Roco 6600250 H0 - Set of 3 ÖBB open goods wagons, Era III-IV

Model of a set of three two-axle open goods wagons in the livery of the Austrian Federal Railways

A set of three two-axle open goods wagons of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), reproducing the Era III–IV condition. The set comprises a high-sided open wagon with a brakeman’s cab of class Om, a low-sided open wagon of class Oa and a high-sided open wagon with a brakeman’s platform of class Om. This is basic, versatile freight stock of the post-war period.

The variety of the three wagons – one with a brakeman’s cab, one with a brakeman’s platform and a low-sided one – makes it possible to form a varied, realistic freight train. The wagons are faithfully painted and lettered in line with the prototype.

Model specifications:

• Scale: H0 (1:87)
• Catalogue number: 6600250
• Manufacturer: Roco
• Set composition: high-sided wagon with brakeman’s cab (Om), low-sided wagon (Oa), high-sided wagon with brakeman’s platform (Om)
• Set length: 320 mm
• Era: III–IV
• Operator: Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB)
• Power system: direct current DC (two-rail)
• Coupler: NEM 362 standard with close-coupling kinematics
• Models ready to run
• Recommended age: 14 years and over

Note: this model consists of hauled wagons – a locomotive and a powered track are needed to run it.

The set is not a starter set and does not include track or a controller. The wagons are hauled by a locomotive. The model is produced in the DC version; for operation on a three-rail AC (Märklin) system the manufacturer offers replacement AC wheelsets cat. no. 6560.

Model railways – digital or analogue control?

A digital DCC system lets you control several locomotives independently on the same track at a constant rail voltage, whereas in an analogue system all vehicles on a given circuit respond simultaneously to changes in the supply voltage. The model described here is a hauled vehicle – it has no drive or decoder of its own, so it runs equally well on digitally (DCC) controlled and analogue layouts, since the control method applies only to the locomotive. The model is produced in the DC (two-rail) version.

About open goods wagons:

Open goods wagons are one of the most numerous groups of freight stock, intended for carrying bulk goods that withstand the weather – coal, aggregate, scrap, timber and the like. A distinction is made between high-sided wagons (class Om) with taller walls and low-sided wagons (class Oa) with low walls that make manual loading and unloading easier.

In Eras III–IV some wagons were still fitted with brakeman’s cabs or brakeman’s platforms – a legacy of the days of manual braking, when staff braked individual wagons in the train. Open wagons of this kind were for many years the backbone of freight trains on European railways, including those of the Austrian Federal Railways.

Original technical data (two-axle open goods wagons):

• Type: two-axle open goods wagons – high-sided (Om) and low-sided (Oa)
• Equipment: one wagon with a brakeman’s cab, one with a brakeman’s platform
• Purpose: versatile carriage of bulk goods (coal, aggregate, scrap, timber)
• Operator: Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB)
• Era: III–IV

About the manufacturer – Roco:

Roco is an Austrian model railway manufacturer that has been operating since 1960, founded in Salzburg and today based in Bergheim near Salzburg as part of the Modelleisenbahn GmbH group (alongside the Fleischmann brand). It released its first locomotives in 1976 and earned its reputation early on through precision and fidelity to the prototype. The brand introduced a number of innovations to the industry, among them unshortened, true-to-length coaches, track with a lower rail profile, and snag-free close couplers. Roco's contemporary H0 models stand out for their rich detail, while the digital range is rounded out by the Z21 control system. Roco models are valued by modellers and collectors throughout Europe.