The prototype for this train was the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railway class 52 express locomotive (American Locomotive Company type PA-1. Diesel-electric propulsion. Road number 61L). This locomotive comes with a digital decoder, controlled high-efficiency propulsion and auxiliary functions. Two axles power four traction tires. Headlight and lighted number boards will work in conventional operation and can be controlled digitally. Mars light, diesel motor sound effects, horn sounds as well as the acceleration and braking delay can be controlled digitally with the 6021 Control Unit.  “Men are collecting trains in all scales ... They’re connecting to their past and remembering a favorite car or fighting in a war,” commented Shirley Moore, owner of the 53-year-old Talbot’s Toy Land in San Mateo, Calif. She named Marklin as one of her collectors’ favorite brands. "You have two brands in the world of trains with high collectibility: Lionel in the United States and Marklin in global markets," Fred Gates, president of Marklin told TDmonthly.  "They maintain their value." Each year, Marklin produces limited-run items to commemorate a particular historical anniversary.