance of this loco is exceptional of course with 4 operating lights activated for direction of travel, but trailing lights are not included. The loco I ordered is non-digital, it is robust, but motor noise is noticeable perhaps due to my basic test track installed directly on plastic table, cork or foam roadbed will certainly deaden the sound. Not sure if the digital version includes sound, and I don’t know if it features a VELMO decoder. My train collection is mostly for display thus opting for the analogue version of this loco made sense for me. I have digital FR locos and a few Marklin ones too, and they provide an experience running trains on par with their HO ccounterparts with surprisingly loud and defined sound features.

AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16 + FR 47.819.02 “Motortransport”

Detailing includes numerous add-on parts including mirrors that are silvered. Roof equipment is well detailed and pantographs are item specific and scaled accurate unlike the more generic Marklin pantos.

AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16 + FR 47.819.02 “Motortransport”

Paired with the earlier release freight set: 47.819.02- Norges Statsbaner AS (Norwegian State Railways-NSB) “Motortransport” 4 car set with two pairs of permanently coupled type Hccrrs autotransportwagens privately owned and lettered for Auto Transport Service A.s. Drammen. Four car set includes 2 pairs locked together with drawbar and vestibules.

AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16 + FR 47.819.02 “Motortransport”
AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16 + FR 47.819.02 “Motortransport”
AB 47.137.11 Class EL-16 + FR 47.819.02 “Motortransport”

Marklin 81699 diesel train set with interesting load

Hardly enough sets seem to have made it to the United States, but for the lucky few the 81699 train set featuring a diesel locomotive and 2 freight cars with loads is another highly desirable version of the V100 locomotive.

Favored by its operators for good handling, visibility, and ease of maintenance, the V100’s side panels were completely removable allowing full access to the motor and components.

Marklin’s “Light Freight Train” 81699 Era III train set is packaged in a small carton with current graphics, it includes the locomotive with operating number V100 2112 and 2 type X 05 freight cars with Tempo Hanseat delivery truck loads. The vans feature metal construction and rubber tires that roll. Locomotive uses the traditional 5 pole motor with brushes, it features LED lighting that change over with direction of travel. Note: prototypical framework holds trucks in place.

A mighty fine design and production makes this and all the V100’s extremely good reliable runners with excellent pulling power. If you need to replace brushes the shell simply pulls off and snaps back in place.

Train can be seen traversing one of the 4 bridges at Hamburg’s Dammtor station released a few years ago as items numbers 89792 (station) + 89793 (arcades and bridges).

Siding: assembling Marklin’s Dammtor station 89792 is fun, it requires many hours to construct, but the completed project is a beautiful. Special note: Dammtor station kit has a 2 layer roof sheathing each piece is only glued to building edges one side at a time and allow to dry. Using glue between the sheets and above the trusses will lead to permanent rippling of the materials.

Marklin 8904: auto set worth considering or reconsidering!

In the program forever maybe (?) is the Marklin 8904 Bausatz PKW (automotive) set. Here is a nice build kit worth considering in the current paint schemes and car types.

Four car types each including 3 of each in various paint schemes. Note: each car type is packaged separately with complementary parts. A simple snap and glue kit of 3 parts for a finished car: shell, frame and glazing. The solid glazing part is sandwiched between the shell and frame after applying two tiny drops of glue, I used Faller Super Expert which is a solvent based glue that dries fast.

Originally designed as an accessory to use on a layout these cars also fill out the load on the auto transport cars including the last release car set 87092 which included 3 auto transport cars DDm 915.

Marklin Autoreisezug 87092

If you need to fill up a parking lot quick this kit takes a little more than a minute a car and includes 12 autos with good detailing. As an added bonus each car can be customized by painting in the bumpers and lamps. Add a white roof to add contrast to the rest of the car.

A real bargain selling for $1.25 a car! Can’t beat that! And will be rust free forever!

FR Week: NSB Auto Transport 47.819.02

Auto transport is one type of freight all world railroads carry as a load, but in Norway autos are sheltered from vandals and the elements in enclosed boxcars. Type Hccrrs auto transport cars are very interesting in design and function owing to their unique appearance. A bellows gangway connects the cars with signage lettering for Auto Transport Service A.s Drammen.

FR’s attention to detail and precision manufacturing is evident in these cars, much time passed between announcement of the new release and availability: several years in fact. Modeling the bellows connection slowed release until a perfect solution was achieved. Design and manufacturing are slow going processes that perfectionist manufacturers like FR have in common with other firms thus if not as many releases are coming out of your favorite manufacturer it is probably due to how much they care about getting it right.

Model: metal construction with permanent metal drawbar connecting pairs of cars with marklin couplers.

The cars in this set are sold in pairs with item ending in ’02’ indicating two pairs thus this item number is 47.819.02 (47 indicating country code for NSB).