September 2025

Es war die Trossinger Eisenbahn, mit der in jungen Jahren meine Laufbahn als Eisenbahn- und Modellbahnautor begann. Den Anstoß gab ein Fahrdienstleiter und Eisenbahn-Fotograf, der in meinem Heimatbahnhof Dienst tat.

Fine Models GmbH, which also owns the Kiss Modellbahnen brand, has today published a clarification regarding its own company and Kiss Modellbahnen Schweiz GmbH.

While waiting for the first ICE 3 neo on the way from Berlin to Amsterdam, I took a series of photos that also captured unusual locomotives and carriages in the best light. A gallery with 35 photos.

Finally, a few comments on the 40th International Model Railway Exhibition (IMA), the 14th Märklin Days, and the product strategy for gauge 1.

Some pictures of standard gauge locomotives at Göppingen station. And the short version of a long speech.

There was plenty of space for large and small layouts in and around the EWS Arena in Göppingen. Some had spectacular or historical motifs.

A Z layout (1:220) welcomed visitors to the EWS Arena. But there was much more to see—including a real steam locomotive from Saxony. 47 pictures and a report.

One of the highlights of the IMA and Märklin Days is always the presentation of historic railway vehicles on the tracks at Göttingen station. Visitors can ride on some of them or take a look inside the cab.

The diorama celebrating the 100th anniversary of the class 01 locomotive at the EWS Arena in Göppingen is spectacular. No fewer than 14 class 01 locomotives in 1:32 scale are arranged around a turntable in Gunter Birkholz's operational diorama.

At the IMA and Märklin Days in Göppingen, Spur 1 Austria will be showing the prototype of the 01.10 for the first time in the EWS Arena. This beautiful model is expected to be delivered in February 2026.

Tomorrow, the Märklin Days begin with the IMA. The hotels are already full of guests who are recognizable as model railroaders. It will be very hot and very crowded in Göppingen, so I visited Märklin today.

There are always surprises, especially with Gauge 1. Märklin has now announced three new Gauge 1 products for the fall ahead of the Märklin Days. The E 60 electric locomotive was already available in a different version in 2015. Now it's the turn of fans of epoch IV (from 1968).

Wema-Bahnatelier has added new seated figures to its range that are particularly suitable for gauge 1 passenger coaches. They have a special feature.

Railway Day will take place from Friday to Sunday (September 19 to 21, 2025). There will be events and demonstrations of railways and railway technology throughout Germany. Trade unions and the Association of German Engineers are also inviting people to find out about careers in the railway sector and mobility, which is more attractive and future-proof in the long term than the German automotive industry.

Next weekend, from Friday to Sunday, the biennial International Model Railway Exhibition (IMA) will once again take place in Göppingen, together with the Märklin Days. It is a colorful mix of model railway exhibition, original railways, and events related to the model railway market leader Märklin.

59 photos of six gauge 1 models of the DB class 218 from Wunder.

We received numerous photos of the finished gauge 1 models of the DB diesel locomotives of the 210 and 218 classes from Wunder's Korean manufacturer. Anticipation is guaranteed—as is the hunt for any remaining available models.

Steiner Modellwerke is announcing the release of the Tn class tank locomotive to mark the 180th anniversary of railways in Württemberg. The steam locomotive for gauge 1, later designated DRG and DB class 94¹, will be available in five versions.

In Giessen, the prototypes of Pesolillo's Italian Tipo 1937 passenger cars were still “bare” brass. Now I have received photos of the two painted Gauge 1 models, which are scheduled to be launched in 2026.

The operating licence for the Bavarian S 3/6 recently expired. A few farewell pictures from Nördlingen, Germany.

The summer lull is over, and things are picking up again. A new gauge 1 project list and a look at the market. And in the evening, the blood moon appears.

Fine Models has received the hand samples of the DB Ommv 72 self-unloading center car. 52 detailed photos and a long discussion of the extraordinary gauge 1 model.

Pesolillo has been delivering the SBB and BLS high-sided cars since August. A number of units are still available.

Back in 2018, I reported on a 750 mm museum railway that I discovered by chance while taking a detour. A lot has happened since then. In two weeks, there will be interesting events featuring a steam train.