2014 Nürnberg Toy Fair

OK, I'm going to break with tradition here.  I know a lot of you lust for my food photos, and they do start shortly.
But, you'll have to forgive me if I digress to trains for just a moment.
Check out what I saw Thursday morning as I got ready to board my train go Goeppingen --
folks travel the rails for years without getting a glimpse of one of these classics:

OK, here we go.  The first (and last) nights are always reserved for roast suckling pig at my favorite Munich restaurant.
And, no, these are not recycled photos -- it's all new (well, it was before I consumed it):

With the obligatory red cabbage, naturally:

The Wiener Schnitzel here is the best:

And, yes, the salads do taste as good as they look:

OK, now that you're satisfied that I wasn't going to starve...
This was my 14th consecutive trip to the world famous Nürnberg Toy Fair, and it really was as exciting as ever.
The "Messe" (exhibition center) is huge, with more than a dozen buildings dedicated this week to toys!

There's plenty to report on Marklin's new offerings (more on that shortly).
In Marklin's hospitality room, I was treated to a private showing of the new software for the Central Station.
There are many, many new features in the next software upgrade, available shortly.
This screen (besides showing a new wallpaper feature) illustrates a new function for automating train movements.
  Now you can program sequences not only for turnouts and signals, but for locomotives as well!

This screen may look familiar, but it's entirely new.
You not only select a locomotive to control from this screen, you get to run it too.
In fact, you can run any (or all) of your locomotives right from this single screen.

OK, one last new screen to tempt you.
I'll be putting out a newsletter with many of the new features you can expect with the new software -- stay tuned.
Needless to say, there are a lot of new and exciting ways to utilize the Central Station.

The special "Toy Fair" locomotive is a  two locomotive set  this year to celebrate 40 years of the "Ocean Blu / Beige" paint scheme.
It's available in both HO and Z:

Probably one of the most impressive offerings this year will be the all new E93 electric locomotive 37870.
When coupled with the two complementary car sets 46199 and 47321, it will make a very impressive train set
(take a look at the complete train at the bottom of the display in the photo):

Probably the most talked-about locomotive at the Toy Fair is Marklin's new BR 01, item 39008.
This locomotive has a unique feature:  take a look at the level of the coal in the tender in the photo below.
You can lower / raise the level of the coal via one of the digital functions.  But, what's even more impressive
is the mfx+ decoder.  When operated in the advanced modes, the level of coal will actually appear to decrease
as you continue to operate the locomotive.  Then, once you get to a coaling depot to "reload", the level will raise!

Here you go -- check out the "full" and "lowered" positions of the coal -- very, very cool:

One of Marklin's new tooling efforts this year is a completely redesigned series of NOHAB diesel locomotives.
The new versions have a special motor, full complement of sounds and LED head and (red) tail lights.
There are models for Luxembourg (below), Belgium, Norway and two for Denmark, along with car sets
for the Danish and Belgian models:

The 45099 Car set will have 4 flat cars with autos on them.
This will be an MHI item, but I should be able to get you a set if you act quickly:

 There are a number of very cool sets coming out this year for folks who love US models.
Below is the SOO Line F7 A-B-A set, but wait...
Marklin has completely re-tooled these F7 "A" bodies -- lots more details; these models look incredible!
In the background you can get a glimpse of the Santa Fe "Super Chief" set -- a very limited edition.

The 37939 Prussian class P10 will be one of the exceptional models this year.
The classic dark green / brown paint scheme is a huge favorite, and the P10 style is incredible:

Don't miss an opportunity to check out the 39730"LINT" rail car.
The train has four built-in displays that represent the doors in digital operation
that can play back typical scenes for boarding and leaving the train:

The 37287 train set (later class ET 87) will be a beautiful model with LED lighting and full sound functions:

Oops -- I almost forgot -- a brand new VT 95 rail car and trailer set.
Don't think that you have this already -- you don't.  The VT 98 set that came out a couple of years ago
had a trailer the same length as the powered unit.  This VT 95 set has the prototypical shorter trailer:

So many trains, it's enough to make a grown man hungry...

I broke with tradition here.  I succumbed to my love of tomato soup in Stuttgart:

But, much as I enjoyed it, I'm going back to my old standby next trip -- the potato soup is the best anywhere:

I enjoyed the roast duck (with dumplings and red cabbage) last time, I just had to do it again this trip (can you blame me):

Of course, the pork medallions with mushrooms in cream sauce were very tempting:

OK, back to the Toy Fair.
There are many interesting Export models this year (including the NOHABs metioned above).
Here's beautiful new design, the37419 class Rc2 electric locomotive for Sweden:

And here's the 37348, an SBB Re 4/4 II (class 420) electric locomotive
(and there's a great 5-car passenger set, 43672, to go with it):

If you liked last year's SJ Dm 3-piece locomotive set, you'll love this year's addition.
It's the 37756 2-unit model, with 2 motors and the new mfx+ decoder:

And, to complement the above Swedish locomotive are a pair of T44 heavy diesel locomotives.
Here is the 37942 painted and lettered for the Swedish-Norwegian railroad MTAS:

Marklin hasn't neglected "Z" fans this year.  Check out the new turntable and roundhouse they're introducing:

And a couple of American Diesel locomotives 88627 and 88628 (foreground) and
the 86355 "VTG" sliding tarp freight car set (background):

Here are a few photos of this year's monster Marklin layout -- it's always a little different, and always beautifully done:

OK, how about some REAL trains...

An ICE3 and commuter train at the Munich main train station:

And an Austiran (OBB) class 1016 "Taurus" locomotive getting ready to leave:

A BR 218 diesel locomotive in Munich:

Here's a German ES 64 (version of a Taurus class locomotive) at the Munich Ost (East) station:

And an Austrian class 1116 (Taurus) locomotive, getting ready to head east:

Here's a neat shot of a Leonhard Weiss work train in, of all places, Göppingen:

And a class 143 electric locomotive, also in Göppingen:

Back in Munich, here's a class 111 electric locomotive; this one is privately operated by "Meridian":

An east-bound S-Bahn whizzes by a rural stop outside of Stuttgart as daylight is disappearing:

And, just so you don't go hungry, some parting shots to whet your appetiite...

Would Wiener Schnitzel anywhere else taste as good?  I doubt it:

And why don't my salads at home look so nice?

Yes, it's the last night -- gotta finish with the roast pork and dumplings.
They must have known it was my "farewell" meal -- the portion was huge:

It's just pretty as a picture:

Until next year ...