European Brands

[serotta1972]

Beautiful picture Alemino, trains of different Nationalities all seem be running on your layout in harmony. This is my vision of my layout / train world and that it will be inhabited by trains from different countries.

[serotta1972]

Mr. Alemino, what is that train behind the 115 Shonan Color?  

[Claude_Dreyfus]

That is a Lilliput SBB-liveried 'FLIRT'.

 

http://www.ehattons.com/60630/Liliput_L163994_Electrical_regional_railcar_Type_FLIRT_4_car_SBB_Regio_Basel_Era_6/StockDetail.aspx

[Alemino]

Mr. Alemino, what is that train behind the 115 Shonan Color?  

yes

is a Lilliput Flirt

nice made train, with all lighting, digital plug for decoder, 2 motors like the real.. but 

at moment broke down..

one motor of 2 is not running..so is..in revision..looking for a new motor or i will need to buy another one..for parts ;)

[Alemino]

and for those with good eyes..even in my picture you ca see 3 nationalities..

i have swiss, japanase and US train all running around..of course is odd to see a shinkansen and a Union pacific Freight..(in te picture is actually a union pacific passenger, but today is n storage, being more a freight lover in US world)

but are all train i could see in reality thus important for met have them as model..

But, i should add, my US engine are Japan made by kato :) even a couple of swiss ones..

Edited April 18, 2016 by Alemino

[kvp]

That's common as the best running european N scale locomotives are usually made by Kato, like my hungarian nohabs...

[Suica]

That's common as the best running european N scale locomotives are usually made by Kato, like my hungarian nohabs...

Hmmm... my best running European locomotives are actually a Roco DR class 243 and a new Piko DR class 218. They're followed closely by my Fleischmann DB class 103 from the 1980s.

 

Both my Kato DR class VT 18.16 series and DR class SVT 137 run generally okay but they could be a tad quieter and are a bit on the slow side as well.

[serotta1972]

Thanks Claude and also for the link, you already answered my next question, where can I get one?

[Martijn Meerts]

Hmmm... my best running European locomotives are actually a Roco DR class 243 and a new Piko DR class 218. They're followed closely by my Fleischmann DB class 103 from the 1980s.

 

Both my Kato DR class VT 18.16 series and DR class SVT 137 run generally okay but they could be a tad quieter and are a bit on the slow side as well.

 

Older Fleischmann are definitely some of the best running trains. Especially their most popular ones (like the BR103) ran incredibly well and near silent.

[Melandir]

yes

is a Lilliput Flirt

nice made train, with all lighting, digital plug for decoder, 2 motors like the real.. but 

at moment broke down..

one motor of 2 is not running..so is..in revision..looking for a new motor or i will need to buy another one..for parts ;)

 

Alemino, is it a 4 chassis Flirt?

 

I have the same issue with a similar model (a Lilliput Flirt 4 chassis), the first Flirt got swapped by the seller, but also the second one started showing the same defect after a few months, it seems it's a factory defect, two Flirt in a row with the same defect, my seller sent them back for repair

 

return it under warranty if possible, I have another Lilliput 3 chassis Flirt that never showed any defect

 

I have also removed the not running motor form the chassis and powered it directly from the rails and it works perfectly

Edited April 20, 2016 by Melandir

[serotta1972]

I was waiting for the Dapol Intercity 125 Executive Set but the order fell through.  I'm a little disappointed as I was excitedly waiting for it but actually I found the Blue Grey set which is the set I really wanted, so it's sort of a blessing.  It's a 4 car set so to create an accurate consist what additional coaches do I need to get.  There is the Buffet Coach, 1st Class Coach and 2nd Class Coach.  What is the minimal number of coaches?  Thanks for any information or a link to get some 411.

 

I noticed that the coach numbers have either a W, an E or none - what does that signify?  The set comes with coach numbers with the W prefix.

Edited April 24, 2016 by serotta1972

[railsquid]

W = BR Western region (basically former GWR area)

E = BR Eastern region (basically former LNER area)

To be honest my knowledge is less than encyclopedical, but a typical formation would be 2 x FC, buffet, 4 or 5 SC coaches. Be careful when buying additional coaches - the Mk3 came in HST and loco-hauled variants, the latter have buffers while the HST ones don't.

 

If you want really detailed prototype information, try this forum: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php which is full of people who actually work(ed) on the British rail network and can probably tell you what the guard had in his lunch box for any given date

[serotta1972]

Thanks Squid and I just remembered the link you posted last time on a  discussion about Intercity 125 on a different forum.  Yes, thanks for the heads up on the MK3 coaches as they are available in both HST and Loco hauled variants.  No, I don't think I need super detailed and prototypical information :) - really just the number of 1st and 2nd class coaches on a typical consist.  I will most likely just get an extra 4 coaches to make it an 8 car train.   

[railsquid]

Well if you really want the details, see here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/18939-hst-formation/

 

If you're going with 6 coaches total (+ 2 power cars), I'd go for 1 x first class, 1 x buffet and 4 x second class, which would be a more realistic ratio of first-to-second class (or standard class after 1980-something).

[serotta1972]

Thanks Squid for the link!  Got lots of information now and can make some informed decisions.  Oh man, folks got lots of varying experiences with the Dapol HST Intercity 125.  I might not have enough of a personal connection with this train to deal with some of the stuff they are talking about as  most of the members of those forums.  I'm not really the type to be fiddling with new stuff to make them work properly. Decisions, decisions!

[serotta1972]

I've finally gave in to temptation - I got a Marklin Branch Line Digital Starter Set 29245.  It's an older model that was released in 2012 so it was on closeout - I just couldn't pass it up as for $260, I got everything I needed to start running and digital at that.  I just might get more German Era III trains as they are readily available and fairly inexpensive compared to Japanese HO.  I know this is the imported variety and if they are this nice, I can't imagine how much nicer the German made ones are.  Oh man, what have I got myself into.  

 

 

 

[railsquid]

That's a slippery slope you're on there ;)

[velotrain]

Eurorail Hobbies in Vancouver is a  Marklin dealer.  The one time I bought some Faller items from them the order was very slow to process. But everything worked out fine.

 

Reynauld's is another US dealer of European trains.

 

I've ordered trams and other items in the past from Modellbahnshop-Lippe in Germany and it was a good experience.  They have two stores as well as an online presence.

 

I'll agree with all of this and add that I find Reynauld's quite expensive and rather snooty.  Lippe is my favorite Euro dealer, and with the tax deducted for non-EU orders, even with shipping charges it's cheaper than buying in the US if the order is over say $100.

[Railtunes]

Hi, Junior!

 

We'll be together at the Los Altos train days show next month, so we can talk more then. But I just wanted to say that, here in the Bay Area, where we both are, there is the European Train Enthusiasts group. They have an HO modular group that runs mostly Märklin stuff, but they also have many members with HO DC 2-rail as well. And the Sacramento ETE chapter has just started an N scale modular group. 

 

I modeled Swiss N scale and other European before I went heavily into Asian N and still have some models I can show you. And, as you've seen at local shows here and possibly on YouTube, I still do British to some extent.

 

Let's talk!

 

- Paul

[serotta1972]

And then there was 2 - The Branch Line Passenger train is now accompanied by a Commuter Service train.

 

 

Now I need a freight train and more tracks!

 

 

[serotta1972]

Hey Paul,

 

Thanks for the information, will definitely talk more when I see you at the Train Day.  

[serotta1972]

Got me a Marklin 37516 - Class 56.2-8 Freight German State Railroad Company (DRG).  I'm kind of tired of the very clean look of model steam locomotives so I thought I try my hand at weathering.  Here's what I managed to do.  :) 

 

 

No, no I'm just kidding - I will be the last person doing something like this.  This particular model already came pre-weathered and it looks really cool IMHO.  

 

 

 

 

 

[serotta1972]

Sticking with the German theme - a 1/5 Scale VW Bus.  I saw this at Costco and I just had to have it, I mean have it for my daughter. :)  She loves it!

 

 

 

 

 

[cteno4]

OMG Junior, I want to be your kid!

 

Jeff

[serotta1972]

The VW Bus just reminds me so much of a bus and trains.  Wouldn't be cool if they made one of these of a115 Series or any Japanese train.  I'd jump on one in heartbeat.