Lima Minitrain

[Tecchan]

I have an eye on an auction for a nice N scale set from Lima Minitrain.

But I absolutely don't know what's the brand's worth. Is it good quality, do any of you have a set from this brand?

 

I had a Lima HO TGV when I was a small kid, but I don't really remember it as it was probably my first electric train model... 

[Kabutoni]

I had a Lima 3-car JNR 485 Series once and at one time it just stalled and self combusted... Not very good quality I'd say.

[Sir Madog]

Only after the  take-over by Hornby, Lima has developed a quality matching other brands. Early Lima trains were not worth their money.

[Martijn Meerts]

I had tons of H0 Lima trains, mainly because they did a lot of Dutch trains back in the day. They were all noisy and VERY plastic, but they ran well and could take quite the beating (including a 3 meter drop from the attic :)) .. I wasn't very careful with them back then, and they just kept on running..

 

Of course, that was some 25-30 years ago, and all H0.. No idea about their N-scale, nor their quality between that time and the Hornby takeover.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Lima N gauge is notorious I'm afraid. A fair number of their models are not to scale - for example in the UK the carriages were a different scale to the locomotives! - and have somewhat indifferent running qualities. Also, Lima never seem to have got the running gear or bogies correct on their N gauge models.

 

This model is probably only worth getting as something for the collection if you want to collect Japanese trains from various manufacturers, as opposed to getting something you intend to run...

[Tecchan]

Thanks for your answer.

The model is sold anyway...

 

It was a SBB colibri set.

 

 

It was on auction for CHF 199.- (170€) and direct sale for CHF245.- (210.21€). I guess someone was Ok to spend 50.- more to gat it right away!  

 

After reading your replies I'm quite happy it's sold already so I don't have to wonder if I should take it or not!