Set of 3 tank wagons with 3 tanks, DB era III - Märklin 46491 - H0

The Märklin 46491 set comprises three two-axle tank cars, each with three tanks. Reproduced in HO scale (1:87 ), these cars were assigned to the German company Benzin- und Petroleumgesellschaft Hamburg and registered with the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) . The model depicts their service life in the late 1950s, during Era III.

The three tank cars have different registration numbers. The set thus recreates a more lifelike freight train, with two wagons equipped with a handbrake and a brake platform without a guard's cabin, as well as a third wagon equipped with a handbrake and a brakeman's platform with a guard's cabin.

The actual equipment

Tank cars are designed for the rail transport of bulk liquids. They are essential equipment for moving petroleum products and other liquid goods between production sites, storage facilities, depots, and industrial customers. The tank protects the cargo during transport, while braking equipment, gangways, and access points enable the operation and servicing of the car.

The multi-tank wagon is distinguished by its unique silhouette: several cylindrical tanks are mounted on the same chassis. This arrangement creates a very different appearance from that of a single-tank tank wagon and adds considerable variety to hydrocarbon freight trains on a model railway.

The DB livery from the late 1950s

The set depicts wagons belonging to the Benzin- und Petroleumgesellschaft Hamburg, integrated into the fleet operated under the registration of the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB). The DB was the West German federal railway company in the post-war period. The late 1950s correspond fully to Era III, a period characterized by the reconstruction and progressive modernization of freight traffic in West Germany.

These wagons naturally find their place in an industrial service train, a local freight train, or a longer run between marshalling yard, oil depot, and private siding. Their livery and markings reflect the context of DB's rail oil transport during this period.

The Märklin model

Märklin offers three detailed wagons in this set. The tanks feature a new design. The chassis have an openwork frame and are fitted with a finely reproduced braking system. The brake crank, brakes, and drain pipes are separate parts, enhancing the detail of the undercarriage and the ends of each wagon.

The wagons also feature separate work platforms with ladders. The brakeman's platforms are also separate, with or without a guard's cabin depending on the wagon. This variety of equipment gives the set a coherent composition that accurately reflects the diverse appearance of a fleet of freight wagons in service.

Each wagon is equipped with close sliding couplings. This system reduces the distance between vehicles in operation while maintaining sufficient clearance for curves. Each element of the set is individually packaged in a labeled box.

Use on an H0 miniature network

The Märklin 46491 set is suitable for building DB freight trains from era III. The three wagons can run together to form a small train specializing in the transport of liquid products, or be distributed among other freight wagons to create a more diverse train.

They fit particularly well into an industrial setting that includes a fuel depot, transshipment facilities, a freight yard, or a marshalling yard. The Märklin BR 52 steam locomotive (39535) is listed by Märklin as a compatible product to complement this set in a German railway world of the same period.

Technical specifications

• Brand: Märklin
• Reference: 46491
• Scale: H0, 1:87
• Era: III
• Registration company: Deutsche Bundesbahn, DB
• Company reproduced: Benzin- und Petroleumgesellschaft Hamburg
• Composition: three two-axle tank wagons and three tanks
• Different registration numbers
• Two wagons with brake platform but no guardhouse
• A wagon with a brakeman's platform and guardhouse
• Detailed chassis with openwork frames
• Brake cranks, braking equipment and drain pipes added
• Work platforms with attached ladders
• Short sliding couplings
• Approximate length excluding buffers: 10.1 cm per wagon
• Axles required for 2-rail DC operation: E700580

Free exchange of 2-rail axles upon request.