Paul, Author at Marklin Stop

Author Archives: Paul

Märklin’s Florien Sieber attributes slow sales growth to second-hand market

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Paul 5 comments

Marklin’s Florien Sieber, a new addition to the management team since 2013, has worked to expand the company’s product offering since the Simba-Dicke takeover in 2013. The company’s financial position has improved overall but the company missed its target growth rate for 2015/16. Sales reached 96 million Euros worldwide, 2 million Euros less than the fiscal year prior.

Mr. Sieber has noted that enthusiasts often substitute purchasing new Marklin products with second-hand items that were perhaps produced decades ago. Many Marklin fans purchase toys and trains from their childhood for the added nostalgia and historical value. Since many enthusiasts have fixed budgets, if they purchase more second-hand items, they have less spending money for the newer Marklin models.

Read the full interview here (in German) from the Stuttgarter Zeitung

There is no question that culture and demographics play a huge role in the changing market for toys and model trains specifically. While older generations grew up playing with train layouts, newer generations play with high-tech toys like video games and computers. Marklin’s introduction of the “Start Up” and “My World” product lines helped target this segment, which Sieber notes has shown 30% growth last year.

While it’s hard to track these changing trends, one interesting proxy is analyzing search queries as a gauge of interest in a particular topic. In looking at the searches for “marklin” on Google, there is a steady decline over the years, with notable spikes during a particular holiday. One thing is certain: Marklin trains will always be found in one way or another under the Christmas tree!

Search trends for Marklin from https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=%2Fm%2F027yz7

Toy Market Analysis

Roof Vents & Trucks: Restoration of a Model Nr. 351 Passenger Coach from 1946

Posted on December 27, 2015 by Paul 2 comments

A common sight to any Marklin 00 collector: broken trucks and missing roof vents on a beautiful 350-series coach. Over the years, Zinc diecast parts suffer from “Zincpest” making them brittle and prone to breakage. The thin supports of the roof vents and two posts that secure the side trucks to the stamped metal frame are extremely vulnerable to breaking. In this article we’ll go from beginning to end, restoring a 351 passenger coach using high-quality replica parts.

The roof vents can be purchased from the MarklinStop shop click here.

The "before" condition of a 1946 coach, model 351

The “before” condition of a model 351 coach from 1946, known for the hand-stamping of the “351” and class designations. This model was commonly sold in PX sets to US soldiers in Germany and around Europe.

The tinplate roof of this 351 car, shown with all vents broken. Some holes have part of the broken vent still present whereas other holes are empty since the vent came out completely.

We’re using here a “SensiPress” to carefully press out the remaining broken vent from the holes so we can press in the new replica vents. Be careful not to press too hard or it will bend the tinplate. It’s a good idea to support the roof from underneath if it begins to bend under the pressure.

An overall view of the press device. Any press will work as long as it has a small fitting that can press out the broken roof vent.

All broken vent pieces have been removed and the roof is ready for new vents.

All 7 of our new replica roof vents.

Use a file to gently smooth the surface of the vent post. As a rough guide, run the file 5 times over the vent on all sides. If you need, test fit it into the roof holes. You want the fit to be snug, but without filing the vent will likely not fit in the hole.

File down the bottom face of the post as well. Only about half of the post or less is needed to affix it securely to the roof.

All 7 vents have been filed down and are ready to be fitted into the roof.

While holding the vent, press it into the roof and twist the vent to “screw” it into the hole. You may have to turn it several times to work it into place.

Optionally use a single drop of super glue to secure the vent in place, making sure the glue hits the seam of the vent and the roof.

Another common sight: a broken truck. Whether using a replica part or an original truck, be sure to remove the broken posts from the tinplate mount. This will create a flat surface for your replacement truck.

Here an unpainted replica truck is shown inserted into the tinplate mount. Use super glue if necessary to affix it to the mount.

Line up the wheels and slightly bend the replica truck if needed to line up the wheels. The metal can bend slightly, as does any good healthy white metal but do not over-bend or the part will break. Here the other truck broke at the site of an old repair while installing the replica — zincpest makes original parts very brittle!

Charming Tinplate Wonderlands by Photo Holzapfel

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Paul One comment

A “secret society” exists in Germany for the enjoyment of tinplate toys. For over 20 years, a group of onlookers, collectors, builders, and “players” has joined forces to construct a complete city out of tinplate, usually filling an entire hall. The group doesn’t go by a particular name but is simply a collection of friends with similar interests. The city is constructed from tinplate toys, primarily from the German manufacturer Marklin, but also some other brands and some self-made creations.

Many of the self-made trains, track, and the elevated tramway were created by Bernd Thul of http://www.thul-tinplate.com. An enormous amount of work goes into constructing these toys “in the way of Marklin.” Fabricated tinplate is cut by hand or machine and precise gears and wheels are turned on precision lathes. Parts are soldered and assembled by hand, then coated in wonderful colors, and finally sealed with lacquer for protection.

The complete galleries can be found on the photographer’s website:

http://www.photo-holzapfel.de/echtdampf-2012/index.html

http://www.photo-holzapfel.de/Krefeld-2012/index.html

http://www.photo-holzapfel.de/echtdampf-2015/index.html

http://www.photo-holzapfel.de/Scheyern-2015/index.html

Photos

From Germany with Love, Train Sets Shipped Home during WWII

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Paul 7 comments

As discussed in previous articles, the Marklin factory continued production during WWII. American soldiers operating in the area are said to have visited the factory specifically. Not only were they there to collect intelligence, but also indulge in some toy shopping for those back home. The Marklin factory had an in-house showroom with all the latest models running and many promotional dioramas on display. Although there are few first-hand accounts available to tell their stories, the memories are passed down to children and grandchildren. Several readers have sent in photos of PX (“Postal Exchange”) sets that were sent from Germany to the USA, typically dating from 1943-1947. The most common sets contained locomotives SK 800, HR 800, or the e-loco RS 800. One such set retained the original receipt from the factory!

Marklin factory receipt dating 12 June, 1945

The receipt above likely was a return visit as the products are primarily track, accessories, some diecast cars, tons of rolling stock and passenger cars. The first big purchase must have been a large set or a few locos and the smaller purchase came later! As the main cover image of this article shows, many of the sets came in large brown cardboard boxes or heavy-duty wooden crates. Crates filled with military equipment now contained toy, trains and accessories! They were perfect in protecting the trains during the long journey from Germany back home to the USA. The sets commonly have an APO address (“Army Post Office”) and appear to have been sent through New York before reaching their final destinations. All packages are careful to note that the crates contain “NO GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.”

Label affixed to crate shows packages were routed through New York

Sets included enough track, switches, and a transformer to make a layout

Former military crate now contains trains!

Complete example of a SK 851/4 set dates to 1946

Sent from Sgt. G. Moeers 7711 of the 45th Air Repair Squadron in Hanau, Germany APO 757

Sent from Sgt. Hartley to Mrs. George Hartley of Medford, Oregon. Army APO stamp dates to 1946

Postage stamp dates to 1946

Historical Articles

Gauge 3 Steam Train a Century-Old Family Heirloom

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Paul 4 comments

Occasionally readers of the MarklinStop blog send me emails about trains which they would like to learn more information about. Many are modern digital trains, some are vintage trains from the 50s and 60s, and rarely I am treated with something very special. Upon opening the pictures (shown below), I gazed at my screen in disbelief. Before me was a very large Gauge 3 train produced from about 1900 to 1910 with a cattle catcher for the American market. After letting the owner know what he had and providing him with an image of the loco from a 1904 catalog, I was delighted to hear the story behind the locomotive. Here’s what the owner had to say:

My great grandfather was a maintenance man in a hospital and a doctor gave it to him back in the 40s I believe, the Dr’s kids were tired of playing with it. He gave it to my grandfather to play with as a toy. It then went into storage until he was an adult with his own home, and he displayed it on his fireplace mantle. They went through a lot of touch financial times for about a decade and him and my grandmother never sold it. My grandfather died in 2004 and my grandmother put the train in her closet. I have since bought my own home, that has a very large fireplace mantle. That train taught me a lesson at a young age that some things are more valuable than money, so I begged her to let me have the train to display it on my mantle, and I promised her it would stay in the family no matter what, until I pass it to my children only after they are grown and i can teach my them importance of the “train”. Well she finally gave me the train, so as much as I appreciate the offer I am going to have to pass. Sorry for the long story. If you could point me in the right direction to find some track and possibly the coaches it would have come with, it would be greatly appreciated. I know it would not be cheap, but I would like to put it together if possible for my grandmother to see.