Ich hatte für ein US-Amerikanisches Forum einen Kurztest mit ein paar Bildern gezaubert, den ich hier einmal herüberkopiere. Die Lok, um die es geht, ist eine GE ES44DC von Tower 55. Sie fuhr nie für die ATSF ("Santa Fe"); das Modell hat eine Fantasielackierung, die mir persönlich aber sehr gut gefällt.
Ich würde mich über Feedback, ob solche Threads von Interesse sind, freuen. Die Texte schreibe ich eh, und würde Weitere bei Interesse dann hier auch herüberkopieren/posten.
Up for a small and brief pictorial review is the Tower 55 ("the company formerly known as") ES44DC in the ATSF fantasy scheme, engine #777.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w35/litra_eg/P1050560.jpg]
The model is an overall (apparently when compared to pictures of the real thing) correct rendition of General Electric´s GEVO offering. Santa Fe, of course, never had them , but since I like the paint scheme, I decided to get the fantasy model.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w35/litra_eg/P1050561.jpg]
Crisp molding on the truck details. The paint job is really good, although you can´t read the warning signs´ small inscriptions.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w35/litra_eg/P1050563.jpg]
[Blockierte Grafik: http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w35/litra_eg/P1050562.jpg]
[Blockierte Grafik: http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w35/litra_eg/P1050564.jpg]
Lots of pre-installed add-on parts, grabs, handrails, photoetched grilles and even walkways that resemble the anti-skid texture that can be seen on the real thing.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w35/litra_eg/P1050567.jpg]
GPS antenna, walkways and (illegible) warning signs.
[Blockierte Grafik: http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w35/litra_eg/P1050565.jpg]
To establish a reputation as being a #1 model railroad nitpicker (US outline), these ditch lights suck and in no way resemble the real thing. Kato and Athearn do a better job at these. And while I´m at it, the package is about the wobbliest, least protective thing I´ver ever seen on trains Made in China. Consequently, some parts of the engine had to be re-assembled by Truly Yours.
Also, a major flaw is that the DCC-less units do not feature any socket for a decoder to plug in at all. Thus, any DCC decoder would have to be hardwired - this is imho unacceptable for a modern-day model engine. I emailed Tower 55 ("yada yada..."), and received a reply that the engine came without a DCC socket to cut costs. On a $ 259.00 RRP engine? Sure. And the moon is made of green cheese, or what?
Overall, a nice engine with some lesser and one major flaw. It cost me EUR 115,-- plus some EUR 18 s+h flus 19% $§/%&ing import tax.
Apparently, the engine did gather some dust in the last couple of days - sorry about that.