Modellbahn Union - MU_N-G54006 - Covered wagon, Gms - Deutsche Bundesbahn - 1335 443-4

Specific Item Information: The Gms 54 were the first covered design of the DB from conversions of older cars. The chassis was primarily used from the old wagons. Special production lines had been set up in the AW Fulda and Munich-Freimann for the production. Around 14,100 Gms 54s were built up until the early 1960s. The car bodies were made of synthetic resin panels (after board boarding had initially been considered), the car floor made of pine boles, the roof made of PIB or PVC plastic. 13,800 cars were redesignated to Gls 205 by 1968 and were given UIC steps and other changes. Among other things, the roofs were replaced by StCu sheet metal. At the end of 1987 the stock was still around 4000 cars, which were then gradually retired. Some cars were still used as railway service cars until the 1990s, while others were sold to construction companies by the DB. The model railway Union gauge N models of the Gms 54 cars are characterized by detailed design and printing. Country-specific abbreviations and different addresses are also taken into account, there are versions with and without a brakeman's platform. All models have short coupling links and NEM coupler pockets. Each company number appears in an edition of 200 copies. The LüP is 6.9 cm per car.

Road Name History: Deutsche Bundesbahn was the Western Germany DB before reunification. After World War II, Germany (and the DRG) was divided into 4 zones: US, British, French and Soviet. The first three eventually combined to form the Federal Republic of Germany (the West) and the Russian zone became the German Democratic Republic (the East). German territories beyond the Oder were ceded to Poland except for the northern part of East Prussia, which was ceded to the Soviet Union in 1945.

From 1949, the new governments assumed authority for railway operations. The DRG's (or DR's) successors were named Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB, German Federal Railways) in West Germany, and Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR, German State Railways) in East Germany kept the old name to hold tracking rights in western Berlin.

Unlike the DRG, which was a corporation, both the DB and the DR were federal state institutions, directly controlled by their respective transportation ministries. Railway service between East and West was restricted; there were around five well-controlled and secure checkpoints between West and East Germany, and about the same number between East Germany and West Berlin. Four transit routes existed between West Germany and West Berlin; citizens of West Berlin and West Germany were able to use these without too much harassment by the East German authorities.

The DB started in 1968 with changing the locomotive and passenger car serial numbers to the UIC norm. In 1970 the DR followed. The DB started experimenting with the Intercity trains in a new livery (bright orange).

In 1989, the Wall fell. Train frequency rapidly increased on the existing East/West corridors; closed links which had formerly crossed the border were re-opened. On 3 October 1990, Germany was reunified; however, this was not immediately the case with the railways. Administrative and organisational problems led to the decision to completely re-organize and reconnect Germany's railways. The so-called Bahnreform (Railway Reform) came into effect on 1 January 1994, when the State railways Deutsche Bundesbahn and Deutsche Reichsbahn were formally reunited to form the current German Railway Corporation (Deutsche Bahn).

From Wikipedia

Brand/Importer Information: Modellbahn Union is a hobbyshop in Kamen, near Dortmund, Germany. They also produce their own range in HO, TT and N scales.

Manufacturer Information: DM-Toys is a small company headquartered in Issum in the Lower Rhine area, Germany. DM-Toys has specialized in the wholesale trade and mail order of N scale products from all over the world. DM-Toys also operates its own small manufacturing in Germany. The majority of its goods is however produced for us abroad (UK, U.S., Japan and China).