An outlook and intermediate status of new developments

Dear friends,

I started writing today's lines on the train on the way home from the Gauge 1 Days organised by the Interessengemeinschaft Spur 1 Mittlerhein. Many thanks to Sascha Thomas, Otmar Morstein and Dirk Weingart for inviting me to this very entertaining event. I was able to spend two wonderful days here with lovely people who are also passionate about 1-gauge model railways and have created a really great modular layout, which is even more effective in the ambience of the DB Museum's vehicle hall in Koblenz.

I am also pleased about the many positive feedbacks from the participants as well as the guests and their many ideas, which have to be realized step by step. Even a guest and customer from faraway Austria was present. Now not only the VT/VB/VS98, but also its Austrian counterpart comes to the fore 🙂

Unfortunately, my time is limited by my main job as well as my family and the developments are not progressing at the pace I would like. But, as the saying goes, > good things take time... and my products will be good. This is my promise to you!

Unfortunately, due to the development time, I found too little time for the completion of instructions, here I 😉 vow improvement

Now a few impressions of articles that are nearing completion:

The headlights including the wrong-way driving signal for the Swiss crocodile – SBB Ce 6/8 III from Märklin in different versions. For the direct replacement of the light guides with an exemplary peak lighting and for the experienced hobbyists an exchange kit for a planned removal of the light guide covers behind the lanterns of the buffer beam.

The three-light headlight signal

Depending on your taste, the lighting can be controlled by decoder and resistors for a prototypical effect

The wrong-way driving signal

Visible at the top, the light guide cover remains, at the bottom it has been removed and covered with the lamp insert

The red end-of-train lighting will also be integrated and will only work on the lower two lanterns.

In addition, there has been great progress in the development of the functional fan system with Behr fans for the BR V100. In the next step, I also want to adapt this for the V160 family and the V200. After a few iterations, also with regard to the motorization, I have now found an engine that is small, silent and equipped with sufficient power.

The upper picture shows the modular design of the fan system. On the left is the fan box as a holder of the motor and the simulated fan wheel. In the middle is the retaining frame, which is to be glued precisely under the opening of the ventilation slots. On top of that, the previous, larger engine. On the right you can see the replica of the fan wheel.

In the left picture you can see the fan system from below with the larger motor in the installed state. To the right of it, the new, smaller motor is connected to the fan wheel as a test.

In the right picture the non-reworked top view of the fan system. The box for the system is cut out in several places to avoid congestion of the moving air and also to allow the sound to escape from the built-in loudspeaker.

Furthermore, the manoeuvring steps for the V100 will be adapted to the older versions of Märklin, e.g. 5742. The background to this is that there is a cast-on bracket on the frame, through which the individual handles have to be pushed in the original. This is also implemented in the manoeuvring steps I offer. There will also be instructions on how to do this.

The engine cover with intake scoop is now also part of the program. Since some work is necessary here for attachment to the housing, I am currently creating a manual with corresponding work steps and dimensions. Here are some pictures:

Now the BR 218 from Märklin is currently also being processed, which will receive new panes in 0.5mm precision acrylic glass with matching frames, depending on the version in rubber or metal. As with the V100, the large side window is also planned with a window that can be opened.

Increasingly, I am also asked whether I could not issue spare parts for existing vehicles from large manufacturers that are no longer available. I can and will be happy to do this, depending on the effort. Please contact me via the contact form on my site.

So, enough news for now... No, not at all. There is now a new section on my website in the upper ribbon, the appointment calendar. Here you can see when there are longer processing times due to e.g. holidays and where you can meet me at which events, trade fairs and more.

Last point, I promise! From now on, my website will also be available in English for our international model building friends.

But enough of the whole thing. I wish you a good time and a great start into the now slowly beginning model building season 🙂

Best regards,

Thomas