Schienenzeppelin Kruckenberg Lemke Kato 2621

[gavino200]

43 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

Ahh found it, of course in the last box I looked at! In a mix of smaller train boxes taken to a show a year or so back!

 

mine is 4 bladed and the H2620 model with just the train and the small pamphlet (in German unfortunately) in the box. Model H2621 I think is the same train but just bigger box with the DVD. Google image search shows 2621 with 4 blades like my 2620. You do come up wirh a few models on ebay with only two bladed prop. I expect these are folks who have broken a blade off with mishandling or a crash and just snapped off the opposite blade to make it the 2 blade prop version.

 

the props are made of a softer precolored plastic which should help them with abuse a tad. They are also a but beefie and I expect a tad overscale to help with not being too delicate. There is a hobby train spare part of H2620-7 for two props, but I doubt available anymore anywhere. It’s ordering from Lemke at €5 and €12.50 shipping! Wonder of Kato japan stocks any hobby train parts for euro models like this? I’ll ask Nariichi and maybe he can ask next time at Kato meeting.

 

nothing in 1/144 on shapeways for an appropriate prop but maybe someone doing a lot of planes there ay have modeled a close prop and might be convinced to make a prop only the right size. Other option is to look at 1/144 plane models and kits to see if you could use one of those.

 

the foam is very well cut, good fit and squishy foam so easy to just push Ing and gran the tail and push nose forward to pull out the tail and prop first cleanly. Good area cut out around the prop so pretty much impossible to get bashed in the box.

 

my guess is that folks either drop them while picking them up as they are very dense models and slim so maybe just not the right look to grasp with the brain and just a small fall if on the side or tail right could easily snap off a blade. Other issue could be a wreck while running if it went on it’s side. It runs a bit awkwardly due to only 2 axles and very widely separated. The rear axle does pivot a bit, but not sure how well that tracks with a single axle. Also a bit of a noisy runner from the mech and it taking curves hard. 

 

I always run it on the viaduct as ground tracks have tighter radiuses and more points as the single axle trucks don’t like flangeways that much with a lot of bumping and noises.

 

It comes with a nice diagram, parts list and even a dcc conversion page.

 

cheers

 

jeff

 

 

I agree that it's more likely the trains get damaged in play. It's a heavy train and a derailment with the prop spinning is, I'd imagine likely to damage it. I think people are probably selling these when they're first slightly bent and damaged. The ebay seller may or may not be aware of the damage. 

 

This model appears to be a 2 blade prop version. I looks at the prop hub with loupes. There are no traces whatsoever of blade 3 or 4. If a third and fourth blade were removed then it was done amazingly well. Also, a google search of the train model brings up a large number of two blade prop trains.

 

I'm suspicious of the pricing now that I look back at it. When I visited Germany I was shocked how expensive model trains were. Even second hand trains that were in any way rare were at a premium. And I asked about this train in many well known stores without luck. I find it hard to believe that knowledgeable German sellers would not have aimed at a better price if they knew the product was good.

 

So I'm going to try to get a return. But I'm also thinking in terms of a fix. I'd really like to have this train as I love novelty trains. So if I can't return the train I may turn this thread into a project thread. Ideally a four blade prop would be what I'd go for. That's what the prototype had, and it just looks better anyway. 

Edited November 15, 2018 by gavino200

[gavino200]

I sent off an email to Lemke.

[cteno4]

Yeah I saw the 2621 model Picts with 2 and 4 blade props but few good Picts.

 

i think the 3D printing might be the best option in the long run as a run of 10 or so I bet would be like $10-15.

 

they were not cheap when they came out. Mine has an mg sharp price on it of £129.99. When I got mine like maybe 8 years back they were going on ebay for like $125-200. Mine was the best ebay find I think I ever got at like $50 shipped in a box of misc American n scale rr stuff. I think I made like $60 or so selling off the other stuff cheap at our club table at train shows! I actually stumbled over it by something else that was in the listing that popped up in a search. Reminded me of the old white elephant backroom auction sales they use to have at the fancy auction house. They use to take the extra junk and pile it in boxes. There was 2 hrs before the auction you could walk by the open boxes and look in but not dig, then bid on the whole box. Once and a while there were hidden gems. I actually got a few cigar boxes full of n scale trains in a box of other crap this way for $5 as a kid. Funny seeing the reality tv show where they do the same thing with whole defaulted storage lockers to clean them out.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[gavino200]

I finally heard back from Lemke. Apparently the propellers are available. Unfortunately I've already returned the loco. 

 

I think I'll get a replacement from Lemke, and then buy another model. This time I'll ether look for one with an already damaged prop, or I'll communicate with the seller regarding packaging before he sends it.

 

Hallo Gavin,

 

die Propeller sind lieferbar.

Bitte teilen Sie uns ihre Adresse mit, damit wir den Versand vorbereiten können.

 

 

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / with best regards