2.08.2009

Locomotive Roster: DB Class 323 (KoF II); Minitrix 12544



This is a TINY locomotive, it looks a lot larger in the photos and video than it is in real life! That the folks at Minitrix were able to not only fit the more, lights, but a DCC decoder into this little engine!

Of course, all of the meticulous engineering in the world cannot overcome one of the physical realities that a light, two-axle locomotive is challenged with...and that is that it really needs clean track and has no tolerance for non-powered switch frogs! Fortunately, I have all 'powered frogs' on my layout and the little engine worked marvelously with the Kato Unitrack. Ironically, I originally had a very small loop with Minitrix switches and Atlas flex track, but due to this engines absolute intolerance to run on this track (it would stall everytime it reached the non-powered frog of the Minitrix switch), I ended up replacing all of the track with Unitrack!



The LED's are not very bright, but I suppose that is the 'cost' one pays of attempting to put any sort of light in such a small space. This is minor, the big thing that I would be careful about for any potential operator is the question of how well, or not, this light, two axle locomotive will do on your track.
I am keeping this review short, as I feel like the photo and video (which is also short!) say it all! So for a very small locomotive, a very small review!

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