MERKUR the manufacturer of tinplate gauge 0 model trains in CZ offers new tinplate gauge 0 models. For the first time in the history of MERKUR an E locomotive is in production. The CZ 182 CARGO. MERKUR also offers the CSD 354.108 even in the öBB version!
In the upcoming catalogue you will learn more about all the new models.
As soon as the catalogue is available I will notify.
Rob Giskes ( from NL)
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Nice electric. Are these tinplate or diecast construction? That blue steamer is pretty cool also. What are the prices on these?
John
Definitely the best looking Merkur locomotives I've seen. Maybe Merkur is coming out of its post-Communist doldrums.
GORGEOUS!!!
Hope there's some new rolling stock, too.
The Steam engines look good as does the electric.
What can you apply to these engines in terms of power? Would a Z4000 work?
Nice electric. Are these tinplate or diecast construction? That blue steamer is pretty cool also. What are the prices on these?
John
Hi John,
The models are tinplate construction. I offer the electric locomotive for € 379,28 ( including Dutch VAT 19%) and the steamer, with sound, for € 432,46 (including Dutch VAT 19%). If you like to know more please conatct me at info@blik-en-speelgoed.nl.
Rob
Definitely the best looking Merkur locomotives I've seen. Maybe Merkur is coming out of its post-Communist doldrums.
The son of the owner is since a few years now responsable for the technical devolpment and the design of new models. For what I have seen and know MERKUR will be a realplayer on the tinplate market.
Rob
Hope there's some new rolling stock, too.
Just a link to download the catalogue 2011. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/524608...trains_catalogue.pdf
I can tell you there will be some more rolling stock. Have you seen the railway crane yet? In the catalogue you will see some new 2011 models. There will be a new CSD service carriage.
Rob
The Steam engines look good as does the electric.
What can you apply to these engines in terms of power? Would a Z4000 work?
Unfortunately I am not familair with the Z4000. I will ask MERKUR if the Z4000 will do. The machine is only deliverabel in DC! But for the two and the three rail system!
If you have any other technical questions please let me know at info@blik-en-speelgoed.nl
Rob
The machine is only deliverabel in DC!
This is a problem for the American three-rail market, which only runs AC. Two-rail is DC, but two-rail tinplate is nonexistent. I bought my Merkur 2-6-2 from a guy who had been working with Merkur to become their U.S. distributor. He gave up because the company was unwilling to make any changes to adapt the product to the U.S. market and because of the generally "take it or leave it" attitude of management. The unit I bought was a demo; it was DC and I had to put a bridge rectifier and a DPDT toggle in it to run it from a U.S. -market transformer.
In pre-liberation Czechoslovakia, Merkur basically had a monopoly or near-monopoly on the 0 gauge toy train market. They made trains, people bought them because they were the only thing available. ETS only came along around 1990 when the Soviet empire fell apart, and it is a much different and more creative operation. The creation of new models suggests that Merkur may be shaking off its Communist-era lethargy and trying to join the 21st century. If they are interested in the U.S. market they will have to make a product that runs on AC. Pricing will also need to reflect the fact that Merkur quality and sophistication are nowhere near that of ETS - Merkur is essentially a Central European Marx to ETS' Lionel.
Here's a pic of a Merkur beer reefer that a buddy of mine picked up for me in Prague. Chodovar is a popular local beer. The slogan over the door is "Traditional Czech Beer."
ps: I just tried the link to the catalogue and the URL was blank. No PDF, no error message, nothing. Maybe a server glitch; I'll try again later.
Please do so, I just tried the link and it works. When you still have any trouble with it please go to www.blik-en-speelgoed.nl There will be an welcome text ( English). There you have the opportunity to downlaod three tinplate catalogues, MERKUR, ETS and Lehnhardt a German firm who produces tinplate streetcars, in DC..... If it doesn't work please sent an email to info@blik-en-speelgoed.nl and I will sent you the pdf if you like ( about 17 mb)
And in answer of your other question remark. The fact that I am doing some business with the MERKUR products ( just for a year now I have a HR consultancy and the tinplate is just hobby at this moment) in Europe and Canada, is just about the facts you mentioned. I visited MERKUR last year and I help them out with presentations (last april in one of the biggest fairs in Europe, Dortmund), I help them a bit with their catalogue and the way you have to act with, what I call the Western costumers. If there is a market for MERKUR in, for example the USA, and there is someone who like to import but won't have the issue of dealing with MERKUR, and that is no offense they are really in a positive learning curve I am willing to help out. Just because I like their products and sure I like to earn a bit. And if there is no one who likes to import I am able to export!
For example especial for some Horby enthusiastiscs I was able to persuade MERKUR to build a 900 mm switch. I expect yhe protoype very very soon.
Rob
The machine is only deliverabel in DC!
This is a problem for the American three-rail market, which only runs AC. Two-rail is DC, but two-rail tinplate is nonexistent. I bought my Merkur 2-6-2 from a guy who had been working with Merkur to become their U.S. distributor. He gave up because the company was unwilling to make any changes to adapt the product to the U.S. market and because of the generally "take it or leave it" attitude of management. The unit I bought was a demo; it was DC and I had to put a bridge rectifier and a DPDT toggle in it to run it from a U.S. -market transformer.
In pre-liberation Czechoslovakia, Merkur basically had a monopoly or near-monopoly on the 0 gauge toy train market. They made trains, people bought them because they were the only thing available. ETS only came along around 1990 when the Soviet empire fell apart, and it is a much different and more creative operation. The creation of new models suggests that Merkur may be shaking off its Communist-era lethargy and trying to join the 21st century. If they are interested in the U.S. market they will have to make a product that runs on AC. Pricing will also need to reflect the fact that Merkur quality and sophistication are nowhere near that of ETS - Merkur is essentially a Central European Marx to ETS' Lionel.
Here's a pic of an ETS beer reefer that a buddy of mine picked up for me in Prague. Chodovar is a popular local beer. The slogan over the door is "Traditional Czech Beer."
But by the way, when I take a closer look at your picture you have attached a picture of a MERKUR beer car.
Thanks for the correction, my mistake. I posted a Merkur picture and my fingers typed ETS. My fingers have been appropriately reprimanded.
You are welcome and don't worry. I mistype so much.......
But the picture of the beer car is nice. And it stands on MERKUR track?
By the way the download works?
Those new long Pullmans look very nice. Remind me of the old Paya line.
You are welcome and don't worry. I mistype so much.......
But the picture of the beer car is nice. And it stands on MERKUR track?
By the way the download works?
The track is Lionel, or perhaps K-Line. I don't have any Merkur track. The download will not work with Safari, which is the native browser for a Mac. It worked with Firefox.
The track is Lionel, or perhaps K-Line. I don't have any Merkur track. The download will not work with Safari, which is the native browser for a Mac. It worked with Firefox.
It worked with Safari for me.
I really like that blue steam locomotive! Very nice!
RobG: to make these acceptable for the US market would not involve a lot of engineering. Most of the current trains in the US have DC motors, but they have a circuit board that converts AC to DC and provides a reversing function. These circuit boards are widely available here and are not expensive. If Merkur offered these installed and maybe raise the price a little to cover it they would have a much better chance of selling these trains on the US market.
John
I really like that blue steam locomotive! Very nice!
Thanks Allan. I remember you would come back on European Tinplate some time with me. It is already a long time ago but you are still interested?
Rob
RobG: to make these acceptable for the US market would not involve a lot of engineering. Most of the current trains in the US have DC motors, but they have a circuit board that converts AC to DC and provides a reversing function. These circuit boards are widely available here and are not expensive. If Merkur offered these installed and maybe raise the price a little to cover it they would have a much better chance of selling these trains on the US market.
John
Hi John, well that is good news. I search for that for some time. Please can you give me some more information about it? And perhaps a website of shop? Even one of the bigger electronica trades in Europe don't sell them. I will order some samples.
Again good news and thank you so much
Rob
Hi Rob, here is one large manufacturer of these boards. www.dallee.com
These boards are known as "E units" or electronic reverse units so look for that on their website.
The E unit is wired in between the power pickups and the motor, very easy to do. It is NOT a command control system. It just changes the AC track power to DC for the motor and makes it possible to reverse the locomotive by simply momentarily interrupting the track power. When you do that, the sequence is forward-neutral-reverse-neutral-forward and so on.
John
Hi John, Thank you so much I will visit the website and I'll let you know.
Cheers
Rob
I'd love for them to make a tinplate model of the famous S 3/6.
Yeah Gilbert, You never know.....
Rob
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
