“City-Bahn” Cab Control Car

Prototype

German Federal Railroad (DB) type BDnrzf 784.1, cab control car, 2nd class. This is a type “Silberling” (Silver Coin) car with the “Karlsruhe” cab design and a baggage compartment. Train route: Cologne-Gummersbach. Pure orange/light gray basic paint scheme. The car looks as it did starting in 1986.

Highlights

• Cab control car with “Karlsruhe” cab design, equipped with a function decoder for the first time.
• Many separately controllable light functions.
• Factory-installed LED interior lighting with buffer capacitors.
• Separately applied grab irons at the car ends.
• Imprinted car route signs.

Model

The underbody details are specific to this type of car. The trucks have disc brakes. There are separately applied grab irons on the ends of the car. The car has a built-in function decoder for controlling the light changeover from triple headlights to dual red marker lights. The lighting for the cab, passenger compartment, and baggage compartment can be controlled separately. Maintenance-free warm-white and red LEDs are used for the lighting. A buffer capacitor to bridge short unpowered sections of track is fitted. The current-conducting coupler for switching the lighting in the cars on and off is also digitally controllable. The car has imprinted car route signs. Restroom downpipes and switchman’s steps are included as parts that can be applied separately. The minimum radius for operation is 360 mm / 14-3/16″. Length over the buffers 28.2 cm / 11-1/8″.

The matching class 218 “City-Bahn” locomotive is available in the Märklin H0 range as item 39228. A matching passenger car set and an express maintenance car are also available in the Märklin H0 range as items 43835 and 42831. A DC version of this model is available in the Trix H0 range as item 23235.