Class 1 Steam Locomotive

They were the mainstay locomotives for luxury express services, especially in Europe: Powerful steam locomotives based on the 2-6-4 wheel arrangement. Equipped with two pilot axles, three mostly high-set driving axles, and one trailing axle, they represented the perfect design for high speeds and high tractive power. The Pacific classification came from the US, where this locomotive type was first introduced in 1901. On our continent, Belgium not only built one of the heaviest and most powerful high-speed Pacific locos from 1935 onwards with the class 1. Its imposing appearance was also an expression of Belgian pride in the achievements of their railroad company. Road number 1.002 was preserved and restored to working order for the major 150th anniversary celebrations in 1985. These days, the express racer is on display at the railroad museum “Chemin de Fer à Vapeur des trois Vallées” in Treignes, where it is beautifully maintained but sadly no longer operational. Now, the wonderful new Märklin model of this legendary museum loco with its elegant green-red-black paint scheme, flawlessly authentic sound effects, and prototypical steam generator can keep the living memory of this awesome Pacific alive – in miniature as a fascinating contrast to today’s modern railroad stars.

Prototype

Class 1 express steam locomotive of the Belgian National Railways (SNCB/NMBS). Road number 1.002. Museum operating condition.

Highlights

• Prototypical tooling variations on the boiler. With buffer capacitors to bridge short unpowered sections of track.
• Dual headlights.
• It has a factory-installed smoke generator and speed-dependent, dynamic smoke exhaust.
• Cab lighting can be controlled separately in digital operation.
• Fire flickering in the firebox is digitally controllable.
• Numerous separately applied details.
• World of Operation mfx+ digital decoder with lighting and sound functions.
• The buffer height conforms to NEM specifications.

Model

The loco has an mfx+ digital decoder with lighting and sound functions. It also has a controlled high-performance motor with a flywheel, mounted in the boiler. One axle powered, two axles driven by coupling rods. Traction tires. The locomotive and tender are made mostly of metal. Factory-fitted smoke generator with speed-dependent, dynamic smoke exhaust. Dual headlights, digitally controllable. In addition, cab lighting and firebox flickering can be controlled separately in digital operation. Maintenance-free warm white and red LEDs are used for the lighting. With capacitor. Adjustable coupling with a guide mechanism between loco and tender. Tender has a close coupler with a guide mechanism and NEM pocket. The loco can safely negotiate curves with a radius of 437.5 mm / 17-1/4″ (radius 2). Brake hoses, imitation screw couplers, and a signal holder are included. Length over buffers approximately 28.4 cm / 11-11/64″.

In 1926, the “Chemins de fer de l’État belge” (Belgian State Railways) was renamed the “Société nationale des chemins de fer belges” (National Railway Company of Belgium or SNCB), which was subsequently translated as “Nationale Gesellschaft der Belgischen Eisenbahnen” in official Belgian German.

A DC version of this model is available in the Trix H0 range as item 25481.