From: pesce@flash.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Leo Pesce)
Newsgroups: rec.models.railroad
Subject: Re: Marklin HO questions
Date: 1 Jan 93 13:26:00 GMT

In article <1992Dec29.155604.62333@cc.usu.edu>, fulks@cc.usu.edu writes:
> 
> Thanks to the many of you for advice on starting model (or toy in our case)
> railroading.  As fate would have it, my five year old son's Godfather sent
> him a Marklin starter set for the holidays.  After monitoring him and teaching
> him how to use it, we have opted to store it and use the Tyco/Bachmann set-up,
> which we are currently running in a spare room.  The opinions expressed by
> so many of you regarding the Tyco are apparent in our use- the engine (a 
> steam engine in this case) seems adequate enough, but the accessories which
> came with it are very very cheap - even in the opinion of a five year old!
> 
> My next questions to you (collectively) are in reference to the Marklin.
> What we have is about ten years old - a starter set in a box originally
> marked "$158.00 value".  I would be interested in:
> 	
> 	- knowing how to assess the value of this set on the current market
> 	- knowing where to obtain accessories for Marklin HO trains
> 	- hearing opinions and experiences you may have regarding Marklin
> 
> It is our intention to build upon the Marklin for the next 40 years or so,
> as well as the Bachmann/Tyco/'better model railroading' possibilities.
> 
> I was aware of a hobby shop in Houston back in 1980 which sold Marklin-
> my son's godfather, who lives in Nashville, says the hoppy shop which
> sold Marklin there no longer exists.  
> 
> Thanks in advance for your comments,
> 
> 	happy rails,
> 			Steve Fulks
> 			Utah State University

My father got a set back in the mid 50's, when I was 1 year old. He
told my mom that was my Christmass present. Right. Ever since, he
built a layout every Christmass on a 4x8 (actually 1x2 meters) table,
following layouts designs from the Marklin layout book. Every so often
he would buy a car or an engine and through the years he accumulated
quite a bit of stuff. I think I was 10 when I was allowed to "help"
building the layout. My preferred part was the wireing and the setup
of the catenary.

I have very fond memories of those times. Then I came to the USA and
discovered US prototype. Wow. Too bad Marklin had an F unit and some
cars and caboose. So I turned to Athearn, MDC, ConCor, etc.

That was 15 years ago. Now I am returning back to european prototype
with the likes of Roco (mainly) and Lima (the new stuff). What
happened to the Marklin? My father has it (and I wish I had it) and
runs it every Christmass. 

What is the point of all this? Marklin is the most durable and
reliable product I have ever put my hands on (no flames here, please).
It went through a war (1966 riot in Tripoli,Lybia after the
Israel-Egypt war, that lasted for a month), a revolution (Sept 1,
1969), exodus from Lybia to Italy, move from Italy to USA, move to USA
to Italy. This doesn't tell the various moves in between the main
events. We eventually had to throu away the big box of the first set,
which contained the 01 Pacific, 4 green passengers cars and a red
restaurant, an oval with passing siding and a signal. The engine is
still running as new, albeit I had to repaint is black and red for
after all the years, the paint started chipping (not by itself of
course). The cars are also in very good running shape. The only
maintenance received during the years have been replacement of the
shoe for electric pickup, bulbs and oil (and that not very often, not
untill I discovered what model railroading was all about).

I hope the netters don't mind my telling of life stories, but the word
Marklin start a series of images and memories in my mind; that will
last a life time. 

Leo

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