[Gary]

I've just spotted that a store in America is taking orders for the RIVAROSSI HR2050 DB 4-axle BR230 diesel in burgundy DC Digital Sound
(HO scale) Four axle diesel locomotive class BR 230 of the German Deutsche Bundesbahn DB railways in burgundy livery. Model is equipped with digital sound decoder for realistic sounds of this type of locomotive. Epoch III, Digital complete with sound, metal chassis, bi-directional lights, length: 233mm for $264 or £132 at current exchange rates. Looking at the Rivarossi prices for locos more generally in the USA it has to be said that they are at a lower price than Roco and almost half the price of Fleischmann. In fact British outline Hornby in the USA could be said to be more expensive than continental Hornby Rivarossi! Relatively speaking it does seem that the Americans are enjoying Rivarossi at bargain prices!

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[ME 26-06]

Gary,

what Hornby is now marketing as "Hornby-Rivarossi" is actually what used to be the Lima class 230.

Unlike the Roco class V200 model, the former Lima and now HR one has a lot of its detail molded on. I can recall a magazine article back from the 1990s where they wrote how to shave off the "details" such as handrails and grabirons and replace them with Roco class V200.0 parts, including the motor. The class 230 has first been offered by Lima in 1986.

Here you can see what to expect from the HR model: the "old" Lima engine the "new" Hornby engine

I´m not saying that the HR model is bad, but I´d recommend that any modeller interested in buying one should take a close look at the model first. It is definitively not the same league (admittedly, the price tags do reflect that) as Roco´s or Märklin/Trix´s class V200.0 or class V200.1 models. However, it is not that bad, and it is the only class 230 model currently available.