40 years of Lenz

From time to time: 40 years of Lenz Elektronik

Forty years is a welcome opportunity to look back, but also to look ahead. We can look back with pride at what we have created and achieved over the last four decades.

When the company owner started his own business in 1979 with "Bernd Lenz Elektronikentwicklung", digital model railway control was still a long way off. In 1978, intel introduced the 8086, a 16-bit microprocessor, and the first PCs only came onto the market in the 1980s: Commodore C64, Sinclair ZX, Atari ST, Amiga. Not forgetting the IBM PC, whose open standard made it the basis for all PCs with Windows. Digitisation progressed slowly, end devices (PCs) were expensive. At the time, a world full of digital helpers could only be imagined in science fiction novels.

For the model railway, however, this digital world already existed in Bernd Lenz's mind. After he had developed the analogue "Teichmann controller", which is certainly still familiar to older model railway enthusiasts and which allowed the finest driving of vehicles equipped with bell anchors in analogue operation, one of Lenz's first developments from the early days of digital multi-train control followed with the "REPA-LOK-AUS". The first production-ready product of his ingenuity was an electronic ballast for AC locomotives that prevented the "buck jump" when changing direction. These electronics were then manufactured for Märklin and installed there.

In 1984, Lenz Elektronik GmbH was founded, which in the following years played a major role in the development and production of numerous digital components for model railway companies, including the Arnold Digital System and the "Märklin Digital for 2-wire DC systems". Bernd Lenz has always been associated with 0-gauge: the picture (Marcel Darphin archive) shows him soldering a route matrix for Marcel Darphin's 0-gauge layout, which unfortunately no longer exists today.

The eighties

Electronics finds its way into the model railway

In addition to Teichmann controllers, REPA-LOK-AUS and the developments for Märklin and Arnold, Lenz develops the compatible multi-train control: control of an analogue locomotive in the digital range and analogue control of a digital locomotive. Lenz receives the patent for this. This is followed by the development of the electronics for switching the direction of travel in the Gauge 1 Adler and for other models in H0 and Gauge 1 from Märklin. The Arnold Digital System and Märklin Digital for 2-wire DC layouts are produced. For the first time, microcontrollers are used in locomotive receivers that have an EEPROM and are therefore electronically adjustable (address and other parameters, CV predecessors).

The nineties

Triumph of DCC and Digital plus

Digital plus was announced in 1991 and the first locomotive decoder was presented: the LE100 could be installed by model railway enthusiasts themselves. One year later, the first sample of the LH100 can be seen in Nuremberg. The new interface for locomotive decoders is later standardised by MOROP as NEM 652. The ROCO locomotive mouse sees the light of day in the model railway world, naturally in the development department at Lenz.

2000 to 2009

Digital plus comes of age. Revitalising the zero.

The logo is modernised at the start of the millennium. For newcomers to digital model railways, Lenz launches the ‘compact’ - control centre and controller in one. Tillig also adopts this inexpensive entry-level system. In co-operation with ATLAS, the DCC control system based on the ‘compact’ is also coming to the USA as the ‘ATLAS Master DCC System’. Software updates add 4-digit addresses, 128 speed steps and multiple traction to Digital plus in version 3. Version 3.6 brings up to 28 functions that can be set to continuous or momentary function and PoM extension up to CV 1024.

The first H0 locomotive of the Modell plus brand comes onto the market in 2002: The V 36 shows what integrative development makes possible. Later, the BR 66 and various versions of the Köf complete the H0 programme. RailCom is announced and a patent is applied for, which is granted in 2005. The LZV100, control centre and amplifier in one housing, replaces the individual LZ100 and LV100 units in 2003.

Then came the big surprise: the revival of the 0-gauge was announced in 2003 with an extensive programme. V 36, V 100 and BR 64, passenger and goods wagons supplemented by a complete track system. With the 0 gauge, Lenz takes on the task of revitalising the dormant scale as a series manufacturer and offering impressive technology at moderate prices. A sample of the first Lenz 0-gauge locomotive can be seen at Intermodellbau 2004, and two years later delivery of the models begins together with the Donnerbüchsen and the track system. The V100, the Köf and a starter set follow in the next few years. The track system is constantly expanded, e.g. with the DKW. The Lenz 0 gauge becomes a complete programme.

2010 to 2022

On the way to becoming the largest series manufacturer in 0-gauge

Since then, things have continued at a rapid pace. Locomotives such as the BR 64, V 160, V 60 and various Köf variants, the Lollo, the V 20, the BR 211, 212 and 213, the BR 24, the BR 38, the BR 94 and finally the BR 50 in several variants appear. In addition, numerous freight and passenger cars. An innovative remote-controlled coupling on locomotives (also in H0, by the way), original sound, specially developed smoke generators... Lenz now works together with PECO for the track system in order to meet the increased demands on quality. After more than 15 years, the next generation of the digital control centre has been released with the LZV200, the LH101 handheld controller has replaced the tried and tested LH100, and the wireless LH101R will be delivered in mid-2021. Lenz Elektronik's programme for the coming years is already largely complete:

The 2022 edition of the Lenz New Products Advertiser will contain details of what will soon be available in this fantastic gauge.