Excellente video showcasing the detailed beautiful layout; and also impressive skill to manage so many trains running simultaneously controlling the switches to avoid disaster!

That’s honestly a really nice piece of family history. I’m glad they kept it working for so long

Thank you for sharing this beautiful family memory. And I will certainly steal the foldable layout idea.

Our family grew up with the Markin trains as well. Ours was a homemade layout. We came into these trains since my uncle was stationed in Germany. We would run them mostly during Christmas also. My dad is now 88 and we decided to pull it out and put it under the tree since we didn't put them in service because there were many years of young kids that we didn't want touching them! Needless to say the engine fired up immediately after being stored for over 30 years. Amazing.

I once worked pt for model rail road equipment corp. in midtown Manhattan nyc.back in 1972 i was at the counter where the Marklin line was located every so often while when the store was not busy i'd take out of the box one of these Marklin beauties. Never had saw and handled such a well made locomotives n cars etc...Marklin to me and still is one of the best line of model rr equipment to own.

I am living in good old Germany, and I got a Märklin beginner set in 1969 as a Xmas present, then completed it part for part. I built my own layout with love, and learned a lot of electrics, soldering a.s.o. ... It's long ago that I gave it away, but the elder I get the more I remember it with tears ... So I love to watch YT videos about Märklin H0 sets, and yours is special lovely. Liked that you tell about your father and that he wanted to remember our "little & small" Germany, and it fact - the layout meets it 100 %. Keep it running & enjoy it :-)

Thanks a lot for sharing your collection! Aprecciate it a lot as a young enthousiast, and also given that this art is slowly being forgoten by my generation, find it incredible the amount of effort you guys put into it. Great content!❤

Beautiful!

Very excellent layout and trains, Märklin is very rare to find in the US and it makes me happy to see these people enjoy it. Cheers from another "Märklinist"!

Super le petit reseau pliant ingénieux les anglais 👍👍👍👍👏👏👏

That was awesome. The history of a family heirloom reminds me how I got started in model railroading.

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

I think we can all relate in some way. I'm glad Kevin Hill contacted me to do this tour. It's really a great layout and a great family. We had a hilarious time filming that day. They remind me of the better parts of my own family!

what a wonderful heirloom and memory box!....and how wonderful you have all cherished and maintained this!

THANK YOU...for sharing. WOW!

I had a Marklin as a child. I remember those little switch controllers and block controllers. At the time, Marklin didn’t make American models which I really wanted to have. Marklin has always been expensive so i spent all of my time in the basement of Berkeley Hardware drooling over what I knew I would never have.

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

Cool. You can tell these models are definitely higher end for their time. Made of metal and even at 65 years old everything still works. Not to say they have not done some maintenance on it, but the longevity of the whole setup is remarkable.

@philippedanjou5390

4 жыл бұрын

I have a large collection of vintage HO Marklin models. Some of them are older than I am ( was born in 1949) and they still pull their trains. Incredible longevity due to the quality if gerlan manufacturing. The only thing to be worried at is the metal fatigue which can be found on some of those made during war time and shortly after. But the mechanical parts seem made to last forever ! Have a look at my KZread Channel to see my Marklin trains running. And take care of yourself and your family during this trying coronavirus time!

The SK 800 is based on the Class 06, your Class 50 is actually a class 44 and your class 3 is actually a Class 01 (241 built). Great Video!

Wow! I am so glad the Hill family shared this treasure. And thanks John for filming it!

Well as I live and breathe, 3 rails! Like a mini-Lionel layout in a way, just German. Very beautiful!

Ha, similar story here. Thanks for sharing! Happy TG;)

@tsgmultimedia

Жыл бұрын

Happy holidays!

Wow memories! I was given my first Marklin set for my birthday in 1958 with an 0-4-0 tank engine and some freight cars. That thing was bullet proof for my young age!

Thank you for posting, My parents and brothers emigrated from Germany in 1960, in the late 1950s before we were approved for immigration into the U.S., my Dad built a model train that I sort of remember and I'd like to re-create that layout. This video helps bring back thatnmemory

Thank you for sharing appreciated. Great layout

Wow! You are amazing! You take care of your trains, you even keep it in the original box! I've broken all of my old toys and the boxes like most kids did!

We were also stationed at Weisbaden in the Hitelburg housing area in 1969! I was just under 10 years old and all we had was comic books. We never got a train set for xmas . October fest took up all the money as buying beer was a higher priority than trains. I'm a Marklin guy now that I'm able to have my choice of priority.

Super layout and super memories for your family. I started with Maerklin in 1964 and never stopped.

I have some of those old Faller buildings.

So nice, I love the old analog Marklin layouts.

Loved the layout, the demonstration and the wonderful folding box concept !

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

Indeed. That folding feature is very unusual. I loved it from the start. What a neat heirloom.

Absolutely superb. Had a Marklin set as a kid, which we would put up at certain times of year. Started off with my older brother and continued with myself. So many of the freight cars and locos are familiar, as are the structures. Incredible that this layout functions so well after 60 years!

Soooo charming ! Thanks for sharing ! Warmest regards from Europe !

thank you for the interesting ideas i got from your video.

I got all my first Marklin Set from our Lowry AFB Thrift Store. The rest was history.

Very cool! A layout in a box ! love the loco's ,and age of it all .It's got to be fun to run that layout and just watch the trains.

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

For sure, Mitch. This is not a prototype modeler's dream layout but it provides its own challenges and a different kind of skill to operate!

Dang that is cool how all the structures fold up with out hitting anything.

Great video guys thanks. Great to see the whole family understands and appreciates it, also a nice collection of Marklin.

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Andrew! So glad you found and liked the video. Please share it with your friends if you think they would like it!

The people in that town must not be getting any sleep because of the noise! Very cool Very nice.

What a cool tour. John I really appreciate you sharing the Hill family's awesome treasure. Your videos are really great! Thank you kind Sir. This channel Rocks!

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the great compliments. Help the channel grow by sharing it with your friends and family! :D

Wow . . . nothing like I've ever seen before! Mommy, can I have one of those? Seriously, great video John, well done and I enjoyed the family history and participation by all the folks involved.

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Larry! It's like I said on the podcast - this is not something you see every day!

Beautifull personal document that shows thé purpose of modèl railroading: connecting people. Thank you for sharing.

nice layout !

Eine wundervolle kleine Bahn. Ich selbst habe wieder im alter von 36 Jahren begonnen, mich meiner Märklin h0 zu widmen. Nun ist alles digitalisiert. Doch ich liebe noch immer den Klang einer analogen Bahn. Viele Grüße und vielen Dank aus Deutschland

@tsgmultimedia

4 жыл бұрын

Vielen Dank für das Ansehen des Videos und für den Kommentar zu Ihrer persönlichen Erfahrung. Es ist schön zu wissen, dass Menschen gemeinsame Interessen finden, mit denen sie sich verbinden können, unabhängig von unserer unterschiedlichen nationalen Herkunft.

Pure enjoy to see and they are outstanding quality products. Me and my boys pulled my old stuff just before christmas 2017. Also added up things and now we have an 4 curcuit track system up running analoge. So much bonding and pleasure between my sons and me with quality time. As soon they get little older and I will teach them so solder we will go Digital mode. Learning by doing. Thanks for sharing your beautiful Märklin layout. Regards from Sweden.

We in germany call such a layout Epoque III (1945-1970). Nice, you got a piece of old Germany in post - war - time😁.

You have an amazing layout, and those engines are now antiques!

Very very nice. I liked the family members all inputing their thoughts as well as operating. Great video John Thanks.

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Paul glad you enjoyed it. Share it with your friends if you know anyone who also might like it.

Wonderful video and story. This is the kind of magical Marklin layout which led me to my own Marklin world. Cheers.

What a beautiful layout and a fabulous use of space....very nice and inspiring!

Very, very nice! Modelrailroad history!

That was awesome

every kid's dream there, for those who are into model railroading.

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

This is the kind of layout I would have really liked as a kid. Now that I am a big kid I prefer the "prototypical" approach to running trains. Nonetheless, this layout is a remarkable creation.

@MilwaukeeF40C

4 жыл бұрын

Rich people. I got a thrift store Tyco.

zoooooooooommmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!

Adorable layout and lovely story telling.

That is an incredible set up!

We had a similar Marklin HO set up, just not with a portable table, but a table that my dad had built out in the garage. We had about 10 engines at one time, but of course would only run about 3 at a time, and once in a while 4. I had 2 younger brothers, so that worked out pretty well, in keeping an eye on the set while managing the engines. Unfortunately, now it's all in boxes, but we hope to get the set out again and build it once some of our boys are off to collage, and some room opens up!

@mikeleppan8635

2 жыл бұрын

How did the layout build go? I stored mine for years while still continuing to add to the collection. After Covid struck and we went into a number of lockdowns - It was great to pullout all the rail, and build a working vintage layout! Have around 30 locos and perhaps 100 pieces of rolling stock... just love the solid feel and dependability of the older stuff. I have locos that I paid a few dollars for as they were not running or "damaged" only to find really simple things wrong and soon had them back in operation. A V200 for $5,00 is among my best runners.. just needed a service and new traction tires...

Seems like the German counterpart to American's Lionel, right down to the three rails and fun accessories. That's Great!

I appreciate you sharing.

Amazing layout and family history!

Partying With Trains Is Way Better than Going to Bars.

@Adlwarth

2 ай бұрын

Definitiv I prefer trains over a forgetful night drinking and saying nonsense!😂

Wow! Very nice, very impressive layout. Astounding reliability! 'Brings to mind old the European/ Marklin layout at the Nut Tree off I80 near Sacramento back in the 70's. :-)

This is absolutely gorgeous. I love it !

Cool storage idea

That is a amazing layout thanks for showing it

Very nice and great idea to put away the railroad model.

Thank you for showing this great layout.

That is absolutely brilliant!

Great tour John--quite a design for the fold up! Glad it survived all the traveling it had to have done

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

For sure! That is some high quality craftsmanship right there!

Cool trains

Brilliant thank you!

wow thanks for sharing

This is right up my alley, as I myself am a big fan of the German steam locomotives, as much as I am the American ones. The ones I enjoy most are the ones from the 1930s-50s, that includes those of World War II. The only problem with the marklin trains is the coupling system, and you cannot use them with other couplers like walthers, atlas, etc.

@christopherpeter978

6 жыл бұрын

You can always switch the couplers

@lukebarber9511

5 жыл бұрын

Well, their couplers being incompatible with American brands does make the trains even more realistic (except for when it comes to their USA-outline rolling stock...).

@MilwaukeeF40C

4 жыл бұрын

European model couplers don't work anything like the real ones. European railroads were always supposed to switch to knuckle-like couplers but never did. The committee has existed for like a century.

Thanks for sharing this wonderul layout with us. Just a few remarks to the locos: The SK 800 is based on a class 06 4-8-4 passenger loco, and not on the class 50, as mentioned in the video. The decapod is a class 44, and not a class 50 freight engine. Further more the Pacific is not a class 3, but a class 01 fast passenger steam engine. The class 24 never saw service throught Germany, butstayed mainly in the grasslands of eastern Prussia, hence their nick name "Prairie Horse". Only a few made it to the West at the end of WW II. The Sk 800 and the >Swiss Crocodile a treasured collector´s items these days, fetching horrific prices at auctions.

@kevin2472

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the information, being in the United States and not completely familiar with German Equipment we used Wikipedia( not always the most reliable source) to try and gather more information

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

We need a re-shoot of the main actors? :))

@paulbislin8471

6 жыл бұрын

Just to add some more informations: the class numbers for steam engines in Germany goes about this: express engines = class 01 to 19; passenger engines = class 20 to 39; freight engines = class 40 to 59; passenger tank engines = class 60 to 79; freight tank engines/switchers = class 80 to 96; cogwheel engines = class 97; local RR‘s lightweight engines = class 98; narrow gauge steamers = class 99. In many cases a class number included only a single type (like class 44) but very often a class number several classes or subclasses of the same wheel arrangement (like class 18 which included: class 18.0 / class 18.1 / class 18.2 / class 18.3 / class 18.4 / class 18.5 / class 18.6). These were separted by the engine number groups: class 18.0 means engines numbered between 18 001 to 18 099, class 18.1 means 18 100 to 18 199, and so on. The 2-10-0 decapod wheel arrangement was the most common one for freight in Germany, including class 42 42.90, 43, 44, 50, 50.35, 50.40, 52, 58.0, 58.10. classes 44, 58.0 and 58.10 were heavy 3 cylinder engines, all others were intermediate or light 2 cylinder decapods. Streamlined express engines were classes 01.10, 03.10, 05, 06 and 19.10. All lost the streamlining after WW II.

Love the layout - used it as an inspiration to build my own vintage layout when Covid forced us into Lockdowns. I am actually a garden railroader - but having collected a pretty decent collection of around 30 locomotive from the 1950's to the 1970's - along with a decent collection of matching rolling stock... my aim was to reproduce a Marklin designed vintage layout offering the option of automatic train control using their contact tracks, signals and catenary. (Or completely manual control) I also used this as an introduction to train control and building a small layout fo my grandson who showed keen interest in the building of the layout. Would love to see a full track plan and some technical details of the layout.

Great video John, I'm impressed with how well the layout runs and looks for being 60 some years old.

You're a great family and you're daddy is/was an awesome man. Only a few years in germany and marklin get him on the hook. I've got a large marklin collection from childhood on - and I love the CCS 800/3015 "Crocodiles"... ...but my heart is beating for US Railroads, especially in the south and New England. Can I say: The (rail-)circle between the US and post-war Germany is not unbroken...?! Thx for the video and kind regards from Munich Chris

Great Layout tour John.

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks SGT! Your continued support is always appreciated!

LOVE German Era II

That was interesting, thanks!

Happy man! You own a piece of history, a real master arts work . Hope it will end up in a museum when time comes. I recognize on this layout many of the accesories, buildings, etc. which I owned in my young age. Some of them are still in my possession, and can be seen on my home-made Marklin vintage layout. Have a look at my KZread channel which has a number of videos showing my collections of HO model trains, my permanent layout as well as several "temporary table-top layouts" built for the fun and dismantled after some playing time. Regards.

That's pretty awesome. How it folds up like that.

great Video!

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Bret. It was a great layout to document and I think we had a good time that day. Neat to see something last so long. Gives credit to the old saying "they don't make stuff like that any more."

outstanding - i have some videos of older gauge 0 maerklin trains running

👏🙏

Your brother is the CEO of Not *Blinking*

A father legacy passed to his children now grown men still remembering him as they were his childs again. chicken pots.

I would Rather deal with Model Railroading Than Parties.

Very enjoyable, nice to see. I wonder if any other layouts built by them are still around? Road trip to Germany in your future John!

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

Yes I saw a link with one similar but smaller than this one.

What I see I Don’t Know if you can Do that Is To Put the Switch on The Other Board Across from The Operator. then You have One Guy Controlling The Trains The Other does The Switching Make Any Cense?

Great layout. Our family has some old vintage Marklin, and a lot of new stuff now. What did you do with the original transformers?

I just got a 1982 marklin display board and was considering making it mine but now I don't know,. Is there value in an 80's display piece? Should I try to make it original or an I clear to chop it up?

awesome layout marklin is great questions 1 what is the song used in the video? 2 would i have to get wall socket adaptors to run these trains in the states?

Absolutely fantastic! Just a question: Where is the cabling running?

@hhill1234

3 жыл бұрын

The wiring is above the layout , but beneath the landscaping. The cabling runs beneath the tracks or adjacent to the tracks. The only place you can see the wiring is at the hinges and at the connection of the switches at the control panel. It is a dilemma when replacing a signal or a track switch on the layout.

Wow, that is quite a layout! This is a prime example of 1960s West German engineering ingenuity and craftmanship. This layout in a box rivals many layouts of today. It's an amazing feat from the 60s. It seems that our hobby (especially its manufacturers) began a quest for ever-cheaper production that eventually resulted in offshoring manufacturing to China, which caused quality craftsmanship to be sacrificed. Can you imagine if a company built a similar, foldable layout in a box in N scale, for example, with the level of detailing available today to modelers. It would be outstanding! It would also probably cost about $25,000 or more. Thanks for sharing John! This was an amazing video! -from Tom Pilling

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

It would cost $25,000 and no one would be able to buy it! :D Thanks for watching and commenting, Tom!

@MilwaukeeF40C

4 жыл бұрын

Model trains now are higher quality and more detailed than ever. The layout in this video was way outside of the budget of most families in the 1960s.

Judging by the fact there is an actual 3rd rail instead of stud contacts, it's a pre 1956 layout.

@tsgmultimedia

Жыл бұрын

I thought I heard Harry say it was built for his father in 1959.

@raymondleggs5508

Жыл бұрын

@@tsgmultimedia Marklin tintroduced stud contacts in1956 but didnt phase the old rails out until 1960 although most shops carried the old rail and the stud contacts had to be ordered specially my mistake lol

Nice Layout and Trains 🙂👍 I use the same Tracks on my Märklin Modelleisenbahn ! One Problem i see on your Layout, the great green Lokomotive lose her " Pantograph's " it's an Elektro Locomotiv ! Sorry my English iss sad ! Greetings from the Swabian Mountains near Ulm Holger P.S. The Name from this green Engine iss in German " Krokodil " it's from the Swiss Rail

Hi again. Could you confirm the exact date of construction of the layout ? I believe it would be before 1956, and after 1950...

@hhill1234

3 жыл бұрын

The layout was built in 1961.

I can only imagine how much money that initial set costs.......Marklin made Lionel look cheap when it came to costs....my Grandfather could only afford to buy Marx trains for my Dad and Uncle..... a train dealer once said to me at a show.....when it comes to Marklin....you need TWO wallets. Top quality though....I own an HO Croc myself.....wired for DC.

Very nice! But where have the pantographs of the crocodile gone? 😉

@tsgmultimedia

6 жыл бұрын

If you watch through to the end, you will find out!

@FeuerbaendigerFW

6 жыл бұрын

TSG Multimedia ok, now it’s clear! It was late here in Germany and i stopped watching 😉

@hhill1234

3 жыл бұрын

The pantograph had to be removed as they would not clear the tunnels. The layout has no overhead power source to utilize a pantograph. Which detracts from the ‘Crocodile locomotive’. I purchased the ‘Crocodile’ in this layout in May 1962, in Wiesbaden at a hobby store for 81 German Marks. The exchange rate at that time was 4.2 German Marks to the American Dollar. Cost brand new out of the box was about 20 American Dollars.

My dad is to

Nice Shit - I like it ...

I was curious if there were any remaining layouts built by Fritz Berger and found this one. Just use Google translate to read the site but plenty of pics available. alte-modellbahnen.xobor.de/t37102f2-Nach-Jahren-endl-iacute-ch-wieder-eine-alte-Maerklin-Anlage.html

i have m track and those blue controller, and i dont know that the old marklin can have block signal like that

@MilwaukeeF40C

4 жыл бұрын

It doesn't look like full functioning block signaling but instead kill switches to track sections. It is doable though and I think 3 rail is ideal for fully functioning signal circuits without working around insulated axles on non powered rolling stock.