Travel is not just travel. Anyone going by commuter train simply wants to get to his destination quickly. It is different on long-distance trips. Above all, when you are going as a business traveler. The railroads have always made offers to this affluent audience. The TEE concept was groundbreaking here. Yet eventually this proved no longer contemporary, because after the introduction of second-class cars, the utilization of the trains had increased. So the DB AG decided on a new product for a target group wanting comfort on trips between large cities. An independent undertaking, the "Metropolitan Express Train, Inc.", was founded for this purpose. The new train impressed people with its extremely luxurious ambiance, which had been designed for the most varied needs of the customers. In the Quiet Area, the use of cell phones was strictly prohibited. Yet, there was also an Office car, in which radio waves were even enhanced. The cars were completely new developments and demonstrated very smooth running even at a travel speed of 200 km/h / 125 mph. Instead of plastic upholstery, tasteful wood dominated. Naturally, the high quality leather seating and the folding or permanently installed wooden tables were adjustable. In addition, each seat had a power socket available. The wall paneling consisted of Swiss pear wood. The "Metropolitan" entered service on August 1, 1999 with such luxury. In keeping with the new spirit, the two locomotives for the train, road numbers 101 130 and 131, were of course painted and lettered accordingly. They also showed the new logo and the classy silver-colored paint scheme. Their maximum speed was raised for the "Metropolitan" to 220 km/h / 138 mph. The two trains ran between Hamburg and Cologne. They clearly stood out from the monotony of the German Railroad, Inc. In every respect. Tickets for the train could be booked online right from the start. Despite persistent efforts and several discount promotions, the railroad did not succeed in bringing the utilization into a profit zone, which resulted in the train being withdrawn as early as December of 2004. Initially, the cars were to be put into storage, but fortunately a better decision was taken and they were used in IC service, certainly not in the decorative silver anymore. In December of 2021, the cars were then taken out of service. A remarkable chapter in the German travel culture thus came to an end. Modell: The express locomotive has an mfx+ digital decoder and extensive sound functions. The locomotive also has controlled, high-efficiency propulsion with a flywheel, centrally mounted. 4 axles powered using cardan shafts. Traction tires. Triple headlights and dual red marker lights change over with the direction of travel, will work in conventional operation, and can be controlled digitally. Long-distance headlights and cab lighting can be controlled separately in digital operation. The headlights at Locomotive Ends 2 and 1 can be turned off separately in digital operation. When the headlights are off at both ends, there is a double A light function. There is a 2-conductor coupler in a standard pocket at Locomotive End 2. It serves as the electrical connection to express car 1. All the cars have factory-installed indirect LED interior lighting, which can be dimmed and controlled digitally using a decoder in the cab control car. There are buffer capacitors to bridge short spots without current. The cab control car has an mfx digital decoder. The car also has triple headlights and dual red marker lights, which will work in conventional operation, and can be controlled digitally. Long-distance headlights, cab lighting, and control desk lighting in the cab control car can be controlled separately in digital operation. There is a 4-conductor current-conducting coupler between the express cars. Maintenance-free, warm white and red LEDs are used for lighting on the locomotive and the cars. Car 1 is aligned with the locomotive with a rubber diaphragm connection. The interior details are modelled in detail in multiple colors. There is a pickup shoe switchover circuit between the locomotive and the cab control car. A defined car sequence is specified for full functionality of the entire train. The minimum radius for operation is 360 mm / 14-3/16", ignoring the clearance profile. For larger curves, the factory-installed skirting in the area of the couplers at the ends of the cars can be replaced by the skirting included separately.Total length of the train set over the buffers approximately 236 cm / 92-7/8". Highlights: Limited worldwide to 2,500 train sets. Consecutively numbered certificate of authenticity included. Scale new tooling for the express train cars in 1:87. Express train cars include factory-installed LED interior lighting. mfx digital decoder in the cab control car. Headlight / marker light changeover, long-distance headlights, cab and control desk lighting in the cab control car can all be controlled digitally. Locomotive includes World of Operation mfx+ digital decoder with a variety of operations and sound functions. Long-distance headlights and cab lighting in the locomotive can be controlled digitally. 4-conductor operating couplers between the cars, 2-conductor operating coupler between the locomotive and Car 1. One-time edition limited worldwide to 2,500 train sets.This item is a cooperative project with the firm PIKO Toys, Inc., Sonneberg, Germany.
