Hans-Gerhard Mundhenke produces his Märklin replica and compatible trains under the brand name HGM. Since 1984 he has been producing trains singlehandedly in very limited quantities in Bad Rothenfelde, Germany, north east of Munster, Germany.
Whereas Hehr, Ritter, and Selzer concentrate on replica Märklin trains, HGM produces trains in the style of Märklin that we can imagine Märklin might have produced had the company continued or rejuvenated its 0 gauge line. His first locomotive was a model of the Class E 18 Electric. His last locomotive was the Austrian Class 1145 Electric. His next, and soon to be released locomotive, is the impressive BR 96 pictured in the introduction to this article and below. He also produces trains in 1 gauge as well as stations and accessories and even a range of toy cars, trucks, and military vehicles.
Herr Mundhenke used to advertise and sell his trains via a website -Tommys-Toyfair – but now has a dedicated set of customers. The limited number (10 to 40) of pieces that are made are soon sold out and he does not use the web for sales. He does respond to email correspondence.
Illustrated below are the HGM 3-rail 0 gauge locomotives that I am aware of. I have illustrated the HGM model and provided a few notes on the actual locomotive.
DRG Class E 19: The follow-on to the Class E 18, the DRG built four of these
locomotives. The elegant red paint scheme identifies them as express passenger
locomotives.
DRG E 3211.The electric locomotives of Bavarian Class EP 2 were in light passenger train service in Germany for almost 50 years. After their initial classification as EP 2 by the Royal Bavarian State Railways (KöniglichBayerischeStaats-Eisenbahnen,) they were redesignatedby the DRG as E 32s in 1927.
Class E44001: E 44 001 was the first of these lightweight, general-purpose locomotives placed into service by the German State Railroad as early as 1930 initially for the route from Stuttgart to Augsburg. Just over 200 of these locomotives were eventually built.
Class E 63: Introduced in the mid 1930’s, the E 63 shunting/switching electric locomotive was also used on electrified branch lines. In 1960 the Bundesbahn overhauled the series E 63 and used it successfully as late as 1978 in their established operations in Stuttgart, Munich, Augsburg and Garmisch.
ÖBB Class 1145: This Bo’Bo’ passenger locomotive of the ÖsterreichischeBundesbahnen
(Austrian Federal Railways) was put into service in 1927.
ÖBB Class 1020: These Co’Co’ locomotives were a DRG design for heavy freight. First introduced as the DRG E 94 in 1940, the ÖBB had 47 of this member of the Crocodile family. I believe HGM also produced this model in green.
SBB 14201: The Ce 6/8 I 14201 was one of four experimental locomotives ordered by the SchweizerischenBundesbahnen (SBB - Swiss Federal Railways) in June 1917 and delivered in 1919 to try different locomotive concepts on the newly electrified Gotthard line. One of the earliest locomotives to be called a “Crocodile,” it was used until 1982 and is now preserved.
SBB 12325: The Swiss Federal Railways Class Be 4/6 (1’BB1’) locomotive was built for passenger and freight service on the Gotthard line. Introduced in 1919, 39 locomotives were constructed.
Swedish State Railways Class D general purpose, 1-C-1, rod-drive
electric locomotive. HGM model # GS70 12920.
Up to 1933 the body was made of teak wood (simulated in the HGM model) and thereafter
of steel. The D-class was used in passenger service as well as in freight trains.
Between 1925 and 1943 321 class D locomotives were built.
BR 44099: The 2-10-0 heavy freight locomotive was intended for hauling freight trains of up to 1,200 tons on the routes through Germany's hilly regions (Mittelgebirge) and up to 600 tons on steep inclines. From 1926 to 1949, a total of 1,989 locomotives were manufactured and there are still two operating “44s" in Germany and the Netherlands.
BR 96: The BR 96 was a “helper” locomotive used in supporting traffic
through the Bavarian mountains. In 1913/1914, Maffei built fifteen of these
0-8-0+0-8-0 “Mallet” tank locomotives to work on steeply-graded
stretches of the Bavarian State Railways. A total of 25 units were constructed
and the last BR 96 was withdrawn from service in 1954. This is HGM’s latest
model. With 16 coupled wheels and 4 sets of outside valve gear, the HGM model
must provide a miniature view of power in motion. The model will be available
in the summer of 2011 and cost € 3400.
SBB Class Ce 6/8: The famous Crocodile of the Swiss Federal Railways. HGM did not replicate the well known Märklin Crocodile (CCS66/12920) but instead made a more-true to-scale model including the two extra drive axles not on the Märklin model. HGM produced this model in both green and brown.
HGM also produced a more prototypical, three unit Flying Hamburger train set and a small 0-4-0 steam tram named “ELIAS.” HGM has made only a few freight wagons but has produced the unique Orient Express (CIWL) container wagon in the tinplate style of Märklin.
The HGM models are impressive and fit well into a Märklin layout or collection. Herr Mundhenke can be contacted at the following addresses:
Hans-Gerhard Mundhenke
ImBogen 3
49214 Bad Rothenfelde
Germany
Email: tommys-toyfair@web.de
Next: Darstead, Deák, Zanka, and
B. Hess
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