What's your latest Swiss railway-themed aquisition?

[Gordonwis]

22 hours ago, DavidBird said:

OK, I'll join in too.

This has just become mine

 

 

I know very little about Swiss railways and even less about the Lima recreations.  I'm assuming that the Lima mechanism of this is the same as they used in their UK outline models, the good old class 37 and 47s, and as such will accept replacement finer wheels from Peter's Spares.

 

It will remind me of a holiday with my parents,  when I was aged about 14. It was a coach tour  (If it's Friday, it must be Austria - again!) to visit the Oberammergauer Passionsspeile. One of the stops was at Sisikon on Lake Lucerne, on the northern part of the Gotthard Line, and my father and I spent a pleasant hour or so at the station. It didn't take us long to realise that the locos had names, and that some were named after Cantons. 

So, finally, 43 years later, here we are...

 

 

What you have here is an SBB CFF FFS class Ae6/6 locomotive. The first 25 were named after the cantons of Switzerland, the rest of the class named after towns and cities. ( the patten was broken when canton number 26 (Jura) was created and the town name Porrentruy (the second most important town in Canton Jura) was moved from loco 11483 to 'make room' for that loco to be 'Jura' . The Porrentruy name was given to class Re4/4II locomotive 11239 , a class which does not have named  locomotives. [the only other Swiss loco class to carry names is the Re6/6 (Re620).  

 

Lima HO scale models of the 1970s era are somewhat 'rough and ready'. The styling was essentially OK, but the dimensional accuracy was not up to the standard of other models. You can find a history of Liam models here: http://mmiwakoh.de/Eigene Webs/lima-modellbahn/Seite2 en.htm

 

Amazingly, I camped at Sisikon camp site (5 minutes walk tent to platform!) with my family when I was 14 ! That was summer 1974 - the second year that we had a Swiss holiday Pass rail rover ticket.

 

Here is one of my (many...) photos of Ae6/6, 11440 towards the end of the class (Bavois, June 2012)

 

 

Edited May 23, 2023 by Gordonwis

[Erichill16]

This is my latest acquisition, bought last weekend.

The car transporter wagons have been available for decades so it’s about time this was produced.BTW I’ve been told that the transporter wagons are very poor runners but over the length of they’ve been produced there’s probably been some modifications. Anyone able to comment?

Edited May 25, 2023 by Erichill16
Spelling!

[DaveF]

My most recent purchases are all n gauge and secondhand, an Arnold RBe4/4 and 2 coaches (shown below), an old Minitrix Ae6/6 and a Roco Re4/4iv

 

the Ae6/6 and Re4/4iv are really as spares for old models, some of my Minitrix ones are over 40 years old.

 

 

The layout has looked like this for some time (years), I have just made a start on the rest of the scenery, including station platforms.  For some years I was caring for Mum then after she died spent nearly a year sorting out her estate, now I have some time for modelling again.

 

David

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by DaveF

[MichaelE]

I received an email from Modellbahn Union this morning with that HO set from PIKO on sale. I was so tempted.

[cornish trains jez]

8 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

This is my latest acquisition, bought last weekend.

The car transporter wagons have been available for decades so it’s about time this was produced.BTW I’ve been told that the transporter wagons are very poor runners but over the length of they’ve been produced there’s probably been some modifications. Anyone able to comment?

I have one of these in my collection. Lovely model.

 

[Gordonwis]

 

This is my latest acquisition, bought last weekend.

The car transporter wagons have been available for decades so it’s about time this was produced.BTW I’ve been told that the transporter wagons are very poor runners but over the length of they’ve been produced there’s probably been some modifications. Anyone able to comment?

 

 

 

 

I have a set of the original Hobbytrain BLS car carriers and they run perfectly well. The design of the wagons does make the modelling of the bogies tricky so good track helps them to run well

 

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by Gordonwis

[Gordonwis]

I got my BLS car carrier driving trailer a couple of years ago. Here it is exiting the transalpine tunnel on my Chamossaire layout

 

 

[Gordonwis]

23 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

This is my latest acquisition, bought last weekend.

The car transporter wagons have been available for decades so it’s about time this was produced.BTW I’ve been told that the transporter wagons are very poor runners but over the length of they’ve been produced there’s probably been some modifications. Anyone able to comment?

 

 

 

Yes, a somewhat bizarre piece of model manufacturing. The car carrier wagons were produced over 30 years before an RTR model of the accompanying coach that is vital to their realistic operation !

 

 

 

 

 

[Frutigen]

I’ve been collecting the Minitrix 4 wheel sliding door vans recently. Previously I only had one of these and 10 of the classic Roco models of a different type of van, which are not such reliable runners, especially when shunting. 
 

Two more arrived this morning, bringing the total to 6, so it’s starting to look like a train

 

 

I’m not so keen on the promotional liveries but a bit of weathering should tone them down. 
 

Also included with the latest purchase was this Roco bogie van in Rail Cargo Austria livery. I assume this sort of thing must find its way onto the Swiss network but I’m undecided whetether to keep it, especially as it looks a bit under size next to the SBB wagons. 
 

 

 

 

[Erichill16]

3 hours ago, Gordonwis said:

 

 

Yes, a somewhat bizarre piece of model manufacturing. The car carrier wagons were produced over 30 years before an RTR model of the accompanying coach that is vital to their realistic operation !

 

 

 

 

 

Just been looking back, the driving trailer was first announced in 2013 and think it’s only very recently been released! I know it’s been on the cards for some time but hadn’t realised is was so long, a record perhaps?
Changing the subject a little, it’s about time we got a ‘standard’ driving trailer/second.

[Erichill16]

3 hours ago, Frutigen said:

I’ve been collecting the Minitrix 4 wheel sliding door vans recently. Previously I only had one of these and 10 of the classic Roco models of a different type of van, which are not such reliable runners, especially when shunting. 
 

Two more arrived this morning, bringing the total to 6, so it’s starting to look like a train

 

 

I’m not so keen on the promotional liveries but a bit of weathering should tone them down. 
 

Also included with the latest purchase was this Roco bogie van in Rail Cargo Austria livery. I assume this sort of thing must find its way onto the Swiss network but I’m undecided whetether to keep it, especially as it looks a bit under size next to the SBB wagons. 
 

 

 

 

Is the Rail Cargo Austria  wagon a ferry wagon  built to the UK loading gauge?

Edited May 26, 2023 by Erichill16
Grammar

[Frutigen]

47 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Is the Rail Cargo Austria  wagon a ferry wagon  built to the UK loading gauge?

 

I think that's quite possible. I had a couple of Electrotren Transfesa wagons once and they had a similar look to them.

[DavidBird]

On 23/05/2023 at 00:54, DavidBird said:

OK, I'll join in too.

This has just become mine

 

 

I know very little about Swiss railways and even less about the Lima recreations.  I'm assuming that the Lima mechanism of this is the same as they used in their UK outline models, the good old class 37 and 47s, ...

 

Well,  it all looks reassuringly familiar inside. 

 

 

Edit:

I've  started a new thread, about detailing and improving this model. See here

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/179527-improving-detailing-an-old-lima-ae-66/

Edited May 28, 2023 by DavidBird

[Gordonwis]

On 26/05/2023 at 17:31, Frutigen said:

 

I think that's quite possible. I had a couple of Electrotren Transfesa wagons once and they had a similar look to them.

 

It's the old Roco model of the VTG Ferrywagon for use into Britain. It is too small as it was scaled to represent a smaller UK loading gauge vehicle at 1:160

 

 

 

 

 

[Gordonwis]

On 26/05/2023 at 16:37, Erichill16 said:

Just been looking back, the driving trailer was first announced in 2013 and think it’s only very recently been released! I know it’s been on the cards for some time but hadn’t realised is was so long, a record perhaps?
Changing the subject a little, it’s about time we got a ‘standard’ driving trailer/second.

 

The tunnel driving trailer was indeed touted circa 2017, then 2019. But the release was a while ago now, circa 2020.

 

The 'normal train' driving trailer is due out soon

[Gordonwis]

Fleischmann's N gauge Re6/6 in Cargo.

 

I've decided the shape (particularly the cab ends) is better than the Kato (ex Hobbytrain) Re6/6 which is now a long in the tooth body moulding. However I have ...several...Kato Re6/6 so will have to decide what to do with them. In the interim, the broadside comparison isn't too bad.

[cornish trains jez]

8 hours ago, Gordonwis said:

Fleischmann's N gauge Re6/6 in Cargo.

 

I've decided the shape (particularly the cab ends) is better than the Kato (ex Hobbytrain) Re6/6 which is now a long in the tooth body moulding. However I have ...several...Kato Re6/6 so will have to decide what to do with them. In the interim, the broadside comparison isn't too bad.

Very nice Gordon. The Fleischmann model looks like it has a shorter body?

 

[Gordonwis]

12 hours ago, cornish trains jez said:

Very nice Gordon. The Fleischmann model looks like it has a shorter body?

 

 

Yes, the Kato body is about 3 and a bit mm longer, but we ran both together on the test layout and it didn't grate. (see my rather nice piece of luck at Brig in May, when the only freight train of the day was a northbound pair and they departed up the mountain route!)

 

I went to messrs Scograil in Ipswich (combined with a freight grice around Trimley on the Felixstowe branch) and by special arrangement took my Kato Cargo Re6/6 for direct comparison before I went ahead with the Fleishmann purchase. 

 

I should also mention that the Kato Cargo lok I have is not the most recent Kato moulding, so has the older sized cab side windows

 

 

 

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Gordonwis

[cornish trains jez]

28 minutes ago, Gordonwis said:

 

Yes, the Kato body is about 3 and a bit mm longer, but we ran both together on the test layout and it didn't grate. (see my rather nice piece of luck at Brig in May, when the only freight train of the day was a northbound pair and they departed up the mountain route!)

 

I went to messrs Scograil in Ipswich (combined with a freight grice around Trimley on the Felixstowe branch) and by special arrangement took my Kato Cargo Re6/6 for direct comparison before I went ahead with the Fleishmann purchase. 

 

I should also mention that the Kato Cargo lok I have is not the most recent Kato moulding, so has the older sized cab side windows

 

 

 

 

One thing I’ve noticed with the Kato and Fleischmann Re6/6 Cargo locos is that the roof colour seems incredibly dark compared to any photos I’ve seen. Or is this just the way they ended up over time? I’ve searched various photo websites and cannot find a single photo of one with the SBB Cargo dark grey coloured roof. They all seem light grey.

 

 

[Gordonwis]

2 hours ago, cornish trains jez said:

One thing I’ve noticed with the Kato and Fleischmann Re6/6 Cargo locos is that the roof colour seems incredibly dark compared to any photos I’ve seen. Or is this just the way they ended up over time? I’ve searched various photo websites and cannot find a single photo of one with the SBB Cargo dark grey coloured roof. They all seem light grey.

 

 

 

 

I think it may be just sun/wind fade. I found this Georg Trub photo of 620 075 in March 2009. The loco was outshopped three months earlier in Cargo livery 

 

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/647740/

 

 

 

[SRman]

Over the last few years I have acquired quite a few European items, mostly from Denmark, Germany and Sweden where I have done a few travels, with a few Swiss ones thrown in as well - I have not yet been to Switzerland but I like the looks of their stock. Some of these have been older models from the likes of Roco and Lima, but all have been converted to DCC. Those with sockets were easy, of course, but the older ones were hard-wired, retaining their circuit boards (usually only single-layered) with copper tracks cut through where necessary, and any pantograph connections soldered lightly to avoid accidental switching to overhead.

None of these are entirely recent purchases, but all date from 2020 onwards.

The Re and Ae 6/6 locos are from Lima (which has a decent can motor and flywheels driving eight of the  wheels) and Roco (I have two of these, one older model and one newer DCC-ready model), and the new-style Re 4/4 was also from Roco. Finally, the BLS Vectron was a Trix loco with sound, on special from Modellbahn shop Lippe.

There is a set of coaches bought as a job l ot from Ellis Clark Models second-hand. One of these is visible behind the locomotive in the top photo. There are also sundry wagons but the nature of freight operations in Europe allows me to mix them in with those from other European railways in the one train.

 

 

 

 

I hope I haven't bent the intent of this topic too far by including details of my entire Swiss locomotive collection. 🙂

Edited June 13, 2023 by SRman
Formatting and extra information

[cornish trains jez]

9 hours ago, Gordonwis said:

 

 

I think it may be just sun/wind fade. I found this Georg Trub photo of 620 075 in March 2009. The loco was outshopped three months earlier in Cargo livery 

 

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/647740/

 

 

 

That’s a good photo Gordon, thank you for posting. The roof grills are white too. Perhaps I’ll alter some of mine to reflect both the “just repainted” look and “worn” look.

 

[cornish trains jez]

8 hours ago, SRman said:

Over the last few years I have acquired quite a few European items, mostly from Denmark, Germany and Sweden where I have done a few travels, with a few Swiss ones thrown in as well - I have not yet been to Switzerland but I like the looks of their stock. Some of these have been older models from the likes of Roco and Lima, but all have been converted to DCC. Those with sockets were easy, of course, but the older ones were hard-wired, retaining their circuit boards (usually only single-layered) with copper tracks cut through where necessary, and any pantograph connections soldered lightly to avoid accidental switching to overhead.

None of these are entirely recent purchases, but all date from 2020 onwards.

The Re and Ae 6/6 locos are from Lima (which has a decent can motor and flywheels driving eight of the  wheels) and Roco (I have two of these, one older model and one newer DCC-ready model), and the new-style Re 4/4 was also from Roco. Finally, the BLS Vectron was a Trix loco with sound, on special from Modellbahn shop Lippe.

There is a set of coaches bought as a job l ot from Ellis Clark Models second-hand. One of these is visible behind the locomotive in the top photo. There are also sundry wagons but the nature of freight operations in Europe allows me to mix them in with those from other European railways in the one train.

 

 

 

 

I hope I haven't bent the intent of this topic too far by including details of my entire Swiss locomotive collection. 🙂

No rules broken really! That’s a great collection!

 

[Gordonwis]

12 hours ago, cornish trains jez said:

That’s a good photo Gordon, thank you for posting. The roof grills are white too. Perhaps I’ll alter some of mine to reflect both the “just repainted” look and “worn” look.

 

 

I'm wondering now if there are actually any rules!

 

I've now found this photo of 014 which at the tine had just been repainted from red to Cargo (July 2021) and the grey is very light but no sign of 'white' grilles

 

https://www.sguggiari.ch/4_foto_varie_1.php?veicolo=1849&gallery=Re 620

 

Same loco in September 2021 from a useful high angle

 

https://www.sguggiari.ch/4_foto_varie_1.php?veicolo=1923&gallery=Re 620

 

Another thing I have done is to hold the models outside in the sunshine rather than just looking at them indoors. The darker grey looks lighter if you look at the model in bright sunshine!

[PaulRhB]

10 hours ago, Gordonwis said:

Same loco in September 2021 from a useful high angle

 

https://www.sguggiari.ch/4_foto_varie_1.php?veicolo=1923&gallery=Re 620

sampling the colours from the skirt and the very bottom of the roof curve which is almost vertical too gives these two greys. I suspect they are the same colour in reality. 
 

Edited June 14, 2023 by PaulRhB
Vertical instead of very ;)