Updated 22.02.2014

Märklin 46823

This  was a limited MHI car set in 2000. I got mine in 2002.

Train length = 20,3 cm.

46823-1, DB  Tank car 547 998

L = 10,1 cm.

4854-2, DB  O10 672 890

L = 10,1 cm.

46823-3, Lanz Bulldog with wooden gas carburetor

L = 4,7 cm.

For me, this train set is very interesting, from a historic point of view

Some history:

The company I am working for was founded just before the second world war. at that time they had an agreement with the American company Willys, for import and distribution of Willlys vehicles to Norway.
in the morning hours, April 9th 1940 some people sat in an office signing the final documents to start the new company.  Then the aircraft warning alarm went off, the Germans were attacking  Norway.

For understandable reasons, the import of Willys to Norway during WW2 was banned.

The next step in the history is that "my" company was founded by the Ihlen family, the same family that founded Strømmens mekaniske verksted, a big manufacturer of rolling stock for the Norwegian state railway company NSB, later Bombardier Transportation Norway.

So, during WW2 "my" company sold and distributed wood gas generators throughout Norway.  The generators were produced by Strømmens mekaniske verksted.

We have an old protocol (1942) in our company archive, where the shipment of every generator was carefully entered. with destination, value and for what kind of vehicle.  Before each shipment, with railway or by sea, somebody went to the insurance company with the protocol, for approval and signatures, for shipment insurance, probably a great risk during WW2.  The value of the generator was high!  They were entered with a value of 8000 Norwegian kroner.  Today NOK 8000 equals Euro 1000.  That was a lot of money in 1942!

I find this very interesting, as I have been a part of the company for 40 years.

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