60212 Central Station Updates Temporarily On Hold

In early 2007 Märklin GmbH announced a new software and hardware update for the 60212 Märklin Central Station. Last fall Marklin, Inc. received an initial shipment of the hardware components, which they felt would cover the majority of units to be updated.

Marklin, Inc. is currently out of the hardware needed to complete the update and expect to get their next shipment in May or June. They have suspended the update program until the hardware is available.

Please do not send any 60212 Central Stations to us until we receive notice they have received the hardware and are ready to resume the program.

Marklin Catalog Delivery - Finally!

On Friday we'll receive initial and additional deliveries of the following Marklin 2007 items. The catalogs are only a partial delivery at this time.

M07421 2007Q4 Electrical Manual - Controlling Locomotives, Trains & Accessories - ENGLISH TEXT - Fall New Item - Over 100 pages.
M17162 2007/08 Marklin Complete Catalog
M17172 2007/08 Insider Presentation Book (Annual Catalog)
M17190 2007/08 Marklin Complete Catalog on CD Rom
M39970 2007 (October) Digital DB cl 701 Powered Catenary Maintenance Rail Car
M41871 2007 (October) SNCF TEE Express Train INOX Passenger 3-Car Set (L)
M43850 2007 (August) DB type Av4üm-62 Express Train Rheingold Passenger Car
M46953 2007 (August) H0 German Federal Army Kbs 443 Stake Car & 2 Fennek Reconnaissance Vehicles
M48713 2007 (October) H0 German Federal Army Rimmps 650 Heavy Duty Flat Car & 10T GL Mil Truck
M58402 2007 (July) SBB/CFF/FFS type K3 Swiss Freight 3-Car Set (L)
M80617 2007Q4 Z Christmas Car (Car in Ornament) - Fall New Item

Marklin Price Increase Expected

We have been informed that Marklin will be increasing prices in February. We weren't told the exact date (Feb. 1st expected) or the amount of the increase. Marklin prices in 2007 were locked to an exchange rate of $1.25 per Euro and the dollar was trading above $1.45 during 2007. Our educated estimate of the price increase is 8-12% on average. It would be in your best interest to place orders prior to the price increase. We deliver backordered items at the price in effect AT THE TIME THE ORDER IS PLACED. - Bill Ott

Marklin Insider Club Deadline

On the recent mailing from Marklin, the deadline is shown as January 15th, 2008. As is typical of these "factory" deadlines, the forms will be honored after that date. The sooner you send the forms to us the better it is but you can effectively ignore that deadline. - Bill

Marklin, Inc. has resumed shipping.

Marklin, Inc. suspends shipping while doing the end-of-year inventory. We were told today that they have resumed shipping. The factory ships little during January but we're hoping for catalogs SOON! - Bill

Marklin Insider Club Mailing

Marklin Insider Club Members are in the process of receiving the first mailing for 2008. A form with the mailing offers the choice of a M46453 HO Tank Car, M82073 Z Tank Car, an M120795 2008 Wall Calendar OR an M120796 Glacier Express DVD. Missing from this form is the fact that each member can opt for only ONE of the 4 items listed. This is explained in the text of the magazine to the best of my knowledge. I spoke with Marklin today and expressed our customers' opinions that they are generally disappointed with how the Insider Club has been managed since the factory took it over about 3 years ago. Club Members can email or write to Marklin to make their comments known as these do get passed on to the factory. I was told the factory is trying to correct the Insider Club shortcomings. Their action is overdue! BTW, no news of catalog shipment to date. - Bill

Happy New Year Update

Today we received some C track restock and now have all of the track extension sets (M2490x) in stock. We won't receive our latest order until Marklin, Inc. completes their beginning-of-the-year inventory. They expect to begin shipping again early next week. They have a factory shipment in transit but we were told it did not contain the new (2007!) catalogs yet. As the catalog is already 3 months late, this was certainly disappointing news.