The VT 18.16 – a Train for Central Germany

“Elegant, swift, and luxurious, the class Görlitz express powered railcar once represented a new standard of rail travel. It was the showpiece of the GDR’s German State Railroad, exuded international flair, and filled not only railroaders but many others with pride. Three of these ivory-and-red stars of the rails have been preserved, although none have been in operation since 2003. Unfortunately, they have stood outdoors without protection, resulting in slow but steady deterioration.

Former German State Railroad employees and SVT enthusiasts developed a plan in 2019 and founded a nonprofit corporation to restore the train to its former glory and transform it into a living legend once again. The project, called “A Train for Central Germany,” underscores its deep connection with the Central German region. As the ‘Ambassador in Europe,’ the train will evoke and revive memories of the golden era of luxurious international rail travel.

With the new Märklin model, you can journey back to the time when streamlined express railcars like the SVT Görlitz carried evocative names—Neptune to Copenhagen, Vindobona to Vienna, and Karlex to the genteel spa town of Karlsbad.”

Prototype: Class VT 18.16 (Class SVT Görlitz) diesel express powered rail car train, as it looked in the museum set restored by the SVT Görlitz, Inc. Based on the version of the German State Railroad of the GDR (DR/GDR) from the Sixties and Seventies, as the flagship for international express service. 4-part unit. 1 type VTa powered end car, 1 type VMc intermediate car with a dining area and galley, 1 type VMd intermediate car, 1 type VTb powered end car. The train looks as it currently does starting in 2025/26.

Highlights

• Completely new tooling.
• Scale reproduction at 1?.
• Reproduction of the restored 4-part museum set.
• Highly detailed and heavy metal construction.
• High-efficiency propulsion with a flywheel in one powered end car.
• All four axles driven using cardan shafts in one powered end car.
• Factory-installed cab lighting, control desk lighting, engine room lighting, and interior lighting.
• World of Operation mfx+ decoder with extensive operation, sound, and light functions.
• Buffer capacitor included to bridge over short areas without current.Highlights
• Buffer capacitor included to bridge over short areas without current.

Model: This is a 4-part unit. It includes an mfx+ digital decoder and extensive sound and light functions. The train has controlled high-efficiency propulsion with a flywheel in one powered end car. All four axles are powered by cardan shafts. Traction tires. The train has factory-installed LED interior lighting, cab lighting, engineer's stand lighting, engine room lighting, lighting in the galley area, and wall lamps in the dining area, all of which can be controlled digitally. The triple headlights and dual red marker lights change over with the direction of travel. These lights and the interior lighting will work in conventional operation and can be controlled digitally. Maintenance-free warm white and red LEDs are used for all the lighting.

There are multi-part interior details. There are multi-pin current-conducting special couplers with guide mechanisms between the cars. The pickup shoe on the end power car at the front of the train picks up current and changes to the pickup shoe on the back of the train with the change in direction of travel.  The train has a buffer capacitor. There are many separately applied details. Both ends of the train have a reproduction of the automatic coupler (non-functioning).

The minimum radius for operation is 360 mm / 14-3/16. Length of the 4-part set approximately 113 cm / 44-1/2.

Märklin is supporting the restoration of this legendary powered rail car train with a donation of 25,000.00 Euros.