Hello,
I would like to know your opinion about Brawa versus Märklin.
For me the advantages of Märklin are:
- more robust
- strong buffers
- great motors (Soft Sinus Drive)
- value for money
- good detailing
- very good painting
- very good current pick-up
- new steam locomotive building very good (since the first BR45)
- good service

Advantages Brawa:
- extremely detailed
- light inside the steam loks cockpit
- great look
- very good painting
- good current pick-up
- great steam era I loks (Marklin is almost not taking care of era I)

The disadvantages of Brawa:
- price, I think is extremely high compared to Märklin
- poor buffers in cars and locomotives. Easily damageable (for me this is really one of the bad points of Brawa)
- I have doubts about the Brawa locs value if one wants to sell it in second hand or as a collector item
- Does not have BR44, BR01 or BR50 (I like these locomotives a lot)
- Motors very good, but not as good as SDS. Also a little bit noisy

Disadvantages of Marklin:
- Does not have a color graphical Central Station with mfx, DCC and Motorola (Brawa does not have a Cetral Station, so this is not for comparison)
- wagons not as good as Brawa's (except for the buffers)

This is not a full listing, just an opinion.
What do you think?

One general comment on the current pick-up: When i used M track and analog or Motorola digital the tracks did not need to be cleaned so often as now with C track and mfx (esu decoders design?).

Hi David, yes I am a M fan as about 90% of my model train rolling staff is Marklin. I wish all the best to M.
I agree with you. For me Marklin is the overall leader in model trains and I hope M will also be the leader in the future.
Brands like Brawa are good to exist because they push M to improve.

Yep.. Brawa is fiddly and the bits come off easily not really suitable for younger people.... But the premium decoder is a very nice runner.. Interestingly Brawa is much cheaper down here than Marklin...

Hi Stephen (USA)

I agree with you regarding the plastic models and I only the buy their metal ones which are strong and the diesels are fine for kids. Extra detailing on the steamers and coaches does mean some care is required.
I like this firm and their website is good as is the information regarding new models. If they made track and controls they could easaily be number 1. but Marklin still have that position for me although the gap is closing.

David

I find myself out that Brawa is much more enjoyment to watching them and also driving with theirs locomotiv.

I have myself fullmetal Brawa steamlocomotiv with sound and they are just great...!

No noise,pullingtractive is great too...!

Goofy

As a DC collector and modeler I have the choice to compare specific models in several brands, and to my point of view brawa models are the best example of affordable metal models with almost brass like details.

When you compare brass models as lemaco, fulgurex, metropolitan etc. with mass production models the only brands that came close in detail are the best models from brawa, fleischmann, hag and some models from roco and marklin/trix.

In regard of running characteristic and only under DCC layouts roco is average the best (roco under AC layouts is not good at all, AC modifications mostly sacrifice running).

In regard of solid and robustness Hag is by far the most robust brand, marklin/trix is the second, brawa the third and fleischmann is the four.

Nevertheless we have to distinguish that not all models from any manufacturer are good, older models tend to be less detailed, not the best runners and more robust than new ones, this is almost valid for all.

In conclusion to my specific point of view and taking apart all brand fanatic considerations each brand has their pros and cons and nowadays it is very hard to award one as a winner.

Actually I own 120 locomotives from all popular european brands so I think it is a fair number to have an idea about their quality.

That is true, but almost only limited edition prior 1980, most new limited editions are very easy to find with no collectible value.

Nowadays bemo very limited metal editions are rare and true collective models, if you missed one metal bemo edition you better hurry for it, otherwise, "Dont cry for me Argentina".