ACME ETR 610
Kato/Lemke/Hobbytrain BR 193 Vectron Electric Locomotive
Mabar SNCF A1A A1A 468010
Piko SNCF BB 525630 Ile de France
Yet another locomotive from Piko in SNCF colors! Thanks Piko! Finally it looks like a locomotive in the livery of Ile de France (now all I need are some of those double-deck coaches to go behind it (VB2N?)!).
Rocky Rail SNCF "Prima" Electric Locomotive
MicroAce Kiha261 "Super Tokachi"
Photo courtesy Wikipedia.
Kato/Lemke M6 Duwag Tram
Fleischmann Rh 242 Electric Locomotive from Sweden
This class of electric locomotives seem to be everywhere these days, but Swedish locomotives in N Scale? Not so much! This one is going to be tough on the wallet...so unless I'm really lucky this year, or Santa is feeling really generous, its hard to see my shelling out this much for a locomotive right now (yeah, and the USD to Euro exchange rate is not helping a whole lot!). However, it does come equipped with DCC and SOUND! Some of the newer private roads in Europe have liveries that are, well, let's just say it makes the old state-sponsored paint schemes look attractive! This paint scheme is interesting. Very bold and strong in my view, even more so with the lines of the engine. I'm liking it!
Minitrix Class 150 Z
This is a 'wait and see' since I have to 'wait and see' what the model ultimately will look like. From photos of real prototypes, and HO models (ugh!), there are some great looking steam engines from the SNCF (and some great ones in brass as well, but those are well outside of my price range!). Minitrix also has some nice goods wagons/freight cars in its catalog this year, beyond that, I don't see a lot from them this year.
There is also some rumor that Star Train may release a large French locomotive of the 141 R, but I couldn't find any information other than a mention on a forum.
Trucks and Cars from Herpa
If your looking for things in more of an agricultural line, the company Mo-Miniatur Modelbahn makes a nice assortment of farming tractors and the like. Of course, if you've seen my layout well, you'll understand why they wouldn't quite fit on Quinntopia!
Cars and Trucks from Minis
Some really nice looking VW's from Minis (via Lemke)
Always something interesting to add to the layout...I sort of like this truck with trailer for some reason.
Photos courtesy of Lemkecollection.
TomyTec Car Collection Vol 14
Can you ever have enough cars? Well, maybe. Its hard for me to pass up on TomyTec's cars. In terms of price and quality they are hands down the best in N scale (well, the 1:150 kind anyway, which is hard sometimes to tell the difference with anyway).
I think that's about it. I expect there were quite a few things that I missed that I'll kick myself for not adding to this list. I'm in 'wait and see' mode for the new yellow and gray Star Train Class 1300, and I can't afford the current versions of the SNCF BB 12003, and I'm tempted to get an older model of the FS E.424 (Italian railways) but there is only so much time...and money of course. But its fun to look, right? I hope you enjoyed taking a look at a few of the things on my wish list this year. Next post...back to layout updates!
I rode that Italian train a few times last year, in first class... OUTSTANDING!! I'd love one in N scale.
ReplyDeleteHighly recommended for any railfan. The amount of tunneled kilometres between Venice and Rome was remarkable. And I'd say it's 90-95% separated from the other lines. So these things really open up. Something that wouldn't even be contemplated here in the states.
Interestingly enough, Italian stations are somewhat underwhelming except for Milan. Venice station: NOT ONE PLACE TO SIT... I guess they want you there 2 minutes before boarding. Although I was killing plenty of time roaming up and down every platform taking pictures ;)
Nittany4 - Lucky you! These Italian trains don't get nearly as much press as the TGV's, ICE's, or even the AVE! Interesting comment about the number of tunnels! That must've been quite an expansive line to build! I do hope ACME ends up producing this train!
ReplyDeleteYour comment about Italian train stations is pretty funny...that would not have been what I expected!
Jerry, Maybe some of your European readers will know... any idea why Italian trains run on the left?
ReplyDeleteI understand British and Irish trains, as they mimic road traffic, but The Italian thing stumped me.
From the high speed trains, all the way to the Rome metro, except street running trams, all on the left track in multiple track areas.
Especially on the metro, made me a bit disoriented on the platform.
With all of your multiple nations represented, do you stick to right running?
tom
How about adding a bit of Austria to your mix? The "nearly high speed" Railjet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railjet) has IMHO a superb design, and original when you see the driving coach has been given the exact same design as the Taurus locomotive front end.
ReplyDeleteWill be released by Hobbytrain this year... (http://www.lemkecollection.de/shop/index.php?page=product&info=68).
Even better, it will also be released by Fleischmann (http://www.fleischmann.de/produkteshop/spur-n-katalog-2011/english.html see page 36) with **sound**! (which is rare in N, until then only unsplittable double units included sound)
At least it is on my shopping list ;)
@Nittany4
ReplyDeleteSeveral European countries have trains driving on the left (France for the most part, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium).
The question is not "why are they on the left", but rather, why are the others now on the right. The left driving came from England, where we all know trains and cars drive left in harmony :-) Then some countries did choose right driving (probably for various reasons) just as they did for the cars.
There are many exceptions. For example in France & Belgium, subways are on the right (probably to avoid surprise with people expecting traffic coming from the left), and the entire eastern part of France that once belonged to Germany has right driving as in Germany.
Depending on the traffic, the change of side (e.g. between France and Germany) is done while leaving the border station, or for heavy duty and high speed, a bridge allows seamless side-switching at the border.
Pierre,
ReplyDeleteI have ridden the AVE in Spain, and the Paris and Brussles metro and I remember those being on the right side to your point, but the rest I have just seen in pictures (or video that didn't stick in my head) and from a still, you really can't tell which way the train is going as they are all the same front and back!!
Might be interesting to follow some lines on Google Earth to see if any high-speed flyovers are in use at the borders to change running sides.
So The Eurostar runs left all the way from London to Paris and/or Brussels...
@nittany4
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the French and the British don't have any driving side issue.
As for bridges overpass at borders, I think they are pretty rare (obviously expensive). Looking at google is a good idea, I am pretty sure one was built for the new "East-TGV" line to Germany, I'll be checking.