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As if it had been painted: the key visual for Märklin’s world record attempt

This is what usually happens: Rhaetian Railway presents new multiple units such as the “Capricorn”, then Märklin, as the leading model railway builder. presents its model thereof as an exact copy, right down to the last detail, for the LGB garden railway.

Dr. Reto Wilhelm, Managing Owner Panta Rhei PR AG, 13. October 2022

It was Dirk Hundsdörfer, graphic designer at Märklin, who designed the eye-catcher for the “longest passenger train”. This is now truly emblazoned – on a real RhB Ge 4/4 III. And all over the net, too – as a key visual for a major event.

It is currently travelling around the entire RhB network: the Ge 4/4 III electric locomotive with the operating number 644 – drawing attention to what is yet to come: the world record attempt on 29 October 2022 to become the “longest passenger train in the world”. If you take a close look, you can already see it in a composition that is hard to beat in terms of detail. This does not come from the RhB headquarters in Chur – no: the key visual for the major event was created in private by Dirk Hundsdörfer in Göppingen, Germany. Born in Stuttgart, he trained as a graphic designer and has been working for Märklin for almost 21 years. The occasion bears his signature – and he spent some time making that happen.

Two weeks of hard work
“When the idea first surfaced at our company, I was immediately fascinated. What should a 1.91-kilometre-long train travelling on one of the most beautiful railway lines in the world look like? My imagination started to do overtime,” recalls Dirk Hundsdörfer. And so he started to do some research. He looked at countless pictures – of the Rhaetian Railway UNESCO World Heritage route between Preda and Bergün. He researched landscape views on Google, with autumnal larch trees in golden yellow. He studied the plans for the helical tunnels in detail. And then he got started. “We quickly discarded a classic photo montage with Photoshop. That would have been virtually impossible “in terms of craftsmanship". Only a vector drawing with many layers can adequately reflect these dimensions,” explains the experienced designer. He spent almost two weeks tinkering and talking to the RhB experts time and again. He reduced the size of a tunnel portal here, increased the curve radius there, coloured rocks and then dusted them with snow. “I wanted to give the painting the necessary drama that this experiment entails. And above all, we wanted to create a thrilling and dynamic impression with the record train rolling straight towards us.”

This time the other way around: from small to big
Hundsdörfer is also entirely honest that in the end he no longer really saw it objectively: the artwork. “We designers become so at one with our creation that we are no longer able to judge whether the image works for other people – or not. Appropriately, this is called tunnel view.” After some reflection, he decided to hand in the drawing. And his picture was a success – both with the people in charge at Märklin and at RhB. It was immediately clear that this just had to be the key visual for the event. “I'll be honest, that makes me very proud,” admits Hundsdörfer. So the man who usually creates many designs for locomotive and carriage models every year – together with his seven other colleagues in Märklin’s graphics department – is experiencing a magical moment. What’s more, his picture is not only the inspiration for the design of the LGB garden railway on a scale of 1:22.5, but also features on the real RhB Ge 4/4 III locomotive.

Keeping an eye on many parameters
“This is an upside-down world. Because it’s usually the other way around – the journey takes you from the big to the small, from the original railway to the model.” When he and his team develop the designs, high precision is what counts. “We usually don’t have much space in terms of height, but by definition our objects tend to be wider. We also have to think carefully about which printing processes we use to ensure that every detail on our models is correct. Märklin usually works with digital printing – coupled with specific stamping processes for lettering and filigree imprints on the mini locomotives and carriages. “Curves and colour transitions from the sides of the model to the front are particularly challenging. The precise application of fonts is also a definite challenge. Because our buyers have eagle eyes, and so you have to get everything right,” says Hundsdörfer.

At the end of our conversation I ask him whether he will go to see the world record attempt himself. Probably not, says the humble designer. But he will definitely watch the attempt as a live stream. And it’s already clear that his picture will go around the world.

Märklin – making a grand appearance in Bergün

Märklin will be demonstrating that the world record attempt can also work in miniature in Bergün, the railway village on the festival site. The leading model railway manufacturer from Göppingen is bringing 25 of the four-car “Capricorn” multiple-unit trains – all at a scale of 1:22.5 of the type LGB, the model for garden model railways – to the mountains of Graubünden. Märklin is reconstructing the record-breaking train on an extra 75-metre track; the original is 1.91 kilometres long.

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