Gauge 1 - Article No. 55107

Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive

A Powerful Presence!
As the first model in 1 Gauge, the DB's showpiece is being equipped with the new more powerful Märklin large railroad decoder. With up to 32 functions, a current buffer, and excellent sound, this class 103 represents a new milestone in precision and operating enjoyment.

Prototype: German Federal Railroad (DB) class 103.1 express locomotive as it looked in Era IV. Regular production version with double-arm pantographs and a double row of side vents, buffer cladding, end skirting, etc. Road number 103 149-1, Munich District, Munich Main Station maintenance facility.

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Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive
Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive
Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive
Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive
Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive
Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive
Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive
Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive
Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive
Class 103.1 Electric Locomotive

Most Important Facts

Sound demo
Article No. 55107
Gauge / Design type 1 /
Era IV
Kind Electric Locomotives
Article not produced anymore.
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Highlights

  • The typical TEE and IC locomotive.
  • The entire locomotive is constructed chiefly of metal.
  • Newly developed decoder generation with a current buffer and 32 functions.
  • Scale advanced model with improved super detailing.
  • Powerful all-wheel propulsion by means of a centrally mounted motor and cardan shafts.
  • Pantograph mechanisms on both ends that can be controlled in digital operation.
  • Digitally controlled Telex couplers at both ends that can be replaced by prototype couplers included with the locomotive.
  • Headlights / marker lights and interior lights with white and red LEDs.
  • Doors that can be opened.
  • Product description

    Model: In many details, this is a redesigned model. The locomotive's frame and the side frames on the trucks are constructed of metal. The body is prototypically divided into parts and is constructed chiefly of metal. The locomotive has a newly developed mfx digital decoder with 32 functions, fine motor control, and a current buffer. The locomotive can be operated with AC power, DC power, and Märklin Digital. The locomotive has a powerful motor, centrally mounted. All of the axles in both trucks are powered through cardan shafts. Digitally controlled Telex couplers are mounted on both ends. They can be replaced by prototype couplers included with the locomotive. The double-arm pantographs can be raised and lowered with servomotors in digital operation. The white headlights and red marker lights are LEDs. They will work in conventional operation and can be controlled digitally. The locomotive has white LEDs to light up the engineer's cab at the front of the locomotive (depending on the direction of travel) and the engine room. The engineer's cab doors can be opened, the locomotive has interior details, and there is a figure of an engineer in cab 1. The grab irons are metal and there are many other separately applied details: windshield wipers, antenna, whistle, headlight bezels, and much more. The roof equipment is detailed with double-arm pantographs. The side frames on the trucks have been improved with many other separately applied details such as sand pipes and lines. The buffer beams have sprung buffers and separately applied brake lines. The Märklin couplers can be replaced by closed end skirting and prototype couplers. The locomotive has many sound functions such as multi-stop announcements, various dialogs including announcements.
    The minimum radius for operation 1,020 mm / 40-3/8".
    Length over the buffers 60.9 cm / 24".

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  • Publications

    - Fall New Items 2018 - Product programme 2018/2019
  • Prototype information

    After delivery of four test locomotives for the new class E 03 (starting in 1968: 103.0) in 1965, regular production was taken up starting in 1969 for the InterCity service (IC 71) planned to start in 1971, but with a new specification sheet. The loads for TEE and IC trains at 200 km/h / 125 mph increased from 300 to 480 metric tons and 800-ton ordinary express trains (D-Züge) were still expected to run at 160 km/h / 100 mph. On the 145 production locomotives – now designated as the class 103.1 – the basic design of the locomotive with the bridge frame, body consisting of five segments, and the three-axle trucks was focused on the prototypes. The same end shape could also be taken from the test locomotives. Externally, the most striking thing was the doubling of ventilation inlet openings by a second, five-part row of vent grills in the lower half of the side walls, caused by a greater cooling air supply due to the locomotives' increased performance. With a main transformer adjusted for maximum performance (continuous tractive performance of 6,250 kilovolt amps / 8,378 horsepower) and extremely beefed-up type WBM 368/17f lightweight traction motors with a continuous rating of 1,240 kilowatts / 1,662 horsepower, the result was a full increase in performance of 25.3% compared to the prototypes – all total an impressive 7,440 kilowatts or 10,116 horsepower. The last thirty units (road numbers 103 216-245) were given a 700 mm / 27-1/2 inch extension in the frame with enlarged cabs in order to realize the expansion of the cabs urgently requested by the crews. After delivery in the years 1970 to 1974, the class 103.1 units immediately took over the new IC trains as well as of course the prestigious TEE trains that had even been partially integrated into the new IC network. In the beginning the production locomotives up to road number 103 215 were equipped with type DBS 54a two double arm pantographs with type WB 15 Wanisch contact strips as well as upper arm dampers. These special type units were designed for 200 km/h / 125 mph but did not turn out particularly well long term and caused catenary damage in the DB network as well as that of the ÖBB. It was assumed that the cause was contact pressure above the permissible 120 kilo newton. An interim solution was initially just a partial exchange with the standard type DBS 54 with a standard contact strip, all of it designed for a maximum of 160 km/h / 100 mph. By contrast, the last 30 units (road numbers 103 216-245) came from the builder with the type SBS 65 single arm pantograph that had been developed in the meantime. Now road numbers 103 101-215 should also have been equipped with these single arm pantographs, but the industry could not deliver such a quantity under such short notice. The DB thus decided on an unconventional path and had the "old" DBS 54 and the still present DBS 54a units of the first production locomotives replaced starting in 1975/76 by the type SBS 65 single arm pantograph that was just being delivered on the class 111 that was only 150 km/h / 94 mph fast. Several class 103 units were also equipped with the further developed type SBS 67 that differed from the SBS 65 only in a wider spacing of the contact strips (400 instead of 350 mm / 15-3/4" instead of 13-3/4").

  • Digital Functions

    Control Unit Mobile Station Mobile Station 2 Central Station 1/2 Central Station 3/2*
    Mobile Station 2**
    Headlight(s)
    Engineer’s cab lighting
    Electric locomotive op. sounds
    Telex coupler on the front
    Telex coupler on the rear
    Locomotive whistle
    Pantograph 1
    Pantograph 2
    Direct control
    Sound of squealing brakes off
    Whistle for switching maneuver
    Front Headlights off
    Rear Headlights off
    Compressor
    Station Announcements
    Station Announcements
    Station Announcements
    Letting off Air
    Blower motors
    Station Announcements
    Train announcement
    Conductor
    Train announcement
    Dialog
    Dialog
    Conductor's Whistle
    Warning announcement
    Special Function
    Main Relay
    Doors Closing
    Special sound function
    Surrounding sounds

    * New features of the Central Station 2 (Part No. 60213, 60214 or 60215) with the software update 4.2

    ** New features of the Mobile Station 2 (Part No. 60657/66955) with the Software Update 3.55

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Warning

ATTENTION: adults only