This was the first loco I knew, a CM800, followed about a year later by a similar 3000. It was really a christmas present for my brother the year I was born, 1958, but he lost interest in the trains quite early on and I inherited the set. The first wagon in the train in the photo is also from that time, and this is a 311/1 later known as a 4601.

The original set also included three 327/1 (4000) passenger wagons, of which 2 survive, but in poor condition. I have replaced them recently with 3 second hand 4000s of around the right period. I've added a second photo showing 89028 pulling these three coaches.

The third picture shows the 3000, 89005 from around 1959

Hi,

This is a cut-out from a larger picture in our family-album. Yes, that's me in 1968 with my first Märklin: A TEMPO - Hochlader (ref. 8026), the small pick-up in the foreground. My one was blue. Yes, I still have it.





Regards

Markus

It was Christmas 1988. My father worked for Mobil Oil. At the time, because of the company, our family (American) lived in Wellington, New Zealand. I remember a warm Christmas morning (warmer than Colorado), and looking out over Wellington Harbour (we had the excellent blessing of company paid housing, and a very nice view). I had not put a model train on "Santa's list." There was the curious large rectangular package under the tree. I was completely (and happily) surprised to find a Marklin Starter set, 2980. I remember setting it up on the carpet, and initially struggling with my father to get the K track sections snugly seated into each other. Soon the carpet would be replaced with a rectangle of plywood from a local hardware store. Once the train was running, it was a new world of wonder for me. Initially I ran her backwards, I just didn't know which way was the "front" of a 260 (although 260 can run both ways in the prototype). This is probably also the beginning of my fascination with V60s...



Everything from this set, the models, the track and the rolling stock (even the box!)

Here's the whole train (the freight baggage car with sliding doors was of immense entertainment in loading):



This little loco has done a lot of hours, and pulled all kinds of loads. I still run her regularly today, my sons are very fond of her (despite the increased inventory of locos at our house). Sure, she needs a dusting. I have a new roof for her in a box, but I don't have the heart to put it on.

2980 was a K track starter set, so I have been (mostly) K ever since. As a result, I never really got into M track (but I appreciate and respect it).

If we were not in New Zealand, I am not sure I would have ended up with this 220v starter set. It seems to me in my boyhood reflections (and what is confirmed in this forum) that NZ has a very good Marklin community. There were secondhand items available. In the time to come, my parents would purchase a few used items from Peter Lemmon, whom I privately referred to as "Mr. Marklin" due to the size of his collection. Here is my second loco (purchased later, perhaps the next year), second hand. This one was from a shop, and not Mr. Lemmon. She was already a little rough when I got her...and has had a lot of adventures that did not help. I did not care then or now. It was great to have a big black fast steam engine, all those pistons and rods moving so quickly as the wheels went round. Who knew the engine could go so fast she would fall off the curves! This engine has pulled all manner of trains, and a lot more freight trains than you would expect of BR03 :) I fitted her with a smoke generator at some point over the next couple of years, another adventure in wonder.



I finally overhauled her a couple of years ago (good cleaning, standard maintenance), and I think she runs as well today as she did then, or when she was new.



If I had to give up my collection, these two locos would always be kept. These two items are the spirit of my heart for Marklin. I remember simple times, times in a beautiful country, times spent with my father. Now, whenever they go on the track, I remember those amazing boyhood feelings.

-Brandon

As mentioned in the previous thread I purchased my first starter set, a 3122 set, in 1971 at age 11. At that time my cousin worked at the NZ Marklin importers, so she was able to get the set and a 30va transformer for me at a discounted price - I think the set was $40 and the transformer another $20. I had originally intended to buy a Marklin Sprint set, but a schoolmate convinced me I should buy trains instead. It was my prized possession for many years (still is), giving much enjoyment. I added to the set bit by bit by buying track and freight cars. I later added a 3000 loco (my sister now has this for her kids when they were younger), a 3085 BR 03 and a 3357 BR 103. My collection expanded rapidly when I discovered what could be brought from ebay and online German shops.

My cousins and the brother of my now brother-in-law also had Marklin, so school holidays were often spent combining our Marklin resources and making large Marklin carpetbahn's, much to the consternation of the adults, who quickly found their lounges full with trains. Somehow, I ended up with the 3005 that my brother-in-law and his brother had - that loco has sure had some running!

Edited by user 10 November 2013 06:10:41(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I love this thread a lot, but is it only Marklin branded ?
Are other mrr brands allowed too?
I bought my first Marklin only 4 or 5 years ago.

However I grew up in the late 60's /early 70's with the Trix Express trains from my father and older brother.
And those 3rail Trix Express trains were the base of my love for the mrr hobby.
My father had many Faller, Vollmer and Kibri catalogs and those "books"were the first books I read as a toddler and now 47 years later these 1960s catalogs still predominantly contribute to how I experience my model train hobby.

Recently I discovered in an old family album a photo showing that my father and older brother get their first model trains as a Christmas gift in 1963 from my grandfather.
It was a Trix Express set and a set from “Heinrich Wimmer Blechspielwarenfabrik” aka HWB.
As a kid I spent many hours playing with the Trix and HWB trains, the HWB set was my favorite, it ran on the Trix express tracks on 4,5 Volt DC (the yellow transformer).

Last year I found most of the Trix Express and the HWB set back in a box in my basement, the HWB set is very precious to me.

Me and my boys now run the HWB wagons on our Marklin layout.
My favorite HWB loco needs some work, I want to restore it before the end of the year.
I still want to know what station is on the photo.

Marco

Edited by user 03 November 2013 21:23:02(UTC)  | Reason: typo....

My first locomotive? I so not recall the very first one, as I got some old used stuff in two badges from a former colleague sometime in the late 70s

The first badge I think it was parts from two starter sets, as I got two old small blue transformers with metal casing. It ), two more or less destroyed 3029 and some flat cars, maybe two start sets 2943 and some well used M-tracks.

The 3029-8:



My first painting attempt, not very successful

The second badge, as far as I can remember, was a 3000-7 Br 89 in a box and a 3013-4 NS1100, unboxed.

The 3000-7 Br 89 after some tampering from me:



I think I had to replace the locomotive body.

The 3013 NS 1100, after replacing more or less all the small parts:



Märklin 3013, Ns 1100



I will not say that these locomotives mean something to me, but they give me some good memories.

Edited by moderator 16 November 2019 09:50:33(UTC)  | Reason: Replaced Svein's missing images due to his website being no longer available online due to his passi

My first Marklin.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to post a warning to others. A few years back I was searching on ebay for a transformer for another project when one of the photos caught my eye.


I had no clue what Marklin z scale was but I was truly impressed and for 20 bucks I couldn’t resist. That was the beginning of an addiction which has lead to tracks and mountains and castles and sheds and too many cars and engines to count (and I still don’t have a finished working layout yet). So be warned your first Marklin piece will not be your last and needless to say I gave up on whatever the project was that I was originally searching for.
-George

Its a picture from the internet but that was the set my dad bought me at about six years old. I watched that train go around the oval for.... well five decades later I'm still watching. The oval has become a little larger though.

Edited by user 17 November 2019 04:23:48(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

My starter set from 1958 is still going strong!



To be truthful I have to admit that I replaced the 4000 coaches recently as my originals were not in good condition. Two were missing their roofs and had been repainted in my youth, and the third had been an early attempt by me to convert it into a goods wagon. It's no longer around!

This set was originally a Christmas present for my brother, but as he grew older he lost interest and I inherited the trains.

This set and another couple of items of stock we added in the early sixties represent for me the start of an interest in model railways that has never left me.