Hi All,
Seeing I started back in the "hobby" seven years ago I had a choice of everything made at the time and a 2004 catalogue, plus access to the Lokshop site that was recommended to me by an AMC member.
I bought a "Mega":starter set with an MS 1 Controller and that and the tracks are all I have left of it,. I totally dissed the Loks as they were not perfect. but....
I absolutely had to have an E103, and with the remote controlled pantographs. A search of the web found a few for sale, best deal, from a Marklin Dealer, was at MMM in Florida so I ordered it March 2005. Also I had the 2003 catalogue with the Class 45 in it, the next purchase from a German Ebay dealer. So my list, almost in order of aquisition, the first four sort of, anyway......
39579 E103
37450 Class 45
37605 VT 11.5, that was preceeded by the VT601 37606 Gas Turbine, version, bought from the same German ebay dealer as the '45, but a year later bought the 37605 on ebay & I prefer it. The sounds and look are awsome, and its got ball bearing armatures
39833 BR 185 DHL Taurus, (bought it from the shop opposite the old Marklin Museum after the '05 Treff)
39642 Class 64 because I think it does every thing pefectly, looks, goes and sounds great, and I've "used" (played with) it more than any other of my Dampfloks and will continue to do so on my small layout. Only fault; the instructions

don't remove the handrails from the body when, when removing it to install a smoke unit, as suggested, you'll only wreck them

Just sit the body back on the chasis and gently move the handrails into their sockets in the chassis with tweezers, lifting the body very slightly to help ease them in, and then the body sits down perfectly, and your handrails are still all perfect as well

A very fiddly job, but just dont force anything
My 39980 Rail Bus would have to be next, my most played with model, but then I'm not allowed a sixth chioce

sorry