Unholz here at your service.

First question: Did you contact them correctly? The reason I am asking is because you write ItAlec above. The name is ItElec, so there might have been a typo somewhere. Their website or rather the page concerning the flashing light is here: http://www.itelec.ch/modellbahn%20zubehoer.htm

Second question: Did you contact them in English? Normally fine, but this is a very small company. Perhaps they didn't understand? I suggest adding a translation, https://www.deepl.com should work fine.

Third point: Similar accessories used to be available from HAG (www.hag.swiss) or Weinert ( https://www.weinert-baut...g-weinert-7202,art-32979 ). A third product seems to have been available here: https://whd-modelleisenb...Funktionsdecoder-digital Would these products be an alternative?

Roco at one point had a model of the Sputnik with tail light. I don't know if it was on constantly or whether it blinked. I think it was 46964 (SBB)
https://www.ebay.de/itm/395263093132?

As Stefan said, Hag had a taillight unit in their catalog for quite a while. I don't know if there are any dealers who would still have this item in stock. I seem to recall the model number was 508.
Christian at Eyro seems to have it: https://eyro.ch/onlinesh...dex.php?cPath=53_137_159

From my memory, the Sputnik was often not at the end of the train, but rather about 2/3 of the way to the rear, so that the operator could observe the end of the train as well as the middle of the train. In longer trains, the lead locomotive was often aided by a second 1/3 of the way back. This changed in the 1970s with the introduction of the Re 6/6 which replaced the last Crocodiles and some of the Ae 6/6 on the Gotthard route.

Regards

Mike C

That's the item I mentioned. And AFAIK, Christian does ship abroad. If you should order the blinking light from him, add a greeting from me - this should help additionally.

As to other (German and Swiss) dealers not wanting to do world wide business: I understand this a bit, because customs and VAT problems plus increasing post office regulations and costs are nowadays so nerve racking that one likely prefers to evade all the hassle. And this is not a one-way street: Shipping from the rest of the world including the EU to Switzerland is exactly the same or even worse.

Hallo Mike C,
Thanks for fishing out for me that Roco SBB Sputnik wagon in question but unfortunately to me as it’s German seller won’t ship to US of A.
As I mentioned in my earlier post sometimes I spend hours chasing the particular model or part and get “bucket of cold water “ when seller refuse to ship to me to USA. ( any excuse would go ) And this is the case here … see attached picture.
Regards,
Marklineisenbahn

You can ask Mr Eymann if he can order the item from Itelec or whether you can order it and have it shipped to him and then have him forward it to you with an order?
I have had a few dealers that have been willing to do that for me over the years.

Also, please correct the topic title from "Schweitzer" to "Schweizer"

Regards

Mike C

Here are some more options:

https://www.c-gleis-plus...=ALM-8-102004&p=1440

Non functional: https://modellexklusiv.d...PE4-Stueck-OHNE-FUNKTION

Regards

Mike C

This may not work for everyone but some members have relatives in Europe. They could purchase the item and reship. Wonder if an underground network could be created here.

Harvey