Im wondering which companies sell the european high speed trains in model form, if at all, preferably HO scale. Thanks a bunch,
Major Shubaltz
Most of the major European Manufacturers do models of various European High Speed trains:
- Roco do the German ICE-VT diesel multiple unit (now withdrawn from service by DB because of technical reasons after a very short service life)
- Fleischmann do the ICE-1, ICE-2 and ICE-3 electric multiple units but these are in the shorter 1:100 or 1:93 body length.
- Lima used to do the French TGV and the French/Belgian/Dutch Thalys and German ICE-3 - maybe these will be resurrected by Hornby in due course
- Electrotren (now part of Hornby) are going to do the new Spanish High Speed Talgo electric multiple unit (the AVE) which has a great-looking long duck-billed front.
- Hornby (in OO) do the British HST diesel multiple unit and some cars of the Eurostar electric multiple unit
and, if you like something “retro”, Roco are doing later this year an 8-car German Gas-Turbine multiple unit in the famous TEE (Trans Europe Express) maroon and cream livery - I’ve already got mine on back-order!!
Hope the above whets your appetite!! Off to bed now - it’s 11.00pm here and the clocks go forward an hour and gotta make a G-Scale Meet tomorrow morning…
Keith
Take a look at the website for Reynaulds Euro-Imports Inc. in Elburn, IL. They have a good stock of European models and are a good bunch to do business with.
Good luck - Ben
Mehano also offer the Thalys and a couple of TGVs - including the “Duplex” double deck variant. Running qualities are apparently pretty good, I’d buy one if only I had the size of layout to justify it!
The Hornby HST and Eurostar are to OO rather than HO scale, so will look a little large alongside HO models - up to you if this bothers you or not, I happily have the two scales parked side by side. Bachmann have the tilting and non-tilting versions of Virgin Trains’ “Voyager” units - the Class 220 and 221 (tilt/non tilt respectively). Dapol have offered the tilting Virgin Pendolino sets though it was a limited run and prices have gone crazy on the used market. I’d suggest the Bachmann sets as a good buy - they have dcc-ready mechanisms and Express Models can sell you a DCC lighting kit to fit them - this results in a model with remotely-switchable day and night lighting settings and looks very good.
Check out Kato ( www.katousa.com ). They carry the French TGV; the Thalys (France/Germany/Belgium/Netherlands) TGV (coming soon); and Japanese 500 series Nozomi bullet trains.