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H0 scale Voith Maxima production seems to have begun


NGT6 1315

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...going by this posting on Drehscheibe Online's model rail section and the replies:

 

Click.

 

According to the user who posted this, the photos there show one of the first production models which was specially produced on request for a corporate customer and could be seen at the Innotrans rail transport fair in Berlin which is taking place this week. It would seem deliveries to the general public should begin in October, with the model of the Voith demonstrator being first in line.

 

According to waggonfabrik.eu, they are planning for a N scale version of this engine as well, which but will not appear before next year.

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Yes, far as I was able to follow this project on various model rail forums I believe they had to sort out a couple of issues which became evident only as the first pre-production samples were finished. I'm happy for them that these could all be resolved, of course! :)

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  • 5 months later...

Hi all,

Just had a call from my supplier (Arcadia models of Shaw, Gt. Manchester!) that my loco is now waiting for collection!

I just checked on old RMweb - been waiting since approximately Feb 2009 for this one!

The only thing is, it's c. £350 for the sound version (or c. £240 analogue!) - not cheap for a model diesel loco but it cerrtainly sounds like it has been a worthwhile wait, even though Mrs E. will probably skin me alive!;)

Cheers,

John E.

 

PS hopefully will post a couple of pictures after I've had time to go collect!

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all,

Very sorry about the delay in responding here but, you know.....work, life etc, etc!

Anyway my Voith Maxima arrived by post last week and I have now had chance to examine it!

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First, the loco comes packaged in a very nice card box and immediately you just know this is something of quality!

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Upon opening the box, that impression is further re-inforced by the presentation of the contents. I've never had a proprietary model wrapped in fine cloth before (only high end models!).

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First view of the loco.

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Out of the box, Mmm! Nice!

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On the track (at last!). Theres something about this that reminds me of the French CC72000 diesel - in the way the lines are done and the angles thereof.

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Tail lights are certainly bright (better than this in actuality). Something I really like is the ability to digitally, independantly control the tail lights, so they can be 'off' when you are hauling a train!

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The front lights including the 'Fern' lights ('Far' lights? Presumably, "main beam"!), impressive anyway.

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Number 2 cab end.

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Number 1 cab end.

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No. 2 cab again.

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Do you see me coming?

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Overhead shot!

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Now, those are nice rad fans and yes! They turn (only when you blow on them!) Independantly powered fans really would be the iceing on the cake here!

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Looking 'into' the rad compartment! There is real depth there!

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Sorry! Must do this again to show the cab light on!

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The rad grill from the opposite side. There appears to be a wire there that should not be?

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Now we're getting to the really interesting stuff!

No. 1 bogie, Rhs showing the detail already in situ, there is an awful lot more detail to be added in this region.

See the primary suspension detail over the centre axle bearings etc? Those are real springs and they actually work!

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Detail of the transmission. Hmmm, like all sophisticated machines - what the heck do I do if this goes wrong? At the moment (and for the foreseeable future!), everything is working fine and there are NO problems, I'm just worrying here!

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Other bogie the same, of course. Looks like pb strip pick-ups from the axle bearings on all axles, so electrical pick up should be no trouble.

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Aargh!! Theres some real fine detail to be added here!

Screen wipers, sandboxes etc - no problem but some of those etched n/s bogie steps are tiny! This will keep me quiet for a bit!

 

Part two to follow!

John E.

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Righto!

Thats the pictures done, can't do video, sorry!

So! How does it run?

Very, very well indeed! The mechanism is almost completely silent, the Buhler motor makes a slight hum at low speed but beyond that, all you really hear is the motion of the loco along the track!

The loco is not quite as heavy as I expected (I thought it would outweigh a Gutzold machine!) and a fingertip test against a buffer indicated 'adequate' tractive effort! I suspect that a really heavy model train up a decent gradient might be beyond this locos capabilities! Maybe there is some excess space inside that cavernous bodyshell to fit a few more grammes of ballast? To try and equal the power of the real thing!

All of the instructions are in German, of which mine is quite limited, but prior knowledge of DCC systems aboard sound fitted locos helped me here!

The various lighting effects for all different European countries are fantastic! On the programming track, you enter either 0,1,2,3 or 4 into CV33 and lo! You are set up to run in whichever country your layout is set in! I like Sweden (4) best, followed by France & Belgium (1) as in those modes, when you sound the warning horn, the headlights flash! My default however is Germany et all(0) so I don't normally get that!

Cab lights come on & off, Tail light on & off and in shunting mode, you get all white lights at both ends!

Sound!

I only know the sound of the real thing from various 'Youtube' clips but it seems to be replicated quite well to me. There is definately a good bass effect from the 28mm dia speaker and the only time it gets reeally noisy is just after stopping, when presumably something to do with the brakes (on the real thing!) causes a loud "phwoosh" - which is rather impressive! The engine noise seems to 'rev' up and down as the model either accelerates or has to maintain speed, the whole thing goes quite quiet if you very gently deccelerate - until you're stopped, that is!

Well, thats about all I can report at this time!

My verdict?

A stunning model of probably the most up-to-date European loco, literally packed with technical 'goodies' and model innovations. Superbly detailed and painted and an excellent runner with a great digital and sound package. I'm not dissapointed in any way with this model but;

Just one thing.......

"Bloody" expensive!!!!! Mine eventually came to £330 inc postage, ouch! A couple of years ago, I could have got a large steam loco with sound for that much but inflation and the falling pound put paid to that!

This loco is worth it to me for my eventual German era 6 layout but I wouldn't buy another one! I'm just glad I don't 'need' a fleet of them!

Cheers,

John E.

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  • 7 months later...

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