Märklin 37983 - Steam locomotive - 2-8-4 Berkshire - Southern Pacific - MFX+ & Sound

Matching freight cars of the Southern Pacific can be found in the Märklin H0 assortment under article numbers 45667 and 45707, and in the Trix H0 assortment under article number 24915, which also includes information on the required wheelset axles. The DC version of this model can be found in the Trix H0 assortment under article number 25983.

About the locomotive - for the enthusiast

Let's look back to the second half of the 19th century. Railways were changing the transportation system of the United States of America at breathtaking speed and were instrumental in making the USA the land of unlimited possibilities. The development of the steam locomotive also proceeded at a breathtaking pace. Bigger, faster, and stronger was the motto. New locomotives were often named after the areas they served. The construction of a machine with four driven axles with a leading and a trailing axle marked a milestone in freight traffic. This not only achieved better running through curves but also allowed for a longer boiler, compared to locomotives without leading and trailing axles, where a longer firebox also provided greater power. Since the driving axles were now placed in front of the firebox, the wheels could be made larger. This also made higher speeds possible. In 1897, the American company Baldwin supplied 20 machines of this type to Japan. In honor of the Japanese emperor, this model was named "Mikado". Indeed, these locomotives were the most powerful Japanese steam locomotives at that time. At the same time, this model began its triumphant march in the USA and later in many other countries around the world. The German type 41 is one of the most successful examples. In the USA, the Mikados quickly reached the end of their capabilities after the First World War. In the roaring twenties, the economy boomed, and the large railway companies fought for customers. More and more goods had to be transported faster and faster. Therefore, in 1925, Lima Locomotive Works developed the first 'Super-Power-Locomotive' based on the "Mikado". This designation was also used for advertising. It had a significantly enlarged firebox, which, compared to the Mikados, greatly increased the power of the boiler. To stay within the limit of the maximum axle load, a two-axle bogie was mounted instead of the trailing axle. The prototype was extensively tested on the main line of the Boston & Albany Railroad (B&A). This route, which ran right through the Berkshire Mountains on the east coast, belonged to a subsidiary of the famous New York Central Railroad. This showed a clear improvement in performance compared to two older Mikados. The B&A was so impressed with the locomotive that they immediately ordered 25 units. Other railway companies followed, and the nickname "Berkshire" quickly came into vogue. Eventually, more than 600 Berkshires populated the tracks of the USA. The last machines were only built in 1949. Most Berkshires were built according to the common locomotive design with surface preheaters mounted perpendicular to the smokebox. In contrast, the 25 machines built for the Boston & Maine (B&M) in 1928/29 caused a sensation with their unusual 'Coffin' preheaters. These were U-shaped and placed with the front against the smokebox. This led to the feeling, when looking at the locomotive from the front, of looking into a dark hole. The name Coffin- (translated coffin) preheater had nothing to do with this, but was the name of the manufacturer. Ten of these 'Coffin-Berkshires' were sold by the B&M in 1945 to the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) in the western USA. This company had to cope with a sudden increase in traffic volume. Fully in line with the color scheme for SP steam locomotives, the smokeboxes and Coffin preheaters were painted silver. This meant a significant improvement in appearance. Unfortunately, their use by the SP ended within a few years, and all Coffins were scrapped. Nevertheless, numerous Super Power Berkshires can still be admired in museums today. Two of them are even operational. Locomotive 765 of the former Nickel-Plate-Road and locomotive 1225, which LIMA built for the Pere Marquette Railroad in 1941, still bear witness many years later under steam to one of the most important chapters in the history of railways in the USA.