Hi Tiono,
I guess it depends on what you want from them.

Do you have sharp curves on your layout? If so then maybe the Marklin ones are your only choice.

Is price very important to you? The Piko coaches look very attractive at that price, if you can put to one side the detailing.

This is very much a personal choice.

I have voted for the Marklin ones because they are the only ones which might get around my layout without hitting all the catenary masts! At the moment I'm using 24cm tinplate silbelinge, so even the old 27cm 1:100 coaches would be an improvement for me!

I recently bought the 3 new era 4 Silberling coaches from Märklin, and I'm very happy with them. I can push them with high speed, up a 5% incline with old 21XX curved turnouts , without derailing . So I voted for Märklin in the poll.

I voted for Märklin even though I'm a bit torn.

If I got Märklin then I'd get 43801 (x2), 43811 and 43830 and run them with the Roco 68356, DB AG BR 182, that I have on order.

An alternative could be Roco 64071 (which is a set with three coaches for DC) and 45369.

Yet another alternative would be 64211 (which is for AC) and 45880. Unfortunately there is no second class from Roco to match these two.

(By the way 45482 gives no hit in the Roco online database, so it is not available anymore).

For Silberlinge in the silver livery, I have two sets with Märklin 24 cm coaches and one with Roco 27 cm coaches.

Interesting topic...
I suppose with their "old" pricing, Marklin/Trix coaches are quite competitively priced.
They undercut Roco or Fleischmann offering by significant margin,
yet they are really good enough in details if you're not too demanding on scale length or interior...
Certainly, they're not really that much more expensive than Piko - yet they're much better in detail.

At the moment, I'm also inclined to vote for Marklin...
Next year, might be a different story as most Marklin coaches will compete in different price bracket thanks to their new policy.



Depends on what you want/need.

Buying a special push-pull trainset like 26543 is more "glamorous" vs buying individually..

However, buying them individually is cheaper AFAIK... part of the reason is that 26543 is an MHI item.

This types of "push-pull" set is also less flexible.
The set uses special coupling (there is electrical connection through the entire train) - to allow for the pickup shoe changeover feature between the control cab and the BR23.
Note that the BR23 can only 'push' or 'pull' the train with its front coupler only; and not the other way around if you prefer.
In other words; the Silberlinge especially can only be exclusively operated with the BR23 in this way AND only with this BR23 alone...

You can't use the coaches from this set with other standalone locomotives.
Probably some loks from similar "push-pull" set (26507, 26218, etc).. only IF the coupler set of the lok is the same.
But this is not recommended.

As far as I can see, with these push-pull trainsets, the "special" coupler is still attached to a NEM pocket; so yes, it's possible to swap.

But the standard electrical coupler is connected to a few wires; so you can't just pull them out. Some extra care must be taken on what to do with them afterwards...(?) - I haven't tried.

The other thing is, the lights on the cab control car won't work if the train is pulled the other way... as it is wired to automatically switch pick up shoe depending on direction...

When I started model-train hobby with Marklin, I also thought that all Marklin's HO rolling stocks are really 1:87 scale. Until one day I put Preiser's 1:87 passenger figures inside Marklin's intercity coach, and realised that something was weird; the figures seemed to be too big and could not be put on the seat without amputating their feet. That is the time when I knew that the coach was not exact 1:87 scale, but 1:100
Since then, I always check the scale before buying any of Marklin's rolling stocks. I started to buy Roco, and always satisfied with its interior details and exact scale, easier to put figures too, no need amputating their feet . So far I never have any problem with Roco coach at 360mm curve.

Tiono, I also discovered the figure diema, but not for the same reason. Th figures fit fine when seated. I tried to fit them in a Herpa automobile, which is exact 1/87 scale. Guess what? had to cut the leggs off at the knees.
That was a great find Hasan. i love those 2nd hand shops and shows, especially since almost everything else around here is totally on line shopping.

I was reading this thread and the comparison of 1:87 to 1:93 and 1:100 scale coaches. I must state here that the majority of coaches are rendered in 1:87 in terms of coach height and coach width. The only dimension that is different is the overall length of the coach, which is rendered in 1:87 (Exact scale) or 1:93 or 1:100 (Compromised). Some older coaches are slightly wider than 1:87. This probably was inherited from the UK Scale OO.

The interior details are all produced in the same scales as the exterior body of the coaches, except for compromises required by the design of the undercarriage, which may be thicker than that of a real coach, resulting in a little less space inside the coach. In order to properly position the seats vis a vis the windows, some manufacturers have reduced or almost removed the space under the bench, requiring that figurines be modified to suitably fit inside the coach.
It is important to remember that reduced scale figures are not always exactly in 1:87. At the same time, there is a large variation in height and weight of real people, so there will be natural variations as well. It will be necessary to make some compromises when installing figurines inside of HO scale models.

Roco has developed more detailed interiors on many models since the 1980s. Maerklin and other companies still have interior details that haven't changed much since the 1960s. Each modeller has his or her preference.

I have Maerklin coaches from the 1960s through today. I have a large collection of exact scale 1:87 from Roco, LSM, ACME, RailTop, Lima (Rivarossi), etc. I prefer the 1:87 exact scale, because it looks better. The advantage for some of the reduced length models is that you can have more coaches per train (for the same overall length) and the coaches look better on the tighter radii used by some modellers, which was the norm for Maerklin M-Track (R1 and R2).
More recent Maerklin modellers may have converted or started with C- or K-Track, which included radii 3, 4 and 5, on which 1:87 coaches can be used with less overhang in the curves.

I always found it curious why some modellers insist on having R2 curves with straight tracks between quarter curves. This creates an equal radius to say R4 or R5, but still results in the coaches hanging over. If you can replace the curves with larger tracks, remove the straight section and you will be much happier with the optical results. That was what I discovered in 1984 with my first K- Tracks and it opened my eyes.

The choice of which "Silberlinge" coaches you end up buying is up to you. You may even decide to go with the 24cm metal ones if you can find them. They may not be the best looking, but they have a nice look and that classic Maerklin sound.

Regards

Mike C

hi Mike,
you're right to certain extend. But you have to remember that by reducing the length of the coach, they have to reduce the leg-room between seat to maintain the same number of seat. This is approximately around 15% reduction. So the 1:100 is indeed has different room size than the 1:87 even if everything else is the same.
Combined with Marklin's outdated 1960's interior details, we end up with a very compact room.
(But now I'm willing to try the new Marklin's 1:93 Silberling since they said it was developed using "new tooling")



Personally I prefer passenger coach with well detailed interior. I will try the new Marklin Silberling. If its interior is still not much different than their old coaches, then I will replace them with Roco.