Hello all,

On the occasion of the reissue (this time in plastic) of the Rheingold Express coaches this year, some questions come to my mind:

1)Were these coaches hauled by other types of locomotives than the ex-Bavarian 3/6 (later DGR) or the class 18.3? Were other interesting locomotives such as the 01 (streamlined) or even the smaller ex-Prussian class 17 also used?
2)Were the two different liveries seen running at the same time? I mean the original creme-violet (my favourite) and the later cream-bluish with the Rheingold lettering and logo.
3)Some years ago, I purchased an "early" metal Rheingold set (not rusting yet, I hope) that came with the ex-Bavarian class 3/6. There is an extra baggage car in this set, albeit without tail lights. Only one of the two is equipped with tail lights. Why? Only Märklin and the Gods would know. Unless the red lanterns were removable and transferred from one coach to the other, I don't see why only one coach would have tail lights. If the regulations at the time had it that a baggage coach had to be used to separate the locomotive from the first passager coach, why wasn't this extra baggage car provided with tail lights? And why aren't all consists provided with the two baggage cars?

Anyone has a clue?

Thanks!

Armando,

On the point about the tail lights, I think they were removable, and only placed on the last vehicle in the train. In the case of your train, the baggage coach without the tail lights would be the one next to the engine, and the other one brings up the rear.

Of course this assumes that you are not going to uncouple the engine and couple up at the other end for the return trip. Maybe you can teach your preiserlings to detach the tail lamps and move them to the other end!

[size=2]Thank you, Maurice, for the wealth of interesting information contained in those links. Very much obliged!

Trix also has start with Rheingold railwaycars and you can also placement an function decoder by control lighting effect in the cars...!

That´s good...!

Should been in era 1 too...

Goofy

Yes...!

You can see it at Trix link and watching at news 2008...!

Goofy

Very good site, Maurice.

I never have a Rheingold but I have order marklin 2008 41928 five car set.

Well, not really, mein lieber Lutz. I still cannot figure out why there were no lanters included for the second baggage car. Märklin did not provide any explanation for this in the notes about this set. Do you have any clue? Also do you know if both Trix's and Märklin's sets have the same road numbers?

You're probably the only one being unable to understand that no lanterns were and are needed at ANY car right after the loco; it would not even look quite funny, especially at night - it would actually violate train signalisation advices.

The answer was already given in another thread regarding road numbers of 2008 News Items (RTFF).

Any more need for riddles which are none?

It is obvious that the lanterns that should go in the baggage car are off when the coach in right behind the locomotive. My question was rather if the lanters were "movable", which I don't think. Why would they have to remove them from the back car to bring them to the front one when the train would travel in reverse sense? Therefore the model should have included lanterns on both cars.

The only riddle is why people continue to ask the same questions despite the fact that the answers are already given in this forum.

For someone interested in roadnumbers it would be just easy to use the search function and enter "roadnum" - and guess what's shown as first entry in the HO section?

https://www.marklin-users.net/fo...&SearchTerms=roadnum

Given such nice tools (thanks to Juhan) there is definitely no justification to support laziness - at least for people who are able to use their brains.

Thanks, Ray. Indeed I had missed reading your explanation. It sounds very plausible that the lanters were moved for the reasons you explain.

On the other hand, how rude this Lutz guy is!

That's exactly what I confirmed above to Ray (since he wasn't fully sure).

Thanks Lutz I noticed you had also made that recommendation. I plan on purchasing a couple of these kits and give them a try with my Rheingold.

Hi Armando,

If you have the catalogue numbers that would be a help. Maybe the parts are still available?

Hi Maurice,

I am pasting hereunder "in verbatim" the reply that I got from the Märklin customer service some years ago, which contains the numbers of the lanterns that should've been:

"Sie benötigen 1x 272130 (Leiterplatte), 1x 204950 (Schleifer), 2x 309980 (Laterne), 1x 790870(Kabel)".

It should still be possible to order them through your dealer.

Hope this helps.

Originally posted by Armando

"Sie benötigen 1x 272130 (Leiterplatte), 1x 204950 (Schleifer), 2x 309980 (Laterne), 1x 790870(Kabel)".

I did a search on www.Maerklin.de and these part numbers appear to be obsolete. My guess is a dealer would be able to cross-reference them with new part numbers if these items exist still in inventory.

It would just be simpler to purchase Viessmann's 5069 kit. It is easily adaptable to use with 3-rail AC or 3-rail DC!! One only needs to attach and wire a "schleifer"!

Happy Rheingolding!!

Armando,

Thanks for note. As I stated these part numbers are obsolete and may not be available but I will check with my dealer.

Since I have a Liliput Rheingold set I can use the Viessmann tail lamps or Maerklin. I am not restricted by manufacturer. The Liliput set only came with one baggage car and it had no tail lamps. None of the coaches came with lighting either. I will be installing the new TRIX light kits 66719 with NPE Modellbau GbR NZ33661 centre-rail pick-ups.

One could also use the Maerklin 73400 kits for the coaches and baggage car.

Lutz,

Thanks for checking up on these part numbers. How come they were not recoginzable when I did a search on Maerklin's web site? I will order them through my dealer.

Armando,

The "Rheingold" cream/violet colour scheme went from 1928 (start of service) until 1931 when there was a change to cream/blue. At first, the cars had the Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft and MITROPA inscriptions with the DRG logo. The name RHEINGOLD was printed on the sides of the wagons and on the locomotive tender around 1931. The DRG logo remained on the sides of the wagons. The service was discontiuned in 1938 prior to the outbreak of WWII.

The service was reestablished in 1951 as trains FD 163/164, later F 163/164, F 9/10 and F 21/22. Most cars survived the war but nevertheless the coaches in Western Germany were painted over and rebuilt to dining coaches Gesellschaftwagen, long distance coaches (F trains) and short distance train coaches (D trains). The Rheingold now used skirted coaches and was pulled by the Deutsche Bundesbahn steam locomotives BR 01, BR 01.10, BR 03 and BR 03.10 and the BR 41 between Cologne and Kaldenkirchen. In 1954 "Express" was dropped.

In 1962 the Rheingold became a Trans-Europe Express and became established again as a link between Switzerland and the Netherlands on the pre-war route. First still in the cream/blue livery pulled by the new Class E 10.12 series, later (1972 onwards) in cream/red and pulled by the imposing Class 103. The Rheingold even had a special dome car, a singular view on German railroads.

Operation of the Rheingold TEE ended on May 30, 1987 after 59 years and 15 days. The TEE 14 was pulled by a BR 103. It was the last train of the TEE-system in Germany.

Bye the way, you can also use a BR 01 with Wagner smoke deflectors to pull your "Rheingold" set.

A great source of the original Rheingold is written by Alfred B. Gottwaldt and Edouard Buendgen, entitled "DER RHEINGOLD EXPRESS" -Eine Fahrt nit dem Salonwagenzug der Deutsche Reichsbah. This book was published in 1981 from Motorbuch Verlag, ISBN 3-87943-537-5. It is most likely not in print any longer but you may be able to do an ISBN search and find an old copy. The photos are amazing and the black and white images do not do justice to the luxury!! There are some great photos detailing the interior of the wagons. Even shows a few of the switch to the Swiss Ae 4/7 at German/Swiss border for continuation of journey to Zurich.

Maurice You sure know your stuff. Interesting information. Thanks.

David