This is on another website forum however.........

A rumour (no more than that) is that Trix/Maerklin plan a monstrous new model within the next two years. It will be bigger and more expensive than anything previously offered. The sheer size will dwarf any other model and it will incorporate every electronic gadget (and then some) that can be used. Full DCC control and over twelve independent micro-motors.

The model will be part of a three year package of associated equipment and buildings-it is rumoured that Heljan have been approached for moulding the building kits which will be sold as simplified items as part of the Walthers Cornerstone range.

The total cost of the package (over 24 items in total) is well in excess of 1500Eu and will offered only to the Maerklin Insider and Trix Profi Club, the entire production run is limited to just 1000 units.

I believe that will be close to year 150 (1999) for Marklin and you can probably expect many goodies to come out at that time. I prefer to buy items that are of limited production for long term collector value. In my opinion the last time Marklin had a set similar to this upcoming series (what ever it is) was the Ludwig (2680) and the Wilhelm (2681) sets.

Both sets were arround $2k US and have extremely high quality.

Thanks for the info on the set and let us know as more tidbeys of information pop out !


I am going to start saving my pocket change. By 2007, I will have the money saved up !!!

Just a few more bits of information: This items is big and I mean huge. If you think that you know about Maerklin, try and recall what theme has been used for the past ten years by Maerklin. This realease will folow the same theme with buildings and infrastructure etc.

The fact that it will use 12 micro-motors, does not indicate that it will be a purely railway item, does it?

Tim

could it be trix and marklin ? Only dcc or both dcc motorola ?....I'm thinking about a big factory....something like a foundry... or special foundry where they are making pièces for trains... or may be a LOK factory......Why not a marble quarry with special cranes and small trains.....and.....and.....
I remenber , one time I've seen a scale model of an oil refinery....it was scratch buiding ( as unique model )....
Or special trains for tunnel digging....oh I remenber marklin has already made a scale model for some companies working in a Swiss tunnel.....( I forgott which one it is ; There is an article on one insider edition of the last two years)....
I give up......bye bye

Rutger Friberg installed a dcc controlled center offset mechanism in the 32-axle heavy load car.
Maybe...?

Regards,
Manfred

Open cast lignite strip drag*

Just think about the concept, it follows on from the Ruhr-based theme from Maerklin/Trix of the past ten years. First sugar beet, then coal mines, then steel, the next logical Ruhr industry is lignite.

Heljan would make the briquette houses and Trix the railway infrastructure items. The whole operation would absolutely dominate a room, not just a layout. That is one huge white box to take home but i doubt if many individuals will buy it, the concept is aimed at clubs or the seriously wealthy. It will be approx. 1,2m tall and weigh over 50kg when the total assembly is complete. Do you have room?

However at 15,000Eu (I got the original figure wrong) this is a serious project that will co-incide with Maerklin's 150th. It is a statement by Maerklin that they are the true leaders of model railway technology (however Hornby's live steam A4 really did drop a few jaws at board level in Goppingen )


Tim

*All the clues were there.

There is an entire county in West Virginia that was destroyed by the Peabody Coal Company with an enormous dragline.

I was hoping for a complete set to complete a modern track laying / maintenance set with numerous yellow rail machines. You could really have an impressive set.

I agree with Juhan the idea of a monster dragline type for stripping terrain would not be something that would get my attention.

Juhan,
Kerpen actually has 62.608 inhabitants. They hardly will displace that number of people... That`s still fairly impossible, even regarding the nature of capitalism.

Kerpen is the city, where Schumi was born and raised.

Regards,
Manfred

Oh yes!!!! And tipping wagons that tip.... [:p]

I was wondering it could be a faller car system and Marklin combo with a road section that crossed C-track (now that might move me off m-track!)..

Wow - what a monster [:0] !!! Reminds me on that bad machine in "WILD, WILD WEST" (Will Smith, 1999) ...

Heard about it - must be HUGE

HUGE ONE[:0]