I was looking to get this 4094 from Marcel at Modeltreinshop, and I noticed that the windows were a bright yellow colour. Marcel says he tried to clean them but they stay yellow. It makes it hard to see the interior detail. Has anyone seen this before? Is there anything one can do about it?

Hi Ray,

I have a 4094, and it has normal clear windows, and it is fitted with interior datails, in light brown colour as typical the 70-80.

Ray. Note it is 27cm long, I remember you prefer the 24cm coaches.

I have exactly the same problem with a couple of the transparent locos Marklin made to introduce their digital system - the 3772 Br.212 and the 3774 Br.216. In those two cases the transparent body has yellowed while the window glazing is unchanged. They were very cheap but the chassis are in good condition, so if I see a spare normal bodyshell I'll rebody them. I think it might be related to UV exposure?

IIRC the glazing from a 4097 should fit too, if you're looking to change it.

It is worth trying to track down the later versions of the POP-wagen (like that 4094) as you can do the close coupling mod to them without buying anything else. I have 4091, 4093 and 4094 from the first production run, while I really like the models I can't bring them closer together without butchering the underframes. I'm not keen to do this to near mint and boxed classics like these.

I might well do something to the 4093 as it has a step broken off and the couplings aren't in the best of condition, so I'm already looking out for either a spare underframe and couplings or a complete mint and unboxed example to swap places. It may get Roco or similar close coupling units and a scratchbuilt replacement step, if I get time to study the surviving ones and work out how to replicate them.

I know Lutz has put his on newer chassis to get full close coupling, but I don't have his access to Marklin parts and I don't want to buy coaches just to take the underframes.

Here are mine:


4091


4093


4094

Yep - I'm hunting a 4092 from the first batch in the same condition as these. Now the £/€ rate is improving it's getting a bit more reasonable to order from Eurozone. Only snag, I've already blown this month's train budget on a 4066, an unboxed 4148 and an as-new boxed 4153 (along with a 29130 set, which came in at £112 including postage and was too good a bargain to miss!).

Mike,

As far as I know all 27cm coaches brought interiors. This coach does have interior details, the seller sent me another photo showing it. It's just impossible to see it because of the yellow colour.

I agree that it does not seem to be a natural occurrence.

I also agree with your assessment, Mike. It's better to wait for another example without this window problem.

Jacques,

would you not agree that UV or light damage strong enough to cause a reaction in the window panes would likely also cause change of colors to the rest of the plastic as well.

I stand by my assessment that somebody probably swapped out the windows with a model that had the windows painted over. The visual end result appears identical to when a WC window is painted over on a coach with tinted panes. I have had to do this to a few Maerklin coaches and most of my Roco and ACME models.

Regards

Mike C

Thanks, guys.

I think I've found another which is OK.

Yes Mike , your explanation is plausible too.
Looking at the picture it is hard to tell.
I based my suggestion on the fact that the details inside were "difficult to see" and not "impossible to see"
It's strange what happens to model trains trains sometimes!
Cheers

Possible with sunfade or sundirect?

I have V200 diesel with bit of yellow windows on one side because of sun fade.