The Beginnings Of HO Gauge
The Early Beginnings
RS 700
Now let's step back in time a little bit further more. In 1935 Märklin and Trix presented the first "Table Railways" with a 16,5 mm gauge called 00. Enthusiastic Märklin collectors won't be amused seeing the first 00-trains of their "favorite manufacturer" shown as "curiosities". However they are part of the topic to which these sites are dedicated. Even if these trains have not much to do with which we call today "model trains", these first 00 trains are an important part of model railway history because they documentate the beginnings of the popular HO gauge. On the one hand, the technologies of the 1930ies didn't allow a finer workmanship. But what is more important - at those time, these trains were primarily seen as a toy for children, there wasn't any demand for real models, which are exactly true to prototype, yet. However there were some locomotives and wagons modeling real trains, like the model of a 01, a SVT or the "Schürzenwagen". Most of the trains offered then were just not more than fantasy products. During the economic wonder years after the Second World War, more and more adults became interested in small trains. These people however, wanted exactly scaled and detailed model trains, no toy engines without any real prototype. So, "00" became "H0" and the simple toy trains vanished from the catalogues more and more, to make place for real models. Today, many collectors of the old toy trains are faced with an unpleasant problem. A problem known as "zinc's plague", which has already been the deathblow for several old locomotives. There are some firms specialized on producing and distributing replica spare parts for such old trains; often enough, however for astronomical prices. The reason for this disaster is the quality of the zinc used. It is resulting from missing experiences with the purity of zinc alloys. Another reason was the political situation in Germany during the 1930ies - high quality material was reserved for the armament industry, so the material available for "model" trains often was of low quality. The conception of the first 00-trains was quite simple. Most locomotives were based on the same two-axled chassis. The cars were constructed in the same way. For the export, the locomotives were simply painted in the colors of the foreign railroad companies. In some cases, they even "Americanized" by adding a cow catcher! The picture above show one of the first 00-engines from Göppingen - a RS 700 type. The body was made of sheet metal or using the special term - tin plate, the pantographs were only dummies without any function. The two-axled chassis was used for nearly all locos.
An E 18?
The E 18 was one of the world's most powerful engines when it entered service in 1935. On the Paris World Exposition, it was awarded a "Grand Prix" for its successful design. There's any doubt - the locomotive on the picture features an E 18, however much too short, with the two-axled standard chassis. The prototype had an 1'Do'1 axle configuration. The direction of travel was changed by a manual lever on the roof; it could not be changed with the transformer. The pantographs were only dummies without any function. The bogie however wasn't manufactured any more of sheet metal, but already of zinc.
	RS 7090
Once again a "model" featuring the E 18. The difference was, however, not only the other color. This loco already had an electromechanical reversing unit so that it was possible to switch the direction of travel by the transformer.
	RS 800
HS 800	HS 700
The locomotives HS 700 and HS 800 already had three driven axles and two leading trucks. The difference between the HS 700 and HS 800 was the same one as between the RS 790 and RS 800: the HS 800 had an electromechanical reversing unit.
	The ES 800 from 1947 still based on the cheap standard chassis, but it had two leading trucks which were equipped spoked wheels. The pantographs weren't just dummies any longer. They had a real function now.
ES 800
Two-Axled Tender Locomotives
R 700	SLR 700
	Now let's have a look on the 00-gauge tender locomotives. Near the standard chassis, we not that they all have nearly the same tender. Only for the SLR 700, the tender body was changed a little bit. The SLR 700 features US streamlined locos, however only as for the design. The R 700 had a manual lever for the direction of travel, the R 800 an electromechanical reversing unit. Another interesting detail of the R 800 are both headlights, each consisting of an own bulb!
R 800
LMS / LNER - "Models" For The British Market
R 700 LMS	SLR 700 LMS
	The LMS - London Midland & Scottish Railway - was one of several British private railway companies which were nationalized and merged to the British Railways (BR) in 1947. It's quite obvious that at these times a lot of stuff for the British market was offered.
R 800 LMS
R 700 LNER	SLR 700 LNER
The same is also valid for the locomotives in the colors of the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER). Later on British trains nearly completely vanished from the catalogues of the manufacturers from the mainland of Europe. With a few exceptions however, like Lima for example. British manufacturers stroked out their own way: they kept the name "00" and choosed another, not NEM-compliant scale, 1:76 instead of 1:87.
	But there's still one British Märklin loco left which is worth to have a look on. It's said that only 34 locomotives of the E 800 LMS type have ever left the factory halls. Today it's one of the most precious Märklin locos at all. Financially strong collectors are willing to pay more than 30.000 € for that item!!!
E 800 LMS
TWE 700
TWE 700	TWE 700 R
Another fantasy model was this railcar offered as TWE 700 in a blue and as TWE 700 R in a red delivery. They were offered with or without a pantograph - which only was a dummy. The number "700" shows that the "models" had no electric reversing unit and the direction of travel had to be changed using the manual lever which can be seen on the roof.
The ST 800 Railcar
	This American railcar, as well, has no prototype. The model was offered in the early 1950ies in different versions and colors, instead of red as well green and blue were used. From two sights, it's an interesting "model". One the one hand it was still just a fantasy product of some Märklin designers. However, it had already a certain degree of "detailing" to make it look more realistic. There's also a version known as a "double loco" consisting of two motor cars.
ST 800
	Another version was the DT 800 railcar. It didn't have the typical motor car and only consisted of two control coupled cars which had been equipped with a pantograph each.
DT 800
Many "Märklinists" today, however, claim that item ST 800 is modeled after a real prototype - the EMC TA, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad's 1930ies streamlined train "Rocket". When Märklin released the ST 800 in the late 1940ies, they presented a photo of exactly this train, which consisted of three cars; two of them were articulated, while the observation car was not articulated with the rest of the trainsset. The motor cars were real, separate diesel locomotives which were not permanently attached to the trains. The Märklin train, however, is completely articulated; morever, it had "fake" thress-axled bogies, which only fitted with two axles. The real train only had two-axled bogies. There is no doubt that Märklin created this model referring to the American streamlined trains of these days. But there are too many differences to call the ST 800 a model of the Rock Island Rockets. However, we have to consider that Märklin was not intended to create a real model of the EMC TA back than (on the state-of-the-art of model railroad technology of the second half of the 1940ies). It's more likely they just wanted to release a model which would sell good on the North American market.
Electric Locomotive With Coupling Rods
The RSM 800 model had no real prototype, but was featuring a coupling rod driven electric locomotive of the 1920ies. A simplified version without any blind wheels remained in program until the early 1960ies, as part of a train set for Austria.
	RSM 800
The Last Clockwork Powered Locomotive
S 700
Once many toy trains were driven by clockworks. Here we se Märklin's last locomotive with such a driving system. It was offered in a set together with special M-tracks without any center rail. However it remained to be seen soon that there wasn't still much demand for clockwork trains. So the set, presented in 1953, only remained in program until 1956. The locomotive became a rare collector's item. The design is similar to that of US streamlined steamers, but in combination with a two-axled chassis and a short two-axled tender, it looks a little bit obscure...
So we quit our little tour through the beginnings of HO gauge. There would still be several interesting models, but that go beyond the scope of this sites. Those aims are to show that today's finely detailed model trains were developed from nothing more than simple toy trains for children.