Marklin 55081 Class 08 Steam Locomotive

Model: The locomotive is completely new tooling and is constructed of metal. It has a frame, superstructure with boiler, and cab constructed of die-cast zinc. Other separately applied parts are mostly constructed of brass. This is a highly detailed model with many separately applied parts and a detailed engineer's cab. The sand hatch can be opened as can the smoke box door with central locking. The cab doors and much more can be opened.

The locomotive has an mfx digital decoder with 32 functions, controlled high efficiency propulsion, and a sound generator with operating sounds synchronized with the wheels as well as extensive sound functions. It can be operated with AC power, DC power, Marklin Digital, and DCC. The locomotive has a built-in buffer capacitor. All driving axles powered. The locomotive has a built-in smoke unit with smoke exhaust and multi-step cylinder steam synchronized with the wheels and a steam whistle. The locomotive has running gear lights and triple headlights with a light color correct for the era and that change over with the direction of travel. The headlights will work in conventional operation and can be controlled digitally. Maintenance-free, warm white LEDs are used for the lighting. The locomotive has a red marker light that can be controlled. The locomotive has cab lighting and multi-colored firebox lighting (flickering). The locomotive comes with sprung buffers. There is a reproduction of the prototype coupler on the front and a remote-controlled Telex coupler on the rear of the tender, which can be replaced by either of the other types of coupler. The valve gear switchover is in 3 steps (forward, reverse, continuous operation). An accessory package with a reproduction of the prototype coupler, a Telex coupler, smoke fluid, a figure of a locomotive engineer and a fireman, and gloves are included with the locomotive. The locomotive is mounted on an aluminum base painted black for display purposes.

Minimum radius for operation 1,020 mm / 40-3/16". Length over the buffers 83.8 cm / 33". Weight approximately 8.2 kilograms / 18 pounds 1 ounce.

Highlights:

• Completely new tooling.
• Highly detailed full metal construction.
• Frame, superstructure, boiler, etc. constructed of die-cast zinc, separately applied parts constructed of brass.
• Newly developed decoder generation with a current buffer and up to 32 functions.
• Smoke unit with smoke exhaust and vo/hi cylinder steam synchronized with the wheels and a steam whistle.
• Load-controlled operating sounds synchronized with the wheels.
• Smoke box door and dome hatches can be opened, many original details included.
• Headlights with a light color correct for the era and warm white LEDs.
• Red marker light that can be controlled.
• Two-color firebox lighting flickering.
• Cab lighting.
• mfx decoder for operation with AC power, DC power, Märklin Digital, and DCC.
• Valve gear switchover (forward, reverse, continuous operation) in 3 steps with a servomotor.
• Telex coupler on the rear, reproduction prototype coupler on the front (one (1) more of each included with the locomotive).

After the end of World War II, the GDR German State Railroad (DR) found it had a "foreign locomotive" of French origin with the SNCF road number 241 A 21 on its damaged locomotive roster. As a development of the French East Railroad (EST), it came from a series of 40 units built in 1931/32 and it had four-cylinder compound running gear. Due to the excessively high repair cost, there was little effort by the DR to put French design locomotives back into operation. Yet the "Powdered Coal Collective" around Hans Wendler and Max Baumberg, the future director of the Vehicle and Experimental Institute (FVA) in Halle (starting in 1960 VES-M Halle), were able to requisition this express locomotive for their needs due to its special design. With its 12.25 cubic meter / 432.60 cubic foot combustion area and the 2,248 mm / 88-1/2 inch long combustion chamber it was ideally suited for conversion to powdered coal firing, since for powdered coal firing this gave it a desirably long burnout path for the powdered particles.

Road number 241 A 21 thus stayed starting September 17, 1951 at the "October 7th" maintenance facility in Zwickau and was equipped with Wendler powdered coal firing accompanied by a reduction in its boiler pressure from 20 to 16 kp/cm² / 284.46 to 227.57 PSI. The powdered coal firing required among other things the removal of the ash box as well as the installation of a second air compressor and an additional main air tank for pneumatic dust extraction. In addition, the locomotive was adapted to the DR's operating conditions. This included shifting the cab from the left to the right side of the locomotive as well as equipping the locomotive extensively with standard German appliances and parts.

It was coupled to a type 2'2'T34 standard design tender converted to a type 2'2'T28 triple chamber powdered coal tender. The locomotive now designated as road number 08 1001 went first to the maintenance facility at Berlin East Station after being completed in July of 1952. Here it was scheduled to pull the D 13/14 pair of express trains to/from Stralsund with the start of the winter schedule on October 5, 1952. The records of locomotive supervisor Specht at the maintenance facility at Berlin East Station reveal the following: On October 8, the unit came early from Leipzig and hauled the D 13 to Stralsund without maintenance. Despite "bad" powdered coal, the steam generation was good. Like the run out, the run back also occurred without problem. Another run on October 10 also gave no cause to complain and locomotive supervisor Specht noted: "Best steam generation. Bunkers 2+3 were still about 80 cm / 31 inches full on arrival in Stralsund." After transfer to the FVA in Halle in February of 1953, intensive test and measurement runs were done that resulted in many new findings. Finally, road number 08 1001 went as a kind of Christmas gift on December 24, 1953 to the Dresden-Altstadt District in scheduled use. Its maintenance intensive de-Glehn running gear, the multi-part crank axle as well as the general difficulties in procuring spare parts lead however on June 18, 1955 to it being put into storage. A refurbishment overhaul remained undone and on November 15, 1957, it was finally retired.

Features:

• Metal frame and locomotive body
• Digital decoder with up to 32 digitally controlled functions. The quantity depends on the controller being used.
• DCC decoder
• Built-in sound effects circuit.
• Dual headlights that change over with the direction of travel.
• Built-in interior lighting.
• Era 3

 Warning: Adults only