Hi,

How much time does it take you to weather a H0 model steam locomotive in detail?
In my experience, it is about 2 to 3 hours, using a range of techniques, such as brush, air-brush, chalks and cover coatings.
And the result can be a bit hit and miss, if you don't do it often.
There are the small detail areas around the air-pumps, the steam joints, the regulator housing, and the cylinder packing.
And the sand around the sand domes.
It can all require some practice to get it right.

I don't know how many process segments are involved in the Marklin process for weathering, but on their latest offering (37516), they have done in my opinion, a remarkable job.
How long does this process take?
How many team members are involved?
So I consider this engine to be great value.

Anyway, without dismantling the locomotive, I believe it to be the same body and chassis as the previous release, 37563. This one is numbered 56 569.
See my review here. https://www.marklin-users.net/forum/posts/t26299-Review-of--56-362---a-digital-model--37563-by-Marklin
It has an MFX+ decoder, the sounds appear to be the same as 37563.
The smoke unit is already installed in the chimney, and it smokes better than any other loco I have.

I have also ordered the 5 car weathered freight set 46088 which will be available soon to go with this locomotive.
(Received April 2016, see review here) - https://www.marklin-users.net/forum/posts/t35595-46088---Maerklin-era-II-set-of-rolling-stock
I am going to use this locomotive and set to represent the era from around 1946, with a mix of DR and DR zoned wagons.
The wagons will also go with my 59 004 (Bellingrodt #3).

One feature of this model is the Telex automatic uncoupling, which is digitally controlled. This is a great feature, contributing markedly to realistic shunting.
The application of the uncoupler, starts a realistic clunking/banging sound routine, which goes for 20 seconds, and reminds me of my boyhood train watching days.
I only have one other loco with this mechanism, and this morning I actually successfully used the delayed uncoupling for the first time.
This allows you to uncouple the loco, then proceed to push the wagons backward to the point where you wish to leave them.

Great job Marklin!!! - here are a couple of photos.


I am sorry, the photo would be more realistic if I used the piston extension which came in the box.


regards
Kimball

Edited by user 09 April 2016 11:28:32(UTC)  | Reason: mentioned the use of the set and the uncoupling

Hi Miguel,

Thanks for your back-up reporting.

This is the first weathered Marklin loco that I have, and I was really impressed with the detail put into the painting.
Yes, the 46026 is a nice weathered coal car set. Also the 46030.

I look forward to seeing your 26830 set.

regards
Kimball

Hi Glen,
That is the one area I think Marklin have done well on this example.

On the side photographed, around the air pumps shows water staining, as does the pipe going into the side of the boiler just behind the smokebox. (not sure what that is?).
The regulator rod going into the steam dome also shows staining.

regards
Kimball

As a little follow up to Kimball's inciteful review, this is the first Marklin Loco I have purchased new in over 5 years. I also purchased the accompanying 48066 six car freight set. What struck me when I first opened the boxes is how wimpy thin they are. The bottom area of the plastic that holds the loco is too thin also and when I lifted it out from the box, I had to be careful the the loco didn't come out. Strangely, the top section of the plastic holder was thicker and was fine. I can't tell if this is designed this way or was some kind of manufacturing defect.

The six cars are individually boxed and then inserted into a squarish box to store them in a 3 high X 2 wide configuration. This box too was rather flimsy and not up to the usual Marklin standards that I remembered. Not as much care seems to have gone into the weathering of the freight cars as was taken on the loco. They all just looked to have been airbrushed with a diluted grimy black (Very dark gray) on all the cars with the exception of the dry good bulk car with received the same treatment except with a light gray color.

The other thing that was confusing is that there is a sticker on the log load for the stake sided flat car. The sticker is on the top of the log load. As I writing this, I can't remember what the sticker is for, but I think it was the part number. I know for a fact it doesn't say "This side down" like I originally thought. I tried flipping it over so that the sticker was on the bottom and would not show, but it didn't fit as well and didn't look correct with the larger logs on top. Also both the loco and cars were made in Hungary.

I now that I may be too picky complaining about the boxes, but since most of my Marklin collection seem to spend most of their time in the box, (I have way more that I can ever hope to run) I want to be sure that survive unharmed.

Chuck

However if it has been spending time as a companion to coal trains it may well end up going through coal yards where a lot of the spray and stuff will carry coal dust, so the weathering is probably true to the nature of the train.

Hi Alan and Miguel,


Everything you guys say is absolutely valid.

If you think about the limited time Marklin employees can afford to spend with whatever it is they use for weathering, overall they do a terrific job.

regards
Kimball

I received one of these this last weekend...And I was very very impressed by the details and especially weathering.
Even my daughter (8th grader) who doesnt care much about these trains was saying "oh this train looks so real!!!".

And when I found this thread, I felt even happier that I was infact admiring something which others have also found impressive. I am really glad I bought it.

Now, the only thing that bothers me (as does it happen with my Marklin 39550 as well) is handling of this "baby with such fine details" while removing it from the box, placing it on the rails and putting it back to its package...And because of this, I havent run it yet...Have only been adoring watching it....

Any suggestions, friends...

Thanks
VJ