Gordonwis

And the other pictures:

I am reposting my 2021 post showing my Eriam Dzt with its modified LIma chassis because the pictures were lost on the RM Web crash last year. This is as a precursor to showing what I've now done using the Piko body: Posted June 15, 2021 (edited) o.l.d. modeles - a relatively recent French artisan with whom I have been corresponding since he started creating some interesting 3D loco and unit models, originally SNCF. Some items are curiously odd scale and size - wise, others are spot on so, take care when looking to purchase. He (now they, since there is more than one person involved) has branched out from SNCF, and has produced some SBB stuff, including the much discussed BDt driving trailers. I bought one 'blind' as there was no picture on the website. I was initially super pleased as the cab end is a good representation of the rebuilt Dts. Unfortunately this did not last as I discovered that as others have done before, they have made a mistake and produced a mishmash of EWI and EWII. This is presumably due to using outdated drawings. As such although the cab is brilliant, the sides are inaccurate. It has the vent in the cantrail above one window and a small vestibule window so is presumably intended to be an EWII. However these two features do not go together. A rebuilt EWI BDt has a different window arrangement, no vent and retains a passenger type folding door near the cab. A rebuilt EWII BDt has the vent but only six passenger windows not seven, plus a driver's cab door on the 'right hand' side when the cab is running forwards. Neither EWI nor EWII rebuilds have the old style luggage compartment doors. The grey one is as received. The colour one is my first draft paint job. I have covered the incorrect window but I have not attempted to alter the luggage compartment doors

I know more about French N than HO - some members on here know why that is... It takes a very long time for models of SNCF stock to appear in N gauge (I've been waiting for some things since I started doing French N circa 1977!) Nevertheless there is a 3D printed Regiolis 'kit' available: https://old-modeles.mozello.com/store/item/echelle-n-1160eme/rames-completes-1160/rame-z51500--z54900-regiolis-1160/

Original release date was supposed to be 2022 ! (according to an old French forum post I saw ...)

The Eriam Dzt might be a better starting point as it is a bit rough and ready in contrast to this body...

Had hoped to get to Fareham show - wish I had now! Any future shows?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Régiolis The de facto current 'standard' French railcar series No models AFAIK

Well the good news is it was test track night at my MR club tonight and I took my chassis conversion out of the Eriam body, and tested it with one Lima/Arnold bogie replaced with a Piko EW bogie borrowed from one of my Piko blue and white EW coaches. Despite a huge difference in the size of the lug and hole between old Lima tooling (chassis) and up to date Piko tooling (bogie), the Piko bogie just about stayed in place and successfully ran round our ageing test track being pushed. The results will be 'published' in my revived driving trailer thread

In the early days of Kato RhB stuff I repainted a red Ge4/4III into plain white as I kept seeing 'Ems' on the main line on our frequent visits to RhB land. When Kato brought their version out I resisted buying one at full price, but the other day I noticed TrainTrax had discounted their stock to £132 so I indulged

Reviving this thread because I will be putting my work on my newly acquired Piko spare part BDt here.

Not sure yet. I also ordered bogie sideframes, buffers etc. Ireally wanted the blue / white body but those spare bodies sold out long ago . However this body is a cut above my two existing Eriam versions. It will be very interesting to see if the narrow (realistic) Piko body takes any Lime/Arnold gear as did my Eriam body! Also, I managed to get windows etc from the blue modernised Bt so I am hoping they will help make my modernised Bt look better.

A slightly unconventional 'your latest purchase' is a few spare parts from Piko ordered through Gaugemaster. Piko don't sell direct from the factory to outside the EU (thanks Boris et al...) so you have to go through Gaugemaster. However the service was efficient - and all the spares I ordered arrived in the same shipment within about 1 month of placing the order. The most significant purchase is a SBB EWII driving trailer body and seating insert This will replace my kitbashing efforts using old Lima /Arnold EW bodies

Technically speaking no Minitrix Swiss coaches are EWIV, so the bogies Minitrix put on their BPm EC type are not EWIV bogies. 'Pure EWIV' bogies would be the ones off the Roco / Fleischmann EWIV. I dug out an excellent detailed article on Swiss coaches that French railway club AFAC did in the mid 1980s. Sadly the vehicles under discussion didn't exist at that time!

By implication the use of passenger bogies on a vehicle that is more like a 'wagon' than a 'coach' was presumably to facilitate operation at 'passenger' speeds

Superb!

Three of my photos from the same wet day at Darligen on an Easter holiday trip in 2004 257 avoiding the platform with a Golden Pass service, followed by 176 on a Zweisimmen local then 177 on an inter city (with Pano coach visible)

I didn't recognise the bogie type (and I've done quite a lot of research on bogie types over the years). I don't think you'll find a bogie wagon to suit your plan as they don't look like 'standard' freight bogies to me. Could be passenger bogies Edited: just re-read the Lokeli article - they are EWIV bogies .

Is Lokeli Journal what is now Loki?

To clarify: Ae4/4 - the first 'lightweight' non rod driven/buchli type introduced in Switzerland - was considered ground breaking design at the time. numbered 251 - 258. entered service 1944 (251) - 1955 Ae4/4 251, 257 and 258 ran in regular service until circa 2005 259 and 260 never entered service as Ae4/4, because... Ae8/8 The last two Ae4/4 (259, 260) under construction were 'finished' as the double loco Ae8/8 271 in 1959. Four more bodyshells emerged from works as new Ae8/8 272 (1962) and 273 (1963) Subsequently four Ae4/4s were converted into two more Ae8/8: 253 + 254 = Ae8/8 274 (1965) 255 + 256 = Ae8/8 275 (1966) Thus, the derailed loco, 253 ran as an Ae4/4 for around 12 years (1953 - 1965) Re4/4 161 - 195 (1964 - 1983)

Yes, I think they might be the only variant running at present that does not have a model available in some shape or form (that from my mainly N gauge viewpoint as i have almost by accident, built up a large collection of Swiss postal vehicles) http://wagons-europe.net/index?/category/276-04_fourgons_poste .

Nestle will be rubbing their hands with glee now that Broc Fabrique is so 'instantly accessible'. Slightly sad that the bucolic narrow gauge terminus has gone.

Sad news. I last visited personally when it was still in the owner's home in a Poligny back street

Wow - that's a great call - I had never thought of that in all these years. It seems to be confirmed by a ballast wagon model by Mistral that has a '2 VB' gare d'attache Longueau (Reseau Nord = 2 !)

Gouraudiere quarry: Here are two of my late father's slide shots - an one of my attempts on a Agfa rapid plastic point and shoot with monochrome film... 29/7/71 - we waited for a week for the newly allocated 66000 diesels to be rested and the 141Rs given a day out - 141Rs 262 and 462 doing the honours

Indeed. What I have never researched is what the additional number stood for. When I griced the last 141Rs at Thouars in 1971 the hopper wagons in the Gouraudiere quarry trains we saw were marked '4VB' Incidentally - on that trip we ran into the celebrated French railway author Andre Lepage who had a second home nearby and invited us for tea!