Roco 6600269 H0 - Set of 3 Talbot ballast hopper wagons, DB, Era IV

Model of a set of three Talbot ballast hopper wagons in the livery of the German Federal Railway

A set of three two-axle Talbot self-discharging ballast hopper wagons of the German Federal Railway (DB), reproducing the Era IV condition. These are classic wagons suitable both for mixed trains and for block trains.

The models are faithfully painted and lettered in line with the prototype. Three identical wagons make it possible to build a short engineering train or to supplement a larger freight train.

Model specifications:

• Scale: H0 (1:87)
• Catalogue number: 6600269
• Manufacturer: Roco
• Set composition: three two-axle Talbot self-discharging ballast hopper wagons
• Set length: 240 mm
• Era: IV
• Operator: German Federal Railway (DB)
• 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 models described here are hauled wagons – they have no drive or decoder of their own, so they run 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 Talbot ballast hopper wagons:

Self-discharging ballast hopper wagons are a design associated with the Aachen wagon factory Talbot, in operation since 1838, which patented a self-discharge mechanism as early as 1891. From 1928 the characteristic two-axle ballast wagon was built, with a load capacity of about 20 tonnes and a volume of about 12.5 m³. The funnel-shaped interior and controlled discharge made it possible to meter the load directly onto the track.

Thanks to metered discharge at any location the wagons were very versatile and over time also carried other bulk materials. The reproduced examples were operated by the German Federal Railway (DB) in Era IV.

Original technical data (Talbot ballast wagon):

• Type: two-axle self-discharging ballast hopper wagon
• Designer: Waggonfabrik Talbot, Aachen (self-discharge mechanism patented in 1891)
• Load capacity: approx. 20 tonnes; volume approx. 12.5 m³ (version from 1928)
• Purpose: ballast (track aggregate) and other bulk materials
• Operator: German Federal Railway (DB)
• Era: 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.