Franz
Kruckenberg's Schienenzeppelin
( Rail Zeppelin )
Prototype Rail Zeppelin at Hannover Hbf -
Anonymous
On June 21, 1931, Franz Kruckenberg's
Schienenzeppelin (Rail Zeppelin) set a railway speed
record that would stand for 20 years! Traveling on a
track between Hamburg and Berlin, the prototype
high-speed railcar sped along at 230 km per hour for
approximately 20 km.
The Rail Zeppelin was never put
into production, but it attracted attention wherever it
went. A BMW airplane engine was used to power a
four-blade wooden propeller that pushed the light-weight
railcar through the air. The construction of the body was
similar to the then-popular Zeppelin airships and the
interior was spartan; this train was not luxurious!
The failure of the Rail Zeppelin
has been attributed to everything from the dangers of
using an open propeller in crowded railway stations to
competition between Kruckenberg's Flugbahngesellschaft
company and the Deutsche Reichsbahn's separate efforts to
build a "Fliegende Zuege". The Schienenzeppelin
was, however, an important part of the evolution of high
speed passenger rail transport and continues to attract
the attention of railroad fans and hobbyists.
Märklin GmbH, a German company established in 1859, has
been making models of the Rail Zeppelin since 1932. The
variety includes:
1. 8876 Z-Scale
This is the only version that is the prototypically
correct length. The H0 versions are two inches too short
and have four axles; modifications that were required to
facilitate getting around model railroad curves that are
much too sharp for scale.
The Z-scale version was issued as a one year item in 1982
to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Z-scale model
railroading.
2. 3077 & 8377 H0-Scale
The 3077 was made from 1975 to 1990. Like the Z-scale
unit, it has a separate motor to power the propeller
while the railcar is propelled by a conventional motor
that drives the two front axles. The 8377 was identical except it was made for use on two-rail DC systems (vs.
the three-rail system Märklin uses for most of its H0 models.
3. 3477 H0-Scale
The 3477 was issued as a one year item in 1995 to
commemorate the 60th anniversary of H0-scale model
railroading. It is virtually identical to the 3077,
except:
- the 3477 has a bright finish
and interior details
- the 3477 has a Delta
circuit that allows it to be used with
"conventional" (analog) Märklin systems as well as Digital Märklin
systems
- the 3477 has a silver- plated
two-blade propeller (the 3077 has a plastic four
blade propeller)
4. SZ970 0-Scale (Clockwork)
The first SZ970 was issued about six months after the
real Rail Zeppelin's record speed run. The SZ970 was
powered by a clockwork mechanism almost identical to that
used in the clockwork cars, planes, and trucks that Märklin sells today. The SZ970 was sold first sold
with a two blade propeller and then with a four blade
propeller. Photos of the prototype suggest both types of
propeller were used in Kruckenberg's test runs.
5. SZ12970 0-Scale (Electric)
The SZ12970 is almost identical to the SZ970, except that
it is powered by an electric motor. It's likely that it
was also first sold with a two-blade prop and then with a
four-blade prop. The four-blade prop unit also
had a red light on the rear of the train.
6. SZ12971 1-Scale (Electric)
We haven't been able to find much information on this
model, but there is one on display in
Märklin's museum in Göppingen,
Germany. It's a little more
to scale than the 0-gauge unit, which is very stubby
looking. This model may also have been sold as a
clockwork unit, but we haven't seen one.
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Märklin does not have a Rail Zeppelin in their
current H0- or Z-Scale product lines. There is, however, a 1-Gauge
replica of the SZ12971 that was issued as a limited production item in 2006. The replica, identified
as catalog number 16075, has the same external appearance as the
SZ12971. Internal components have been updated to include a digital
decoder and two-rail operation. (Click here
for more info.)
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Märklin 16075 Replica of SZ12971
(1-Gauge) Model
Märklin 8876 Z-Gauge
(1:220 scale) and 3477 H0-Gauge (1:87) Models
Märklin 3477 (foreground) and
3077 H0-Gauge (1:87) Models
Märklin 8876, 3077, 3477, and SZ970 Rail Zeppelin Models
Märklin 16075 1-Gauge and
8876 Z-Gauge Rail Zeppelin Models
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