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Offline Harvey  
#1 Posted : 12 July 2016 02:34:46(UTC)
Harvey

United States   
Joined: 17/02/2008(UTC)
Posts: 591
Location: Glen Oaks, N.Y.
So, shortening a long story. My company canceled my project in London during August - Sept (but my wife and I had already scheduled a vacation in the Lake Region). So, I pay my travel.Mad Oh well. We'll have a good time. This will be August.

Now my company asked that I spend all of Sept in Zurich. BigGrin Love going there. Marklin Days are Sept 16-17. Thinking (but not sure) of driving up Thursiday night and staying until mid-day Sunday. Have never been there. I quickly googled hotel availability. No surprise, no rooms available in the first search. Oh, and my wife suggested I go. BigGrin

I would appreciate any suggestions about nearby towns to stay in (I would drive to Goppingen and park in one of the parking lots and spend the day). I am an insider member. Do I need to contact Marklin to get any special passes?

Regards
Harvey

Offline Western Pacific  
#2 Posted : 14 July 2016 19:31:53(UTC)
Western Pacific

Sweden   
Joined: 19/09/2009(UTC)
Posts: 841
Location: Lidingö, Sweden
I would suggest have look at Stuttgart if you can't find a suitable hotel in Göppingen. It is about an hours drive from Göppingen.

Stuttgart is state capital of Baden-Württemberg and it has a bit over 600,000 inhabitants. It is the home town of Mercedes and Porsche and both car manufacturers have museums there if you would also be interested in cars. More importantly, there are many more hotels and it is much easier to find restaurants in the evening compared to a smaller town. I would suggest that you look at hotels having parking.

I have stayed at Mercure Hotel Stuttgart City Center and stayed at the "Märklin floor". (They also had Porsche and Mercedes floors if I remember right). This was some years ago but they have a garage where there was no problem parking also a relatively large European car - a Volvo V70. (I've been to parking garages in Italy where it almost looked like they had designed it to be spacious for the 1950-ies Fiat 500 and to get a Volvo down into it without scratching the V70 was almost a nightmare). So even if it was some years back I stayed there, I still believe this could be a hotel I could recommend.

Please note that the "Märklin days" take place odd years. The dates you give are for "Tag der offenen Tür" (Day of open door). This means that there is no trade show with other manufacturers this year, but I assume it would still be a nice experience.
Offline Harvey  
#3 Posted : 29 July 2016 00:52:31(UTC)
Harvey

United States   
Joined: 17/02/2008(UTC)
Posts: 591
Location: Glen Oaks, N.Y.
I will be going!BigGrin . Plan to drive up on Fri early AM and spend Friday and Saturday. Then slow ride back to Zurich. Brenda sent me the activity schedule for museum and factory.

Harvey
Offline Harvey  
#4 Posted : 18 September 2016 20:14:27(UTC)
Harvey

United States   
Joined: 17/02/2008(UTC)
Posts: 591
Location: Glen Oaks, N.Y.
I just returned from Marklin days.

Drove up from Zurich on Friday and first went to the factory and then the museum. I returned to both on Saturday. Weather was good. Drive back to Zurich on Sunday was in the rain. German countryside is worth seeing. Goppingen is easy to get around once you understand some simple facts. Marklin provides free transportation between the museum and factory. Transportation from the train station to either is 2 Euros (and keep your eyes open as when to get off). Parking in town is not free (even though there is a sign where I parked that reads Frei. I did cause a small back up when I tried to leave and not paying. Fortunately a quick fix and I knew what to do for the next day.

I had a wonderful time, even with the handicap of not speaking German. Friday was a bit challenging as few Marklin staff do speak English. However, several were able to communicate to me what was being demonstrated. Oddly, I overheard a conversation between a guest and employee in very good English and so I joined the discussion. The Marklin staff member looked like a college intern (but also looked like Florian Sieber - he was). What was impressive in seeing him was that he wore the same outfit as all the others staff and was not surrounded by assistents. On Saturday I had good fortune to be on line before the doors open and the person standing next to me began a conversation (in German). When I responed in English, he did so, in kind. We toured the factory together and I gained a bit more understanding of the processes. We again met Mr. Sieber and he spoke to use about the CS3+. He said first shipments begin end of September and all orders of the 3+ should be filled by Christmas.

One Austalian member asked if I could find information on next year's event. I will respond to him but I will repeat here what I heard during my visit. On Saturday I did find one Marklin staff member who is familiar with the current planning activities (and he spoke English). Dates and program are still being finalized. The event is typically the third week of Sept. He said announcements will be made by next May. Next year is a special celebration (160th anniversay of Marklin?? or something). Exhibits will be at the main rail station and at a park (or fair grounds). I asked if the factory will be opened. Surprisingly, he said no. My Saturday companion said that he came last year as well and factory was open.

I am not sure what turn-out Marklin expected. I can say that I was on line at 8:50 on Saturday for the factory (about 100 people deep). Doors opened and 9:10 and I entered around 9:20. I finished my tour at 12:30 and the line was approximately 50 people deep. The line continuously moved. Seems like a good turn out. Of course the average guest was above 50 and male but there were a good number of young children, especially at the tables where one could color a freight car or play with my world items.

Marlin videos speak to their concerns about quality. The factory tour really shows that - with the use of robots and follow up inspections, the final touch up (filing or painting), the reject pile and the multiple coats of paint (on locs).

Harvey
thanks 14 users liked this useful post by Harvey
Offline sjlauritsen  
#5 Posted : 20 September 2016 07:01:31(UTC)
sjlauritsen

Denmark   
Joined: 18/08/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,081
Location: Denmark
Thank you for your great review. It sounds like a fun day! I would have loved to go there, but I am saving for next year's IMA.

Did you get anything back home with you?

Originally Posted by: Harvey Go to Quoted Post
Parking in town is not free (even though there is a sign where I parked that reads Frei.

In German "Frei" usually means vacant. "Der Parkplatz ist frei" -> "The parking lot is vacant". The word "Kostenlos" means free Smile.
Søren from Denmark
Blog: https://railway.zone/ | Danish Model Railway Forum: https://baneforum.dk/
Offline Harvey  
#6 Posted : 20 September 2016 22:18:52(UTC)
Harvey

United States   
Joined: 17/02/2008(UTC)
Posts: 591
Location: Glen Oaks, N.Y.
I think that is funny. I interpretted the word incorrectly as free and it meant, come on in, plenty of space (and you need to pay). But no harm, just a good story.

I did buy a few items but nothing special. There was an event car (48951) which they were also manufacturering during the tour. At the museum I bought 48635 (Union Bier car). I liked the looks. And I could not pass up an opportunity to build my own loc. Of course, its more like just assemble the last few pieces but it was enjoyable. This is 36623. I think this will have a problem on my layout as the speaker is on the bottom of the loc and will be very close to the tracks. For my C-Sine locs (same speaker location) I have taped a special metal sheet (I forget the type metal but it interferes with magnetic waves). I use reed switches and the speaker magnet activates the reed switch. The metal I taped disrupts the magnetic wave. So, I likely need to do the same. But, no matter, I enjoyed building the loc and my helper spoke English.
I don't think I will have business travel next year to Zurich but I will look to lobby for that in September.

Do post information once Marklin announces details. Some members from Australia also plan to attend.

Regards
Harvey

thanks 2 users liked this useful post by Harvey
Offline TEEWolf  
#7 Posted : 23 September 2016 00:08:32(UTC)
TEEWolf


Joined: 01/06/2016(UTC)
Posts: 2,465
Originally Posted by: Harvey Go to Quoted Post
I think that is funny. I interpretted the word incorrectly as free and it meant, come on in, plenty of space (and you need to pay). But no harm, just a good story.

I don't think I will have business travel next year to Zurich but I will look to lobby for that in September.

Do post information once Marklin announces details. Some members from Australia also plan to attend.

Regards
Harvey



Indeed, a very nice story, that you referred FREI to the money, not to the space. Just for information: the opposite is BESETZT with a red background. Even more worst, because you cannot spend your money Flapper AND you cannot get rid of your car – for a while.BigGrin

But there you bought a beer car and not a beer itself in Goeppingen, I would recommend to you, get a direct look to the beer: the Oktoberfest in Munich! By car only 200 km away from Goeppingen and the Oktoberfest always starts when the IMA days happens.

Put it that way: the Oktoberfest always ends at the first Sunday in October - every year (an exception is only when the 3rd of October is a Monday, then it ends on October 3rd and yes, it lasts a day longer)! The “Wiesn” (in the Bavarian language for Oktoberfest - "Wiesn" in English is lawn) always starts the Saturday two weeks before. That is regularly the IMA weekend.

And you even can get there another beer car for the Oktoberfest – have a look for the 2016 one here:
Offline Harvey  
#8 Posted : 23 September 2016 20:11:51(UTC)
Harvey

United States   
Joined: 17/02/2008(UTC)
Posts: 591
Location: Glen Oaks, N.Y.
TeeWolf

Fortunately I did have a chance (in 2014) to go to Octoberfest. We did that with the family and spouses (to be). Had a great time at the main park at night and during the day and then touring Munich (BMW plant) and surrounding areas. Even celebrated our elder sons 30 birthday. I did buy a Marklin car celebrating Octobverfest. Definitely a memorable experience, especially with family. When driving up A1 this time, I did see signs for Munich and fondly recalled our families stay there. But, with this being a business trip (and another one just after this), I focused on Marklin. And I had my share of beer in Goppingen.

Regards
Harvey
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