Deutsche V 200 Streifen

[keeper]

... I ask this because the general opinion of N scale Roco engines, I think it's safe to say, is not "great".

...

Really, is that the general opinion? I disagree. All Roco locos I have - mostly models of all types from the 80s - are excellent runners, and that at a better price than the big players at that time, Arnold, Fleischmann and Minitrix.

Thomas

[peteski]

Peteski

How does yours run? I ask this because the general opinion of N scale Roco engines, I think it's safe to say, is not "great".

Both my V200 and V215 run VERY well, so I'm just curious.

It also seems a bit odd to be able to openly discuss DB models here... 

Mark in Oregon

Hey, it's the Railwire - anything goes!  Nowhere is it stated that it is for U.S. prototype only.  Many of the early N scale structure models were of European prototype, repackaged for U.S.   Even early U.S. locos were just new shells over European prototype mechanisms. 

How does my Roco loco run?  It doesn't.    It has been sitting in a display case for over 15 years now.  I suspect that the lubricant has hardened up and it would require full cleaning and re-lubrication to get it to run.

[christoph]

Hi all,

I have both versions, the Roco V200.0 and the Fleischmann V200.1.  Both are running well  (at least the did when I last ran them, which has been a while ago).  Nevertheless none of them runs like a current Atlas model, or Kato.

The Roco is a design from the 1980's and has been rerun several times, more or less unchanged. It has a flywheel drive. I think I heard some complaints that the old motor is collecting metal parts due to its strong magnet, but I never had problems with it.
Fleischmann is well detailed, running smoothly, not sure it has a flywheel.

The stripes were silver, originally being separate chrome stripes and later painted on.

Both types have been also offered by Minitrix, but I don't have them and cannot say anything about them.

Piko has announced a new model of the V200.1  (lettered as 221)  at a quite low price (less than 100 Euros).  I have not seen any pictures of it and we have to wait.

Just my 2ct 

[strummer]

Really, is that the general opinion? I disagree. All Roco locos I have - mostly models of all types from the 80s - are excellent runners, and that at a better price than the big players at that time, Arnold, Fleischmann and Minitrix.

Thomas

Fair enough. I guess I was basing my "general opinion" on that greatest of all resources,    Spookshow's "N Scale Encyclopedia", which looks at US prototypes only. There, Roco-built engines typically only get a "C" rating.

My Roco DB models are very close to Kato and/or Atlas levels...

Mark in Oregon

[Doug G.]

I'm pretty sure this is an international forum, correct? For ALL N/Z scale.

Anyway, my American prototype Atlas/RoCo's from the seventies run great now. They did when new, too, but before too long, due to soft brushes, would run poorly with brush material quickly filling up commutator slots. Fire rings and the whole bit.

I guess the brushes have hardened over the years and are very good now.

BTW, my Rapido V 200 has "V 200 103" above the DB emblem on the sides. I have now restored the striping (it appeared to have all been worn off - I bought it used) and painted the two smaller vents silver because I have never seen a photo of a prototype without those vents being silver. They were red on this model. Here is a picture:




Doug

[CRL]

^^^^ So the secret with these locomotives is to buy them and stick them on a shelf for 20 years to allow the brushes to harden before operating. 

Kind of like wine.

[Doug G.]

I actually posted a similar thing, somewhere, recently only I think I said 40 years.



Doug

[CRL]

I guess it depends on the vintage of the locomotive... German or French. 

[strummer]

Thanks to Peteski's tutorial, I was able to download a couple of pix relating to this topic.

First picture we have a Trix "221" next to the Roco "220":



Here is the innards of the Trix engine:



Just for laughs, here are a couple of "215s", both Roco:



Happy Easter...

Mark in Oregon

[strummer]

One more... 

Here is Roco's HO scale version of the "220":



This example ranks amongst the best running engines I've ever had, in any scale...and those stripes certainly look silver.

Mark in Oregon

[Doug G.]

Thanks for the pictures, Mark. At least the different manufacturers got the bodies pretty close. Was there some overlap in variations between models in the prototype? My Rapido V200 has the same as the Trix 221 with the single, small window in the side center and two large and two smaller vents instead of the two large windows and Deutche Bundesbahn written out on the sides. Or did Rapido get it wrong?

Anyway, this Deutsch loco has grown on me and some of the others, too. I just bought a Rapido 0251 steamer (2-8-2) and the little 0240 industrial electric. The 0251 looks like the motor and smoke generator are missing but, for the price, I'll find them.

Doug

[strummer]

Thanks for the pictures, Mark. At least the different manufacturers got the bodies pretty close. Was there some overlap in variations between models in the prototype? My Rapido V200 has the same as the Trix 221 with the single, small window in the side center and two large and two smaller vents instead of the two large windows and Deutche Bundesbahn written out on the sides. Or did Rapido get it wrong?

Anyway, this Deutsch loco has grown on me and some of the others, too. I just bought a Rapido 0251 steamer (2-8-2) and the little 0240 industrial electric. The 0251 looks like the motor and smoke generator are missing but, for the price, I'll find them.

Doug

You're welcome. I don't know for sure about the window placement and vents, but I'm sure someone here does.

I have the newer version of your 0251, the 2511. It's no Kato Mike, but it looks good and does run very well.

Here's a prototype photo of V200-005-3 I got (somewhere) off the web:



Although European trains are very different (and at times odd-looking to me) I find them quite fascinating...

Mark in Oregon

[Doug G.]

Actually, the one I bought is a 2511 (it's in a box with just "Arnold" on it without "Rapido") too but I believe they are the same loco and just numbered in the new Arnold system in the late seventies. Turns out I actually have some motors that will work in it but it also needs the worm assembly. I see some similar on "ersatzteile" but I'll have to investigate. The other option is to somehow get one of the other style Rapido motors in there with the worm right on the end of the motor shaft as used in others of their steamers.

I noticed that's when they came out with the "Simplex" coupler, too.

Doug

[strummer]

Actually, the one I bought is a 2511 (it's in a box with just "Arnold" on it without "Rapido") too but I believe they are the same loco and just numbered in the new Arnold system in the late seventies. Turns out I actually have some motors that will work in it but it also needs the worm assembly. I see some similar on "ersatzteile" but I'll have to investigate. The other option is to somehow get one of the other style Rapido motors in there with the worm right on the end of the motor shaft as used in others of their steamers...
Doug

As I say, the one example I have runs really well, so I guess it's probably worth looking into...Please keep us posted.

Mark in Oregon

[peteski]

Actually, the one I bought is a 2511 (it's in a box with just "Arnold" on it without "Rapido") too but I believe they are the same loco and just numbered in the new Arnold system in the late seventies. I noticed that's when they came out with the "Simplex" coupler, too.

Ah, the Simplex couplers. I don't think those ever caught on.