Product Features and Details
A rugged German railroad icon
Nowadays, when one of the many preserved Wismar rail buses makes an appearance, even steam locos take a back seat. These two-axle rail cars, known as “Schweineschnäuzchen” (Pig’s Snouts), saved many light railroads and branch lines from closure during the years of the Great Depression. The design was ingeniously simple and therefore extremely cost-effective to operate. It used a simple welded car body that was fitted with a mass-produced automotive engine for each direction of travel. Just like the trucks used on roads, the rail bus had front and rear engine hoods, colloquially referred to as “snouts.” Most cars were also fitted with a roof rack for baggage or small goods. The Waggonfabrik Wismar built 57 of them between 1932 and 1941. Railroad staff and passengers loved their rustic, rattling boxes and nicknamed them “Schweineschnäuzchen”. Nowadays, the Wismar rail buses enjoy absolute cult status. However, this is not the only reason why every model railroader’s fleet should include a “snout.” Incidentally, the German Federal Railroad (DB) briefly operated three Wismar rail buses in its fleet after 1949. This means that the red “Schweineschnäuzchen” will also fit on layouts set in era III.
Prototype: German State Railroad Company (DRG) class Cvt-34 “Wismar Rail Bus” (Type “Hannover A”) diesel-powered rail car. Wine-red/ivory paint scheme, era II (condition from the end of 1935 to 1947), road number VT 135 079, Saarbrücken, Germany.
Highlights
- The chassis and engine hoods on the body are made of metal.
- High-performance motor from the latest generation.
- Headlights with warm-white LEDs.
- Accurate reproduction of the buffer beams.
- Baggage rack and ladder.
- Interior lighting.
- Many separately applied parts.
- Injection-molded baggage items are included.
Model: This is a model of the German State Railroad Company (DRG) rail bus, also known as the “Schweineschnäuzchen” (Pig’s Snout), with a wine-red/ivory paint scheme. The model is finely detailed. The running gear and nose sections on the body are constructed of metal. The model has many separately applied parts. The buffer beams at both ends are accurately replicated without couplers. The headlights (3x white/2x red) with warm white/red LEDs alternate with the direction of travel. The model has a bell armature motor. Both axles are powered.
The passenger compartment and cabs have interior details. The model is equipped with interior LED lighting, a separately applied access ladder, and a roof baggage rack. Injection-molded baggage items are included. Black/black nickel-plated solid wheels are fitted. The length over the buffer beam is approximately 53 mm / 2-1/16".
