39579 Electric Express Locomotive

Prototype:
German Federal Railroad (DB) class 103.1. Regular production version with double rows of vents, smooth exterior walls, front skirting, large windshields and singlearm pantographs.

Model:
Locomotive comes with a digital decoder, controlled C-Sine high-efficiency propulsion, light functions, and remote-controlled pantographs. 3 axes powered. 4 tractions tires. Headlights and marker lights will work in conventional operation and can be controlled digitally.
Engine room lights, mechanism for raising and lowering both pantographs as well as acceleration and braking delay can be controlled digitally with the 6021 Control Unit. Maintenance-free LED's are used for headlights and marker lights. Engineer's cabs have interior details. 18 individual, separately applied metal handrails. Detailed roof equipment. Open front skirting and close coupler can be replaced by a closed version with brake hoses that can be attached and with a reproduction prototype coupler. Length over buffers 21.9cm / 8-5/8".

The 39579 locomotive is being produced in a one-time series only for Insider members. Delivery is planned for the end of 2003.

After the first prototypes E03 004 that were successfully tested overa period of 5 years, regular production of the express locomotives now classifeid as 103 took place starting in 1970. For around 20 years, 145 units formed the backbone of the high quality express train service offered by the German Federal Railroad (DB).

With an output of 7,780 kilowatts or 10,433 horsepower and a weight of 114 metric tons, passenger trains could be run with scheduled speeds of up to 250 km/h or 156 mph - this locomotive was techinically far in advance of the available rolling stock.

In the meantime, these unit have had to make way for the newer class 101 and above all, for the ICE, that is currently defining long distance passenger service. Due to their high level of reliability, many "103" units have escaped retirement and are used for special service and to fill in for newer types of locomotives, when the latter fail.

This model of the class 103.1 is being presented as the first Mäklin HO locomotive with a regular production, built-in mechanism for raising and lowering both pantographs. The remote control is made possible by the use of new miniature technologies; specially developed piezo motors in the small mechanism unit and control electronics that are precisely designed for use with teh locomotive decoder. Each of the two pantographs can be raised up or lowered from the catenary independently from digital locomotive controller. The motion of the pantographs is prototypically slow and gentle.
The running operation of the locomotive is permenently connected to power coming from the center conductor in the track, in order to guarantee the reliability of the power supply for controlling the pantographs.

Prototype:
German Federal Railroad (DB) class 42.90 Franco-Crosti.

Model:
Locomotive comes with a 5-pole Mini-Club motor. All driving axles powered. Length over buffers 107 mm / 4-3/16".

The 88040 freight locomotive is being produced in 2003 in a one-time series only for Insider members.

The 82518 freight car set goes well with the 88040 freight locomotive.

What was the special feature of this steam locomotive innovation from Era III? It was a new method from the two Italian engineers Franco und Crostiwhereby the hot exhaust gases expelled from the smoke stack were used to preheat the boiler water. According to this principle that had been successfully used in Italy since 1938, the coal consumption for steam locomotives can clearly be reduced. Coal was sought after commodity and therefore relatively expensive in the period afte the war and during the rebuilding of Germany. So, in 1950 the German Federal Railroad adopted this method and had Henschel convert two new class 52 locomotives with Franco-Crosti exhaust gas preheaters. They were designed as the class 42.90 due to the increase in weight. A striking feature of these locomotives was the two main flat smoke stacks the rise up on both sides of teh boiler in order not to block the engineer's view. They lend the Franco-Crosti units their typical look. In 1959/60 both of these locomotives were retired from service.