Gauge: H0 Era: III

Prototype: 3 different design express train passenger cars for the German Federal Railroad (DB) "Rheingold" F 10 long distance express train. 1 type WR4üm-62 DSG dining car. 2 dining areas, galley, wash-up area, buffet, and crew compartment. Version with rounded roof ends and raised roof over the galley ("Humped Back dining car"). 1 type Av4üm-62 compartment car, 1st class. Version with rounded roof ends. 1 type Ap4üm-62 open seating car, 1st class. Version with rounded roof ends. Cobalt blue / beige basic paint scheme. The cars look as they did in the early part of 1962.

Model: The minimum radius for operation is 360 mm / 14-3/16". The roofs, side walls, underbodies, and skirting are specific to the car types. The trucks are Minden-Deutz designs with shoe brakes, magnet rail brakes, and separately applied generators. All of the cars have factory-installed LED interior lighting with warm white LEDs. One car has a factory-installed pickup shoe.

The other cars can be supplied with power by means of special, current-conducting coupling drawbars.

Charlie's Tip: This means the cars are coupled between each other with drawbars, not couplers as depicted in the picture. You need to buy 72020's if you want to uncouple the cars frequently.

The 73407 marker light kit can be installed on all of the cars. The cars have imprinted train destination signs.

Total length over the buffers 84.8 cm / 33-3/8".

DC wheel set per car 4 x 700580.

Highlights:

• 50 Years of the modern "Rheingold" train 1962 - 2012.

One-time series.

New standards marked high-quality, long distance service at the start of the Sixties. In 1962 the German Federal Railroad enthusiastically announced its top offering for the future: "A great name in European railroading is acquiring new glamour. From May 27, 1962, the start of this year's summer schedule, a brand spanking new DB "Rheingold" will run between Amsterdam and Basle. This train will continue the tradition of that famous predecessor that was among the most elegant trains in Europe in the Twenties and Thirties." The new Rheingold was depicted as consisting of completely new cars. Modified units of the class E 10 (then designated as the E 10.12) initially served as motive power. Their gear drives had been changed for a maximum speed of 160 km/h / 100 mph. In addition, the DB purchased four new types of cars for its prestige train. Along with the standard compartment cars with a side corridor known on express trains (type Av4üm-62), there were open seating cars for the first time (type Ap4üm-62) in long distance service. The vista dome cars (type AD4üm-62) were a special feature. In their raised, fully glassed dome areas passengers enjoyed an open view of the marvelous landscape. Here and in the open seating cars the seats could be turned so that the passengers could always look in the direction of travel. The bar in the vista dome car invited you to while away the time with beverages and small snacks. Business passengers could have their work done in the secretary's compartment. The new dining car (type WR4üm-62) had a bi-level galley area that soon acquired the nickname "humpbacked dining car" for this car. Bi-level in order to give more space in the dining area. Gold-flecked window panes and air conditioning of course provided pleasant temperatures.

The locomotives and cars were easy to recognize externally from the elegant, two-color paint scheme with cobalt blue below the windows and a beige colored window band area. Moreover, the vista dome car was emblazoned with the lettering "Rheingold" below the dome. Starting in May of 1965 the "Rheingold" ran as a Trans-Europe-Express (TEE). Since a two-color paint scheme with red below the windows had been planned for the TEE trains, the locomotives and cars were repainted accordingly. The use of the vista dome car and the bi-level dining car ended in May of 1976. The summer schedule for 1979 saw the end for the traditional Rheingold between Hook of Holland and Switzerland; it now ran only between Amsterdam and Geneva. From May 23, 1982 on the run was reduced to Amsterdam – Basle, Switzerland. Up until May 30, 1987 the Rheingold meandered day in and day out through the tangle of track in the Ruhr area, past the Cologne Cathedral as well as past the Lorelei cliffs and across the Upper Rhine plain between the Black Forest and the Vosges. This legendary train then disappeared from the rails of the German Federal Railroad – but not for ever: Since 2007 the Nürnberg Transportation Museum has used a train under the name "TEE Rheingold" in charter and tourist service, a train that includes several original cars from the Rheingold trains of 1962. In addition to compartment and open seating cars this train also runs a vista dome car again.

Charlie's Tip: The class E 10.12 "Rheingold" electric locomotive, available under item no. Marklin 37106, is the ideal motive power for the 43873 and 43883 "Rheingold" car sets.