[MichaelE]

This is the new consist I wrote about last week. Including the coach with the pantograph a few of you was wondering about.

This consists of two 1st Class coaches, a restaurant coach and two 2nd class coaches.

They are nicely detailed with excellent paint and decals. These are Piko Expert line cars. They were in service in this paint from around the late '80's to almost 2000.

This is an InterCity (IC= train that runs from Mannheim to München.

These did not come with the close-couplers but instead the Roco hook and loop type. There is a very noticeable gap between cars. These will be changes out to the Fleischmann type close-couple shortly.

 

[Lemonhawk]

I was looking at the 2nd photo trying to figure out what that big flat panel was that was hanging from the catenary. It's the roof on a building behind all the tracks! You will never look at that picture the same again! Those cars are really nice looking!

 

[Gramps]

Very nice!

 

[MichaelE]

Thanks. I ordered the replacement couplers Saturday to get this consist to look correct. The car's buffers and door bellows should almost be touching when coupled correctly.

 

[G handy]

Oh you guys in your realistic-looking layouts LOL looks really nice

 

[Spence]

Very sharp looking consist. :thumbsup:

 

[Lemonhawk]

Gota love all the detail on that restaurant car. Really a stunning car.

 

[MichaelE]

The order of Roco close-couplers arrived today.

Much better looking than the hook & loop.

 

[Old_Hobo]

Nice! Do the cars tend to bunch up on curves?

 

[MichaelE]

No, the coupler arms are spring loaded and extend on a cam as a curve is rounded. The arm retracts as the car straightens and the arm is pulled back off of the cam by spring tension.

Ingenious really.

 

[Lemonhawk]

Amazing! I was thinking the cars would be laying all over the place on the first curve. Any detailed pictures of the mechanism?

 

[MichaelE]

I'll take a couple and post after work tonight.

 

[coblesan]

Michael,

Where are you posting the pictures? Am I missing something? I have ridden the Mannheim to Munich route before. I have done it by the Inter City (IC) and Inter City Express (ICE) trains.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Cousin Eddie]

No, the coupler arms are spring loaded and extend on a cam as a curve is rounded. The arm retracts as the car straightens and the arm is pulled back off of the cam by spring tension.

Ingenious really.

So what your saying is the cars are really close together going straight and move apart during curves and then go back after the curve ends?

 

[MichaelE]

Only on the outside of the curve. The cars remainbuffer to buffer on the inside of the curve.

I' ll show you when I get home.

 

[MichaelE]

 

[QueenoftheGN]

great detail!

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Oh ok isn’t that slick!

 

[Lemonhawk]

Amazing, especially considering the weight of the cars! Really ingenious!:appl: