I also have one of these but it is the trix type...(SBB Cargo)

Mario:

The Cargo Am842 was one of two MAK diesel loks that were leased from MAK in 2003. The loks were used for shunting and operation on non-electrified routes in Germany in the Schaffhausen border area. The red Am 842 was one of two loks that the SBB acquired from a private operator (may have been Sersa) that have been used for shunting and emergency operation in a few select SBB stations. The leases ended and the loks were returned to MAK (Vossloh around 2006)
The Am843 is a more powerful lok with a longer body which is being used by the Cargo, Passenger and Network Divisions for non-electrified routes and reserve operations.

So far, Maerklin has released up to 4 variants of the Am 842, 33642, 37642, 37643 and the current 37627, representing the two red Am 842 (000 and 001) and the cargo liveried 842 101 and 102.
Liliput also released a model of the red version.

Piko and Mehano released models of the Am843. Mehano went bankrupt and the lok is no longer produced.

37642 Am 842 001: http://cgi.ebay.ch/K8-Ma...-842-001-0-/120685099514

33642 Am 842 000: http://cgi.ebay.ch/K8-Ma...685126183#ht_4239wt_1011

Note the additional white stripe on the long end of lok 842 001.

The SBB has leased a few other Am 842 for use in border stations and on non-electrified routes in northern Italy. Photos of those loks (Cargo colours and Angel Trains liveries) at: http://www.railfaneurope...FS/diesel/Am842/pix.html

Those loks are registered with SRC (Swiss Rail Cargo aka SBB Cargo Italy) and labelled D 100 XXX SR and Am 842 XXX.

You can find more information about the Am 842 here (in German): http://www.loks-aus-kiel...rzeuge&object=am+842

Regards

Mike C

Mario:

All the loks mentioned in your post are locomotives manufactured by MAK/Vossloh in Kiel Germany. Each lok belongs to a class assigned by the manufacturer. The SBB then assign it their own class, which is explained as follows:

A - Locomotive with a high speed in excess of 80km/h
m - Diesel motor
8 - Diesel
4 - Lok with 4 Powered Axles
2 - Series number

The link that I provided (loks-aus-kiel.de) gives exact information for each lok.

The 37642 is Am 842 001 which began it's life as MAK lok 1000879. The lok was built from MAK series G 1204 BB and was sold in 1993 to Sersa (Zuerich), a Swiss Construction Company, where it was given the name "Daniella". In 1994, the lok was taken over by the SBB and given the number Am 842 001. Here is a link to a detailed description of the G 1204 BB:
http://www.loks-aus-kiel.de/index.php?nav=1400736

The 37627 is Am 842 102, which began it's life as MAK lok 1001463. The lok was built from MAK series G 1000 BB and was leased Angel Trains and the on to SBB Cargo in 2003. Here is a link to the detail page:
http://www.loks-aus-kiel.de/index.php?nav=1400737

The G 1204 has a length over buffers of 12500mm. The G 1000 BB has a length of 14130mm, which is longer. Both loktypes were assigned the same Swiss class number, due to the fact that other features were similar, including:
Same manufacturer, same number of powered axles

To distinguish the loks from each other, the SBB assigned the original ones the numbers beginning with 000. The later (SBB Cargo) series received numbers beginning with 101. The most recent leases have had numbers starting with 11X, although they are known as D 100 XXX SR in Italy. Those loks are also from the G 1000 BB class. I guess that it would also not be economical for the SBB to assign a different lok class to a single lok or to a few loks. Compared to the Ae 6/6 (120), Re 6/6 (89), there were only 2 Am 842 from the first series, 2 from the second and 3 from the third.

The Am 843 were originally planned to be developed from the G 1206 class, but were finally derived from MAK class G 1700-2 BB. The loks that were delivered to the SBB were officially known from delivery as Am 843 because they were sold to SBB and not leased through a private lessor. In addition, the Am 843 differs from the G 1700-2 in terms of security equipment installed and other requirements for operation on the Swiss network. The private company Sersa and the BLS also ordered loks of this type. This lok type has a longer overall length than either the G 1204 or the G 1000 and different features (type and mounting position of headlights, etc).

As Stefan mentioned in his reply to your original post, the Maerklin model of the 37642 is pretty accurate in detail. The other Maerklin models are the same model, but with markings for the other series applied. The result is that the 37627 and the earlier 33643/37643 are not long enough (not to scale) and have a few other divergent details. Some would say that this makes them "fantasy" loks, while others would say that this is a reasonable compromise.

The same issue may also affect the Maerklin models of the various Angel Trains, NS, Railion and other versions of the MAK mainline shunter as they might not all be from the exact MAK class as the one used to make the Maerklin mold. The Crossrail shunter (from the 37346 Set) is from the series G 1202 BB and has an overall length of 12500mm, making this model, like the 37642, closer to the prototype than the 37643/37627.

Regards

Mike C

Hi Mike,

The 37642 and 37627 are actually different models, so which prototype was actually used for the 37627?

Perhaps two pictures can help to make clear what Mike and I are trying to point out to you.

This here is a picture of SBB Cargo Am 842 102-6. As you can clearly see, it is a longish, sleek, and slightly "rounded" looking loco:

http://www.bahnbilder.de...z~Dieselloks~Am+842.html

And this here is what Marklin are attempting to sell as a "fantastic" interpretation of the loco in the first picture. You can clearly see a shorter, almost rectangular or shoebox-like loco lacking (IMO) the stylish appearance of the machine above:

http://de.wikipedia.org/...timestamp=20071022191436

However, loco no. 2 does indeed more or less resemble the prototype of the Marklin models 33642/37642.

I hope that we have now jointly managed to blow away any possible confusion.

I think both Mike and Stephan have missed the point of my question.

Look at Mario's photos in the first post. The two models are clearly different. The 37627 is clearly longer than the 37642. Are you both saying there is no prototype at all for the 37627? I am getting the impression you are saying that Marklin used the same mould for both, but this is clearly not the case. This longer model that Marklin are using for the 37627 is not the same as the one they used for the 37642.

Thanks Mike, all becomes clear!

Sorry to keep badgering about this. I have the 37627, and I was interested to know what prototype they had used to "simulate" the Am 842.

Notwithstanding the fact that it is technically incorrect, I am very pleased with the look and feel of the model, and it looks great in front of a train of modern freight wagons. It's a bit too big for a shunter, especially on my small layout, so it takes turns with my Re482 pulling freights when I switch my layout to Swiss stock.

Thanks again for your excellent research on Swiss trains.