Märklin 37983 Gauge H0 Southern Pacific steam locomotive 2-8-4 "Berkshire", Era III, with sound and smoke

The Special Coffin-Berkshires

There aren't many steam locomotives in the USA that have achieved legendary status like the "Big Boy." The powerful "Berkshires" certainly belonged to that category.

They were a child of the Roaring Twenties and embodied the spirit of optimism that swept through the United States after World War I. At that time, the economy was booming, and the railroads had to transport ever-increasing quantities of goods ever faster to all parts of the country.

The thousands of "Mikado" steam locomotives built were often no longer sufficient for these tasks.

This led to the birth of the first super-power steam locomotive in 1925. Developed by the Lima Locomotive Works, they brought a massive increase in power to the rails through the installation of a two-axle trailing bogie and the associated enlarged firebox. And because the first route used by these powerful locomotives ran through the Berkshire Mountains on the East Coast of the USA, these locomotives were henceforth called "Berkshires."

With an output of up to 4,000 hp and top speeds well over 100 km/h, these machines, advertised by LIMA as super-powered locomotives, conquered many American railroads, with over 600 units built.

A truly quaint-looking version was the 25 "Berkshires" delivered to the Boston & Maine Railroad.

They had so-called coffin heaters, which were U-shaped and attached upside down to the smokebox. The name "coffin" was derived from the manufacturer and not from the actual meaning (coffin). Ten of these unusual-looking "Berkshires" finally ended their careers with the Southern Pacific Railroad in the years after 1945. Unfortunately, none of these coffin locomotives have survived. Nevertheless, even today you can still experience two of these giants under steam.

The Michigan-based "Berkshire" 1225 even became an international film star in 2004. It played one of the main roles in the animated children's film "The Polar Express," which captivated millions of viewers in Germany as well. Prototype: Southern Pacific Berkshire steam locomotive with a 2-8-4 wheel arrangement.

Deep black paint scheme. Road number 3505. Operating condition between 1945 and 1950. One of 25 locomotives built with the distinctive coffin feedwater heater.

Model: With mfx+ digital decoder and extensive light and sound functions. Controlled high-efficiency propulsion with flywheel in the boiler. Four axles driven, three of which are connected via coupling rods. Traction tires. Locomotive and tender largely made of metal. Standard built-in smoke unit with speed-dependent, dynamic smoke emission, digitally switchable. Directional headlights with one lamp each on the locomotive and tender operate conventionally; digitally switchable. Cab and number plate lighting, as well as firebox flicker, are separately digitally switchable. Lighting with maintenance-free warm white and red LEDs. With energy storage. Adjustable close coupling with kinematics between locomotive and tender. Kinematically guided close coupling with NEM coupler pocket on the tender. Driver and fireman figures seated in the cab. Piping for the area below the cab is included as separately attachable parts.

Length approx. 31.3 cm.


Suitable Southern Pacific freight cars can be found in the Märklin H0 range under item numbers 45667 and 45707, and in the Trix H0 range under item number 24915 (note that replacement wheelsets are required).

This model is also available in a DC version in the Trix H0 range under item number 25983.