Fast, powerful, economical, and elegant: the Deutsche Bundesbahn’s Class 66 entered service in 1955 as its most advanced new-build steam locomotive.

With an output of around 1,000 horsepower and a top speed of 100 km/h, it was designed as a versatile, all-purpose locomotive to replace numerous older types, many of which dated back to the regional railway era. The two prototypes, 66 001 and 66 002, proved highly successful in service. They hauled passenger trains on both main and branch lines with equal reliability and were equally capable of handling express services on key routes such as Frankfurt–Gießen.

The Class 66 steam locomotive ultimately did not have a long and successful future, as diesel locomotives rapidly emerged and proved significantly cheaper to operate and maintain. As a result, production never went beyond the two prototypes. From 1958 onwards, the Class 66’s role was taken over by Class V 100 diesel locomotives, which the Deutsche Bundesbahn began procuring in large numbers.

Despite its short lifespan, the Class 66 remains a symbol of the high standards of German steam locomotive engineering — a legacy that is beautifully brought to life in this Marklin model.

Prototype: German Federal Railroad (DB) class 66 passenger tank locomotive. Road number 66 002. The locomotive looks as it did in the mid-Sixties. Based at the railroad maintenance facility in Giessen.

Highlights

• Completely new tooling.
• Buffer capacitor included to bridge over short areas of track without current.
• Factory-installed smoke generator with speed-dependent dynamic smoke exhaust.
• Triple headlights and dual red marker lights that change over with the direction of travel.
• Cab lighting can be controlled digitally.
• Especially intricate metal construction.
• A variety of separately applied details.
• Buffer height conforms to the NEM.
• World of Operation mfx+ digital decoder with extensive light and sound functions.

Model: The locomotive has an mfx+ digital decoder and extensive sound functions. It also has controlled high-efficiency propulsion with a flywheel mounted in the boiler. One axle powered. Two axles powered using side rods. Traction tires. The locomotive is constructed mostly of metal. There is a factory-installed smoke generator with speed-dependent dynamic smoke exhaust. There are triple headlights and dual red marker lights that change over with the direction of travel and that can be controlled digitally. The cab lighting can also be controlled digitally. Maintenance-free, warm white and red LEDs are used for the lighting. A buffer capacitor is included.

The minimum radius for operation is 360 mm / 14-3/16". Protective sleeves for the piston rods, brake hoses, heating lines, and prototype coupler imitations are included separately. Length over the buffers approximately 17 cm / 6-11/16".

A car set to go with this locomotive is also being offered under item number 41329 exclusively for Insider members in 2025.