Which locomotives, coaches, wagons, railway companies, buildings, road vehicles and signals belong together? This central overview takes you from the state railways of the nineteenth century through the DRG, Deutsche Bundesbahn, Deutsche Reichsbahn and DB AG to today's international railway world with ICE, Nightjet, Vectron and private operators.
Model railway eras divide railway history into periods that can be distinguished by their technology and appearance. They help you combine locomotives, coaches, wagons, railway companies, lettering, signals, stations, buildings and road vehicles so that the layout creates a coherent and historically understandable scene.
The era describes the prototype being represented, not the age of the model or the technology used to control it. A Prussian Era I steam locomotive can therefore of course contain a modern digital decoder. What matters visually are the running number, railway administration, logo, colour scheme, technical inscriptions and the operating condition being represented.
Transitional periods are also important. Vehicles were not scrapped or repainted on the first day of a new era. Older rolling stock often remained in service for many years and was gradually renumbered. Neighbouring eras can therefore deliberately be combined when the specific year and operating condition are compatible.
For Germany, this overview extends from the state railway period beginning in 1835 to today's Era VI. The boundaries can differ for railways in other countries. Anyone planning a Swiss, Austrian, French or other international layout should therefore also consider the development specific to the respective country.
Every era has its own distinctive character. The following cards lead directly to detailed guides with vehicles, train formations, gauges, layout ideas and current products.
Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Württemberg and other German states operated their own railway administrations. Colourful steam locomotives, short coaches, small stations and regional designs give this era an especially individual character.
Explore Era I in Detail →
State railway vehicles operate alongside new standard designs. Large express steam locomotives, heavy freight trains, early electric locomotives, MITROPA and extensive locomotive depots create the classic Reichsbahn railway world.
Explore Era II in Detail →
The Deutsche Bundesbahn and Deutsche Reichsbahn develop separately. Steam locomotives remain important while V 100, V 200, E 10, conversion coaches, Reko coaches and railbuses introduce a new railway world.
Explore Era III in Detail →
New vehicle numbers and bold colour schemes define the railway. Classes 103, 218, 118, 132 and 243 represent an era of InterCity, S-Bahn, Städteexpress, double-deck trains and increasingly modern freight traffic.
Explore Era IV in Detail →
Bundesbahn and Reichsbahn merge into one railway system. ICE, Interregio, product colours, traffic red, new regional services and Railion characterise rail reform and the transition towards the modern railway.
Explore Era V in Detail →
Twelve-digit vehicle numbers, Vectron, Taurus, TRAXX, ICE, Nightjet, Railjet, regional multiple units, leasing locomotives and private operators define the liberalised European railway market.
Explore Era VI in Detail →The period boundaries shown here apply to Germany. During transitions, the specific year should always be checked because older vehicles often remained in service and lettering was changed gradually.
| Era | Period | Defining Railway World | Typical Vehicles | Especially Suitable Layout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 1835–1920 | State railways | Early steam locomotives, local and compartment coaches | State-railway station, light railway, narrow gauge |
| II | 1920–1950 | Reichsbahn / DRG | Classes 01, 44, 64, 86 and E 18 | Locomotive depot, express trains, freight station |
| III | 1949–1970 | DB and DR | Steam, V 100, V 200, E 10 and Reko coaches | Branch line, reconstruction, changing traction |
| IV | 1965–1990 | DB and DR with computerised numbers | Classes 103, 118, 132, 218 and 243 | InterCity, Städteexpress, S-Bahn, freight trains |
| V | 1990–2006 | DB/DR transition and DB AG | ICE and Classes 101, 145, 152 and 155 | Interregio, regional railways, Railion |
| VI | Since 2007 | Liberalised European railway traffic | Vectron, Taurus, TRAXX, ICE and FLIRT | Intermodal traffic, private railways, Nightjet, modern regional traffic |
A state railway locomotive points towards Era I, while Class 01 and classic DRG vehicles usually suggest Era II. Anyone wanting to operate steam, diesel and electric traction together will find especially many possibilities in Era III. Class 103, Ludmilla and InterCity point towards Era IV, ICE and DB AG towards Era V, and Vectron and Nightjet towards Era VI.
This creates a convincing vehicle fleet more quickly than buying individual models that do not belong to the same historical period.
A state railway, locomotive depot, branch line, East German station, InterCity main line, container terminal or modern halt each requires different vehicles and infrastructure. Small historic stations with short trains can be especially space-efficient.
“Era IV” or “Era VI” alone is often too broad. A target year such as 1964, 1985, 1994 or 2025 makes it much easier to select the correct logo, running number, coach colour, road vehicles, signals and advertising.
H0 offers the largest selection, while N and Z allow long trains on smaller layouts. TT is excellent for DB, DR and Central European themes. H0e and H0m are ideal for narrow gauge, while Gauges 0, 1 and G offer particularly impressive visible detail.
Yes – most convincingly during real transitional periods. A vehicle from the previous era can remain in operation when its number, logo and operating condition match the year represented. An arbitrary mixture of state railway vehicles, Bundesbahn trains and a modern Vectron, however, is rarely prototypical.
In principle, every era can be represented in several scales. However, the available model range and possible train length differ considerably. The gauge comparison helps with the fundamental decision.
| Gauge | Scale | Especially Strong for | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z | 1:220 | II–VI | Long main-line trains in very limited space |
| N | 1:160 | II–VI | Express trains, ICE, freight trains and large stations |
| TT | 1:120 | I–VI, especially DR | Germany, East Germany, Central Europe and compact layouts |
| H0 | 1:87 | I–VI | Largest selection of vehicles and accessories |
| H0e / H0m | 1:87 | I–VI | Saxony, RhB, HSB, MGB and mountain railways |
| 0 / 0e | approx. 1:45 | I–VI | Shunting operation and very high visible detail |
| 1 | 1:32 | II–VI | Large models, sound and collector operation |
| G | often approx. 1:22.5 | I–VI | Garden railways, narrow gauge and large vehicles |
The initial selection covers all six eras and several gauges. Search and filters allow models to be narrowed down directly by era, gauge, manufacturer and vehicle type. Additional current products are loaded directly from the six English era theme pages.
18 models in the initial selection.
Complete historic train representing the early years of German railway history.
View Product →
Prussian freight locomotive for coal, transfer and mixed state-railway trains.
View Product →
Small state-railway locomotive for Saxon narrow-gauge routes.
View Product →
Standard express locomotive for classic Reichsbahn trains.
View Product →
Versatile tank locomotive for passenger and freight trains.
View Product →
Compact Reichsbahn locomotive for extensive branch-line operation.
View Product →
Elegant Bundesbahn express steam locomotive from the post-war period.
View Product →
Compact Reichsbahn locomotive for shunting and branch-line operation.
View Product →
Bundesbahn electric locomotive for express, semi-fast and premium passenger trains.
View Product →
Heavy electric locomotive from the late Deutsche Bundesbahn period.
View Product →
Powerful tank locomotive for branch-line and Reichsbahn trains.
View Product →
Pre-series locomotive and pioneer of modern electric traction.
View Product →
Four-car ICE set for modern main-line operation.
View Product →
Typical shunting locomotive of the early 1990s.
View Product →
Classic express locomotive in early DB AG operation.
View Product →
Multi-system locomotive for international intermodal and freight traffic.
View Product →
Modern electric multiple unit for intensive regular-interval regional traffic.
View Product →
Coach set for modern international night-train services.
View Product →These products are added directly from the six current English era theme pages and are also included in the filters.
Key answers about choosing and combining Eras I to VI, suitable gauges and historical classification.
Every era can be suitable for beginners. Starting is especially straightforward when a favourite locomotive or railway company has already been selected. Eras III and IV offer a particularly wide range of vehicle types, while Era VI is ideal for modern trains.
Yes, especially during transitional periods. Older vehicles often remained in service for many years. The running number, logo, colour scheme and year represented should nevertheless be compatible.
Era II and early Era III offer an especially wide range of steam locomotive themes. Era I is ideal for state railway locomotives, while Era IV can represent the final scheduled steam services at DB and DR.
The introduction of the ICE belongs to Era V. ICE 1, ICE 2 and ICE 3 suit the 1990s and early 2000s. Current ICE classes and modern high-speed services belong primarily to Era VI.
Eras III and IV are particularly suitable. Era III represents intensive steam operation, reconstruction and Reko coaches. Era IV includes Classes 118, 132 and 243, Städteexpress and characteristic East German road vehicles.
The Deutsche Bundesbahn primarily defines Eras III and IV and early Era V until Deutsche Bahn AG was founded in 1994.
The classic DRG belongs to Era II. For especially accurate modelling, the specific period IIa, IIb or IIc and the actual operating year should also be considered.
Modern private regional and freight operators become particularly visible in Era V and especially Era VI. Leasing locomotives and international operators add even more variety.
H0 offers the largest selection. TT is strong for German and East German prototypes. N and Z allow longer trains, while H0e and H0m are excellent choices for historic narrow-gauge railways.
Yes. The era describes the prototype rather than the control technology. Decoders, sound, feedback systems and computer control can also be used on an Era I or Era II layout.
Important indicators include the railway administration, running number, logo, colour scheme, class designation and technical inscriptions. The product description normally states an era as well.
Because technical and organisational changes were not implemented completely on a single date. New numbers, colours and railway administrations appeared gradually while older vehicles remained in service.
The comprehensive Model Railway Guide also provides information about gauges, layout planning, digital technology, railway companies, vehicles, train formations, scenery, maintenance and layout construction.
German period classification based on NEM 806 D · Editorial status: September 2026
