Nearly every model railroader knows them, he has seen them on model railway markets, on ebay auctioncs or at his dealer - anywhere, he certainly has already seen them - from time to time, model railway manufacturers birng an number of very obscure looking models, either in a phantasy design, or there isn't any "real" existing prototype at all.

Why are manufacturers doing that, presenting trains which doesn't have existed in real life? There are several, various reason for this, they are subject - near the presentation of such models - of this chapter.

Often they serve for recruiting new "junior model railroaders", because children like everything which is gaudy. Another time the models are for the export, for which they were painted in the colours of a foreign railroad company, allthough the prototypes were never in service there! Or only because of the reason to sell one more version to collectors.

So these sites have more a documental characteristic and want to inspire seeing the fantasy models with humor instead of getting riled about them - which isn't of any use, for anyone!

There aren't are lot of informations to find in the internet about this topic. Certainly many webmasters are afraid of "verbal floggings" if they deal with such a subject. However I think this is a very interesting part of model railway history which is worth to be regeard more detailed - rivet counters don't need to visit these sites, of course!

Important: The sites are neutral considering manufacturers, the deal with models from all firms. They are more an uncomplete collection, so that I ask the visitors for their aid. Do you know more of these models, or even posessing some of them? If you do, please don't hestitate to contact me in order to send me pictures and some information on the models!

Many thanks to the following model railway enthusiasts without whose help these sites wouldn't have been possible:

Heinz-Dieter Papenberg for several pictures

Martin Treutler for several pictures and inforamtion

These sites are still under construction!