Bemo Glacier and Bernina Express now in HO

[wollastonblue]

Heads up to anyone interested Bemo are now offering certain locos and stock in HO gauge:

 

http://www.bemo-modellbahn.de/produkte/schweizer-bahnen-h0.html?tx_userbemocatalogue_rubriclist%5Bvehicle%5D=30&tx_userbemocatalogue_rubriclist%5Baction%5D=show&tx_userbemocatalogue_rubriclist%5Bcontroller%5D=Vehicle&cHash=7cc5cb7b40ce1ed7f73def2b9eff8e6d

 

 

[Horsetan]

I looked at this initially, and did wonder why anyone would want to spend quite a lot of money on buying something to run on completely the wrong gauge, until I remembered OO....

[MartinB]

As a bit of fun......I'd be tempted if I wans't already so invested in the HOm stuff

[PaulRhB]

Of course there's the Kato wrong gauge option too

 

http://www.rhb-shop.ch/en/glacier-express/on-the-road/model-railway-set-glacier-express/

[backofanenvelope]

Maybe a dumb question but why HO? isn't it cannibalising there HOm 

[PaulRhB]

Maybe a dumb question but why HO? isn't it cannibalising there HOm 

They've been doing the coaches for a while as tourist souvenirs because there was a demand for them to be able to run them on their home HO layouts. Much like the blue Arosa Ge4/4, which started off as an April fool, they do specials if there is demand.

It's also why they have the special RhB edition of the Kato set in an exclusive box, if they'd done a different number they'd have sold a few more to those buying the Kato range

Edited August 11, 2017 by PaulRhB

[Salmotrutta]

The HO version is very popular amongst folks running HO Swiss -  several of my friends have the sets and they are very happy with them. Me, I'm a pedant so have H0m. (Next to my 00 layout...)

[jjb1970]

If there is a market for something then why not exploit it? Are these 1/87 or have they gone for something like Japanese HO (1/80 scale) to keep the narrow gauge look?

[GoingUnderground]

What's interesting is that they're offering it in 3 rail H0 for Maerkin enthusiasts as well as 2 rail H0. They really do seem to be aiming to maximise sales of the bodyshells.

 

Personally I can't see the point, as I think H0m under the wires has a charm all of its own.

 

But if people are prepared to run London Transport models on layouts without any conductor rails, or pantograph locos on layouts without catenary, then I suppose anything goes. After all it's their layouts.

[jjb1970]

Making them for Marklin 3 rail does make sense if they're trying to get some HO sales. There are still plenty of German modellers and modellers in some other Northern European countries who consider 2 rail DC to be the alternative choice.

[PaulRhB]

If there is a market for something then why not exploit it? Are these 1/87 or have they gone for something like Japanese HO (1/80 scale) to keep the narrow gauge look?

They are the 1/87 HOm models with new bogies, that's the only tooling change.

[stadman]

They are the 1/87 HOm models with new bogies, that's the only tooling change.

 

That's a simple and effective marketing idea. Perhaps the HOm guy can find them on the web second hand and re bogie them later?

[PaulRhB]

That's a simple and effective marketing idea. Perhaps the HOm guy can find them on the web second hand and re bogie them later?

Possibly but I suspect they'll find more cheaper HOm examples on eBay

They are superb models and due to the new prices sell well secondhand but I suspect any HO versions might carry a 'rare' tag

[DIW]

It's not a new phenomenon; Heinzl were producing HO versions of metre-gauge stock back in the sixties. Here's a Bruenig loco in the Heinzl catalogue.

Here's a very good example of the actual model.

[VanBasten]

I remember I saw years ago some prototypes from Bemo in Nurnberg, at the Toy Fair.

I think they are following the Kato path (Kato's RhB "wrong gauge" is probably the best selling worldwide for N...).

 

How many modellers would like to run on their "normal H0" layout the beloved RhB convoys?

Edited August 23, 2017 by VanBasten

[h5djr]

Is it possible to covert existing HOm Bernina coaches to HO by just changing the bogies.  One of the advantages, apart from running on HO track is that the HO bogies can have NEM coupler sockets so could allow te use of Kadee couplers.

[MichaelE]

You could try swapping them with the Bemo standard gauge bogies and see if they fit under the chassis.