By Peter Pernsteiner

The peak season for working on model railways begins in autumn, when the evenings at home get longer again. That’s why the 2nd of December was chosen as "Model Railway Day" ... when manufacturers, dealers and clubs organise a wide range of activities. The railway and model railway enthusiasts at the Taufkirchen/Vils club (EMFT) in Upper Bavaria are currently working at full speed. The club, founded 35 years ago, has ambitious plans: In a rented cellar in the centre of the village, they have been working for the last five years on a model railway world measuring around 100 square metres on a scale of 1:87 and it is now in the final stages of completion. It is a wonderful combination of exact reproduction of nostalgic branch line romanticism from the 1960s and modernity including Austrian Nightjet trains, TGVs and much more. Not everything has to be taken deadly seriously. Recently, they constructed a gigantic railway station building based on historical models, but instead of sculptures, there are cast figures of Gauls and Romans on the roof and porches (see photo). Maybe it is thanks to these combinations that allow room for imagination that the club’s 56 members include six kids aged between 9 and 15 and three young adults under 30. For example, the layout includes a completely self-made modern electric locomotive maintenance shed with inspection pit and adjoining administration building. It even features office workers who have fallen asleep at their desks. And for the prototype enthusiasts, there are scenes such as preparing a maypole for erection.

10th Model Railway Day

The tenth "Model Railway Day" is being held on 2 December 2024. This special day was launched in 2015 at the initiative of the German TV series Eisenbahn-Romantik (Railway Romance) together with the European Association of Model Railway and Railway Enthusiasts - MOROP - and other associations. Around this date, clubs, manufacturers and specialist dealers bring new life into this hobby, which has been sadly forgotten by so many. A lot of events can be found here on an interactive map and a list. In addition, during the whole run-up to Christmas there are lots of exhibitions, promotional areas in shopping centres and much, much more. The small series manufacturer KM1 Modellbau, for example, has created a 20-metre-long Gauge 1 modular layout for its in-house exhibition on 7 December. The layout will remain on show until January 2025, and visitors can play on it to their heart’s content - even bringing their own locomotives and rolling stock.

Traditionally, most of the major manufacturers only present their new products for 2025 after Christmas and until the Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg. In principle, this is also the case with Märklin. However, the market leader has already presented two annual models for the members of its "Insider" customer club. For fans of the classic H0 world on a scale of 1:87, there is a model of a Class E 95 electric locomotive, six of which were delivered to the Deutsche Reichsbahn almost 100 years ago. The original locomotive was more than 20 metres long, weighed 138.5 tonnes and had a continuous output of 3200 hp. Alongside lots of digitally switchable light and sound functions, the 241 mm long, die-cast zinc Märklin locomotive has two electrically liftable pantographs and an energy buffer to bridge power interruptions on heavily soiled tracks. Since the locomotive was originally designed for coal trains weighing up to 2200 tonnes, Märklin also presented a set with ten matching Oot Oldenburg type large-capacity dump cars and a Type Pwg Pr 14 freight train escort wagon. The second new product announced for the club will make the hearts of Z-Gauge model railway enthusiasts beat faster. The Class 628.2 diesel-powered rail car coupled with a Class 928.2 Cab control car was delivered to Deutsche Bahn in 150 units from 1988. It was used in local and regional transport for more than 25 years. The train set on a scale of 1:220 is 207 mm long and can run in multiple units like the prototype.

Large wagons and locomotives

The numerous manufacturers of small series Gauge 1 models on a scale of 1:32 generally announce new products throughout the year. The small series manufacturer Steiner Modellwerke, for example, recently presented the first pre-production model of a fascinatingly finely detailed German state railway stake wagon, the prototype of which was in use from 1896. The model with filigree spoked wheels is hand-made in brass and comes in more than ten different versions. It is 359 mm long on its own or 381 mm with a brakeman's cab. The model of the special elephant transport carriage built for the world-famous Circus Krone, also made of brass, brings with it a touch of circus nostalgia. Its prototype was built in 1925 and remained in service until 1999. Bee's Modellbahn (BMB) is manufacturing the 438 mm long carriage in five liveries from different eras. As a special feature, the carriage has a sound module that produces animal sounds on board. For an additional 350 euros you can even purchase a model that has been weathered by Michiel Stolp including an elephant on a scale of 1:32. It is apparently weathered on the inside and lined with straw. A strictly limited "Benjamin Blümchen" edition of the car is also planned for fans of this cartoon character.

The first hand-made pre-production model of the very unusual-looking EG 539 electric locomotive weighs seven kilograms. It is just under 54 cm long and is being produced by Fine Models in a limited series of 40 units. Four different versions of this hand-made model from eras I and II are planned. However, as we can expect of a limited edition, the model is positioned in the premium price class ... it will be sold for just under 9000 euros. 1:32 scale products are, of course, also very modern. KM1 Modellbau will soon begin delivery of Siemens’ Vectron universal locomotive. It is made of a combination of die-cast zinc and brass investment castings. If you want this locomotive in a more exclusive hand-crafted brass construction, you can now order it from Kiss Modellbahnen Switzerland, but this will cost around 50 per cent more.

The fascination of steam

Of course, there are also lots of new steam locomotive products in 1:32 gauge. KM1, for example, has presented a pre-production model of its Class 03.10 express locomotive, which will be produced in eleven different versions. And BMB is also planning a hand-made brass steam locomotive modelled on the Austrian prototype. The Class 92.22 model will be manufactured in as many as 19 different versions. Some individual adaptations are even possible in one further version. What all the Gauge 1 models described above have in common, however, is that they are electrically powered by a motor and the smoke from the steam locomotives is produced with the help of an electrically heated smoke generator unit. However, there is also a real fan community who have steam locomotives with a real water boiler that are fuelled by gas, spirit or coal. The most common examples of this are the real steam locomotives that run on LGB or Piko garden railway tracks with a 45 mm track gauge. When owners of these models meet up, the scale is not viewed as meticulously as it is by Gauge 1 fans. For example, at the end of September 2024 there was a great live team steam locomotive meeting during the 35th anniversary celebrations of the EMFT club in Taufkirchen/Vils mentioned above. A colourful mix of locomotives in scales between 1:16 and 1:32 were running on the 16 x 5 metre oval track layout - true to the motto: The main point of model railways is to have fun!

About the author 

Peter Pernsteiner discovered his love of technology journalism while studying electrical engineering and soon after joined the editorial team of a major ICT trade magazine. Since 1994, he has been writing as a freelance journalist, particularly on technology topics - including for model railway magazines. In 2016, he also launched a YouTube channel for technology reports, which has since attracted worldwide attention.