2011 Toy Fair Photos

OK, first for a "real" train. Not 30 seconds outside the Munich Hbf, I spotted this...
Yup, nearly everyone's favorite (or certainly on their top 10): the DB 103 !!!
Still alive and kicking :-)

OK, on to the Toy Fair!
The one item that caught everyone's eye was the new US model,
the Wabash "Blue Bird" train set 26490
Nearly everyone's going to want one, but it will have VERY limited production:

And, for European modelers, the previously unannounced "Stars of the K.Bay.Sts.B" (Bavarian Railroad)
31806 had everyone talking. It too will have very limited production, but very high on everyone's "wish list":

Marklin has a new initiative to get their trains into German Toy Stores.
It's sort of the old Primex / "Hobby" line being reinvented.
I'm not sure if this will be coming to the US, but (as you can see)
there are a lot of nice, interesting and affordable items being introduced:

Here's a nice photo of the 46401 freight car set with a box car and two wood-laden stake cars:

The new 37607 Tee Train set (and 43117 add-on set) will be very popular new items
(and you can see the 26340 Kof set above as well):

The 30050 is the re-introduced beautiful BR 23 in the historic blue box,
this one with attractive silver painted boiler bands:

The new iPad "app" will allow the CS2 to be operated via wi-fi --
nothing but a wireless connection is required (more about this later):

And, to complement last year's "Glasener Zug" Electric Rail Car, here is the ET 91 for the DB as item 37581:

A very popular item this year will be the re-introduction of the "metronom" train as items 36612 and 43475.
The locomotive will have an all-metal body, and the cars will now have full interiors, equipped for the installation
of interior lights AND a cab control car with lighted number board and directional-dependent tail lights:

OK, not a great photo (it's difficult to do a lot of this behind glass), but you can certainly get a good
idea of the new "Baden Express" 39022 and its complementary car set 42765:

The new Extension Set 78450 (for the Container Terminal Train 29450)
is a very attractive add-on for just about any freight yard:

The 37733 Regiobahn Double Diesel set is a very colorful addition to any modern era commuter system:

The 26833 Era IV snow-plow set is VERY cool. The BR 55 locomotive has all kinds of great sounds, and the snow
plow has a sound generator as well (to go along with the smoke generator, and spinning fan blades). A great looking set:

The new 37991 Thaly train set is pictured below. You'll need some long straight stretches on your layout
to run this beauty, but it will sure look incredible:

For Marklin Insider members, you get a real treat this year. Along with the 37040 locomotive, you'll have the
opportunity to get not one, but two great-looking freight car sets (46350 and 43651) to go with it:

Here's one of my favorites (I just love things that are orange) -- it's the 37683 OBB Class 1018 Electric locomotive.
Along with the 43205 car set, it will make a very attractive train:

For you SBB fans, there's plenty for you this year, including (among other items), the 37322 Re 6/6 electric,
the 37627 Am 842 diesel, and the 46095 fright car set pictured here:

And here are the 37461 SBB "BLS" 460, 47078 container set, and (in the background),
the 42164 Express train passenger shuttle train car set:

Don't miss out on this set, 47029. It's an MHI item (and, yes, it's Swiss).
It will be produced in VERY limited quantities:

One thing that caught my eye was this beautiful Italian diesel locomotive, 37804. The colors are magnificent:

Scandinavian rail fans aren't left out either. A couple of NOHAB's (everyone loves these)
will be the 37676 MY 1134 and the 37677 MY 1100 to go with the 42816 car set (rear):

The 48771 Kulmbach beer car set is a great addition to any layout (gotta have beer, right?):

The new Ore-to-Steel locomotives and car sets provide a great way to create a steel mill theme
(or just add some neat looking freight cars to your layout).
If you already have some of these from the Trix offerings a few years ago, it's an easy way to add
cars with new road numbers to your layout:

Here's an overview of all the items being produced for this series this year:

OK, all this talk about trains is just making me hungry!
Time for the gastronomical portion of our show...

OK, maybe it doesn't look like much, but you're viewing here what I would have to say is the
absolute best bowl of potato soup imaginable. Ask me and I'll tell you where you can find it!
I know it sounds sort of mundane, but you can find potato soup in just about any German restaurant.
Trouble is, EVERYONE makes it different than everyone else. But, this bowl below is by far the best,
and I have supporting witnesses to attest to it :-)

Next course -- veal goulash with home-made spaetzle and red cabbage. Nothing more needs to be said here:

Walking around the streets in just about any German town will provide
numerous opportunities to see (and sample) the best of the best:

Last night in Germany -- gotta go with the roast suckling pig, dumplings and red cabbage.
It really doesn't get much better than this, if you like this sort of thing (which I do):

Here's a shot from the Goeppingen train station, looking east. Note all the yellow equipment cars.
These are from the track laying / maintenance facility of Leonhard-Weiss. This will be one of the
many stops during the "Marklin Days" 3-day event in September:

Our commuter train, with double-decker cars is arriving; it will take us on to Stuttgart for the afternoon:

The town hall in Munich at the Marienplatz at night. A beautiful sight any time of day:

OK, this is cool -- an ICE3 all decked out in a special paint scheme for this year's World Cup:

Back to trains -- I told you I'd show you more of the iPad interface to the Central Station...

OK, last year it was the new Mobile Station...
This year the hottest ticket is the new iPad app!
Now you can control your entire layout directly from your iPad.
It works via a wireless connection to your Central Station.
OK, I don't own an iPad (yet), but this could be the ONLY reason I need to get one:

The iPad fits nicely in your hand, making it easy to walk around and control your layout.	You can configure the app to display many different operating "screens" from a single display, as shown below:
This screen has a diagram of your layout (upper left), a 16-device "Keyboard" (upper right), and the ability to control 4 different locomotives, along with all their functions (bottom).	Need a full-screen view to view AND control your entire layout? Here you go -- just touch one of the turntouts or signals to change their position:
There are SO many different ways to display the various components of your layout:	The various setup and configuration screens are all simple and easy to read and use.
This screen has the top half dedicated to the layout screen, while you can view and control 2 different locmotives at the bottom:	And here, you have quick access to the "Keyboard" screen, if that's your preference:

Here's a photo from last year:
The new "Connect 6021" allows you to connect your older
Marklin Digital equipment to the new Central Station 60213 / 60214:

Remember, you can now have all the old Marklin Digital equipment connected (and working)
nicely together with both the old and new Mobile Stations, the CS1 and the CS2. All the pieces
are now coordinated to work well with each other in just about any setup imaginable: