H0 Models from Hungary
Hungary has a distinctive railway identity with MÁV and the bi-national GySEV/Raaberbahn. Characteristic are the V43 "Szili" universal electric (built under Ganz/Krupp licence), the heavy V63 "Gigant" and the widespread Soviet M62 "Sergei". Roco, Piko and the MÁV specialist Heris dominate the model market.
The Hungarian railway (MÁV — Magyar Államvasutak) operates Europe's fifth largest network. Main lines are electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz. Characteristic are the V43 "Szili" as universal electric, the widely deployed Soviet diesel M62 "Sergei" (also used in East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Cuba), and the heavy V63 "Gigant". The bi-national GySEV/Raaberbahn connects Vienna with Sopron and Szombathely.
Hungarian railway operators
- MÁV – Magyar Államvasutak — Hungarian state railway since 1869, today with MÁV-START for passenger and Rail Cargo Hungaria for freight.
- GySEV / Raaberbahn — the Hungarian-Austrian private railway, operating routes in both countries.
Model manufacturers with Hungary range
- Heris — German specialist with extensive MÁV range, especially passenger coaches and freight types.
- Roco — offers V43, V63 and Taurus 1116 licence for MÁV (class 480), plus numerous MÁV passenger coaches.
- Piko — MÁV range with focus on modern locos and Stadler FLIRT EMUs.
- Märklin — selected MÁV models, especially V43 and Taurus 1116.
Famous Hungarian locomotives & EMUs
- V43 "Szili" — MÁV's universal electric, from 1963 in Ganz-MÁVAG/Krupp design with nearly 400 units built, still in service today.
- V63 "Gigant" — the heavy six-axle electric for freight and heavy passenger trains, from 1975.
- V46 / V47 / V48 — the Hungarian diesel shunters from Ganz-MÁVAG.
- M62 "Sergei" — the Soviet universal diesel, in Hungary as M62 / 628, still in service today.
- Class 480 (Taurus) — the Siemens ES64U2 licence for MÁV-START, identical to ÖBB 1116.
- Bzmot / Bzx — the classic Hungarian diesel railcars for branch lines (Ganz-MÁVAG).
- Stadler FLIRT — modern MÁV electric multiple units for Budapest commuter services.
- Stadler KISS — double-deck EMUs for intercity service.
Famous lines & topics
- Budapest-Nyugati — the Eiffel station in Budapest (1877, built by the Eiffel workshop).
- Budapest-Keleti — Budapest's historicist main station.
- Gyermekvasút (Children's Railway) — 11 km narrow-gauge railway (760 mm) in the Buda Hills, operated by children under supervision.
- Pécs-Mecsek and Felcsút-Alcsútdoboz — historic 760 mm narrow-gauge lines.
Eras
Hungarian H0 models primarily cover Eras IV to VI — from the classic V43 and M62 of the 1970s-1980s to modern class 480 Taurus and Stadler FLIRT/KISS EMUs of the MÁV-START era.