ISSUE SEPTEMBER 2026

The International Union of Railways (Union internationale des chemins de fer, UIC) founded its own research and development institute (ORE) in 1949, thus laying the foundation for internationally standardised construction principles for goods wagons. The European railway administrations soon developed their own vehicles on the basis of the ORE’s designs and principles for a two-axle standard goods wagon. In accordance with the fundamental idea put forward by the UIC, these were used within the territories of the member administrations to transport goods and freight. The German Federal Railway (Deutsche Bundesbahn) took the first steps via an initial procurement of around 3,500 wagons (as per the preliminary designs) and, with the Gmm(e)hs 56, successfully put the first 2,662 genuine UIC standard wagons into service as early as 1957. Externally, the standardised design was indicated by the inscription RIV St UIC. Other railway administrations, including the SNCF, FS, ÖBB, NS, DSB, MAV, P.K.P., CFL, SBB, acted in a similar way and produced their own versions of the UIC standard wagons. The wagons are all very similar due to this fact, however they also include some country-specific design differences. Since DB had a very high demand for new wagons and there was also a modernisation backlog for older wagon classes, they did not solely rely on brand new UIC St wagons. The wagon types Gmms 44, Gmm(eh)s 60, Gmms 40 and 216 were gradually created via several conversion programmes in which individual parts from older wagons were reused. With over 100,000 units built, these wagon types became synonymous with goods traffic in Europe and were used in almost every goods train from the 1960s to the 1990s.

The BRAWA models of the Covered Freight Cars Gmms44 "PEZ" and "VARTA" from DB will be available at specialist retailers starting in Q4 2026 and feature numerous details such as individually mounted handle bars and axle box covers, a multi-part brake system, metal axle bearings, metal wheels, and brake blocks in wheel plane. The cars are equipped with NEM-standard short-coupling and a brake unit on the car bottom true to original.

The VEB Kombinat Fortschritt Landmaschinen was one of the most important industrial associations of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and held central importance for agricultural production. It was founded in 1966 and had its headquarters in Neustadt in Saxony. The Kombinat's goal was to make agriculture more efficient through modern machinery and to secure the population's food supply. Numerous enterprises were united within the Kombinat, developing and producing various agricultural machines. These included combine harvesters, forage harvesters, tractors, and other equipment for soil cultivation and harvesting.

The UIC included two Refrigerator Car types in its proposals for standardized car designs. The Standard 1 became the most-built Refrigerator Car to this day. The state railways of Greece, Morocco, Italy, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium procured examples of the St. 1. Meat companies, breweries, and food chains put this Refrigerator Car into service. In total, around 6,500 examples were built. In the 1960s and 1970s, hardly a freight train existed without this reliable car. Via the end platforms, the ice chambers could be loaded by hand with ice bars.

Of the 6,500 examples of the Standard 1 Refrigerator Car, FS Italia accounted for the lion's share with more than 3,500 units. Even when the St. 1 cars had long since been retired by the other railway administrations, they continued to carry fruit, vegetables, and flowers under the "Italian flag" across the Alps into cool Central Europe.

The two BRAWA models are designed true to original with many details, such as a multi-part brake system, bogie with three-point support, wheelsets with pointed bearings, individually mounted railings, and NEM-standard short-coupling. They will be available at specialist retailers starting in Q4 2026.

By the middle of the 1960s, DB procured numerous special wagons with a sliding roof and sliding walls. However, examinations proved that, in many cases, it was possible to forego the opening roof and that an optimized access from the side was sufficient for the majority of cargoes. Consequently, the Hbis 299 which was still initially called the Klmmgs was built from 1966 onwards. To a large extent, the design corresponded to the previously built Tbis 869 sliding roof wagons; the accessibility to the corner was primarily improved. The centre column only had a width of 320 mm; this width amounted to 1000 mm on the sliding roof wagons. The wagons proved themselves in operation and were accepted by the loaders. 2,950 units had already been built by 1970 and the maximum quantity of 8,444 units was reached in 1975.

The BRAWA model is equipped with brake blocks in wheel plane, an extra mounted brake system, individually mounted steps and treads, a true-to-original three-dimensional frame structure, and numerous further details. Delivery to specialist retailers will take place as early as Q3 2026.

Engelberg, located around 35 kilometers south of Lucerne, is one of the best-known mountain and winter sports resorts in Central Switzerland. One of its biggest attractions is the TITLIS Rotair, which has been carrying visitors up the 3,020-meter-high Titlis since 1992. It was the world's first rotating cable car and is today a Swiss tourist attraction in its own right. The ascent unfolds in several stages, from the green alpine meadows around Engelberg up into the high-alpine glacier world of the Titlis. As the Rotair's cabin slowly rotates a full 360 degrees, it opens up impressive views of glaciers, steep rock faces, and the surrounding mountain scenery. The distinctive cable car is even represented as a model at the Swissminiatur in Melide. For model railway enthusiasts, the spectacular landscape offers plenty of inspiration for recreating challenging alpine routes and striking mountain panoramas. The BRAWA model of the Titlis cable car is now available again at specialist retailers.