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Eureka AD60 Garratt review

12961 Views 32 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  neil_s_wood


Many thanks to Neil for sending us this review. I did ask him to send me the model so that I could verify his findings, but have not received it to date
What a fantastic loco and what a great model.

Click here for the review
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i think neil should lend it to each of us in turn so we can all make up our own minds!

Peter

P.S. excellent review neil and thanks for the pics. good point about the boler hanging inside the curve instead of hanging over the side like the mallets. interestingly i believe the big boy would have hung out much further in real life than the model does because i believe the rear set of drivers was rigid with the boiler, only the front set was articulated. i bleve the bowser model reproduces this but all the other manufacturers kindly made their models s they would actually go round corners.

Please could you post a picture of the coulings between the sections? is there any electrical connection between the parts? does it have seperate decoders in each end both programmed to the same adress?
QUOTE (pedromorgan @ 15 Oct 2007, 13:32) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>i think neil should lend it to each of us in turn so we can all make up our own minds!

That's a good idea - who's first ?

Seriously though, excellent review Neil - thanks for taking the time to do it.
great in-depth review which I enjoyed reading. I'm not a big fan of QSI sound decoders they are unnecessarily cantankerous . If your interested there is an upgrade chip available if you'rs isn't fitted I think it's $27 for Tony's. I found both my Broadway C16's to be better behaved with the upgrade. It's a great pity this loco isn't available in 00 as Eureka may well have found an unspectacular but steady market in the UK, with a few small modifications. I'm sure there will be some sales in South Africa.
I wish them luck with this venture they deserve it.
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QUOTE (pedromorgan @ 15 Oct 2007, 22:32) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>i think neil should lend it to each of us in turn so we can all make up our own minds!

Peter

P.S. excellent review neil and thanks for the pics. good point about the boler hanging inside the curve instead of hanging over the side like the mallets. interestingly i believe the big boy would have hung out much further in real life than the model does because i believe the rear set of drivers was rigid with the boiler, only the front set was articulated. i bleve the bowser model reproduces this but all the other manufacturers kindly made their models s they would actually go round corners.

Please could you post a picture of the coulings between the sections? is there any electrical connection between the parts? does it have seperate decoders in each end both programmed to the same adress?

Must have got lost in the post Doug.

Seriously though you're all welcome to pop round and have a go with it if you're in the area.

Peter

I'll try to get out and get a photo of the coupling for you. It is an electrical connection, an eight pin in line plug which has plastic clasps at either end. It has one central decoder to which the two motors and speakers are connected. The decoder is in the centre loco part and the motors are in the fronter water tank and the rear tender. So only one decoder to take the address.

MMaD, I beleive that this is the upgraded decoder. It is an improvement on the old one but still not as good as ESU or Lenz.

I think you are right that they could extend sales of this. The chassis and basic frame could be modified to take the body of a GMA/M Garratt relatively easily and other components could be used for various other Garratts. I think it is highly commendable that they have taken on and succeeded with this project. Takes a lot of guts to put your own money into a venture like this.
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Thank you Neil for the trouble you have gone to, to put this review together...well done!
I think demand for a UK garratt would be greater than expected. In our club there are at least three that I know of; it's one of those locos that people will buy regardless of whether it fits their time/location. And if not then Eureka will benefit.
QUOTE (ozwarrior @ 16 Oct 2007, 10:55) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thank you Neil for the trouble you have gone to, to put this review together...well done!
I think demand for a UK garratt would be greater than expected. In our club there are at least three that I know of; it's one of those locos that people will buy regardless of whether it fits their time/location. And if not then Eureka will benefit.

Thanks

Hopefully Simon Kohler has paid attention to how this venture has gone and reconsidered a UK Garratt. If not maybe Eureka might see the gap in the UK market?
Thanks for the informative and complete review


David
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QUOTE (pedromorgan @ 15 Oct 2007, 22:32) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Please could you post a picture of the coulings between the sections? is there any electrical connection between the parts? does it have seperate decoders in each end both programmed to the same adress?


Peter here is a picture of the coupling. It is not an eight in line pin like the Trix and PCM ones. It is two rows of four pins.

Sorry about the quality of the picture but it was dark by the time I got home, the garage is not brightly lit and I didn't have time to get out my tripod. If you want a better quality picture let me know and I'll sort that out at the weekend.

Thanks for your appreciation, guys. Glad the review was of interest.
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As ever Neil a balanced and objective review, well done and I hope that the beast will give you much pleasure.

Regards
Sorry neil i just checked back and saw the pic you took. thanks for that.

Peter
An impressive beast. Modelling Cowan bank in the 60s would be nice, but I'll never have the room , so I fear I'd never be able to deploy one properly
Eureka Models have announcd a second run of their AD60 Garratt.

The second run will comprise:

6001 "As Delivered" Red Lining
6002 "As Delivered" Red Lining
6018 "As Delivered" Red Lining
6020 "1955 Railway Centenary" Red & Cream Lining

Attachments

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Does that mean that you are considering getting another one?
QUOTE (john woodall @ 25 Oct 2008, 13:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Does that mean that you are considering getting another one?
Tempted though I am John, probably not. If they did a GMA/M Garratt I would get one.
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Neil,

Look whats available from DJH. all sorts of Garratts!
look in 3.5 models, Rest of the world models.
http://www.djhmodelloco.co.uk/ho-gauge.asp...st%20of%20World

Have just noticed this additional Thread on the same subject http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/index...ic=6596&hl=

David
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QUOTE (adecoaches26point4 @ 2 Nov 2008, 08:29) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Neil,

Look whats available from DJH. all sorts of Garratts!
look in 3.5 models, Rest of the world models.
http://www.djhmodelloco.co.uk/ho-gauge.asp...st%20of%20World

Have just noticed this additional Thread on the same subject http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/index...ic=6596&hl=

David
Yes David, I really do want that GMA/M Garratt however it is probably a bit hard for my first effort. Having said that I am closely watching how Doug gets on and if it's not to bad I may take a chance on it.
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Had a look on the DJH site last night - some very nice tempting locomotives - main drawback is, of course the price !
garrets are not difficult. they just take longer because there is more work. the work is not more difficult.

Peter
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