HELLO,

Some pictures from our forum in FRANCE.

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/291/tgv30.jpg

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/7342/tgv6.jpg

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/2467/tgv36.jpg

I have bought it to " AU PULLMAN " , i will open it saturday, and i will give my opinion.

Best regards from FRANCE.

As wrote Jeehring, the french text isn't really interesting; just commercial on which Marklin said the TGV runs very good with one engine but as they want the same performance than a real TGV (compare to the fact it's 1 87 scale) a second engine is better.

This TGV has come out beautifully.I've seen it today at the shop.(only 4 elements including 2 machines )
From the outside , carefully done, a very accomplished model.
Beautiful work of painting and "tampographie" ( I don't find the English translation for "tampographie" = the work with colored inks for inscriptions, logotypes and colored drawings, near the doors : the result is amazing .)

The only thing I regret is that there is no separate function/output for interior lighting : external light + internal lights are only in one function. WHich, in fact, is not so incongruous for a TGV .....Fortunately, interior lighting seems quite soft and not so bright .
But there is a separate function for the third front light which could be explained by the fact that the real TGV roll with 2 front lights in France, 3 front lights in Germany...
I'm wondering if it will be possible for a handyman who would like to have a separate interior lighting function to easily modify some connections by choosing only one external lighting configuration (with/without a small electronic relay ?)....
According to my dealer, the two motors gives realistic dynamics : it accelerate smoothly even from 200km/h till 320 km/h .( a better torque on wheels as motors turns at lower revs = a better & larger range of use...probably ?? )
We only have tested the sound : very good. (station anouncements - German , French - doors,brakes,horn....)

One thing is sure : this Marklin model definitely outclass all former models of TGV from other brands (Mehano, Jouef, Lima....)
What would it be in case of a full metal model....

Edited by user 19 September 2010 14:17:44(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

so the French word "tampographie" is " pad stamping" in English...thank you for the translation. (untill now, I couldn't find any translation for this word...)
Compared with its competitors Marklin always has been known for their perfect command of this field (remember Porsche Taurus and some Swiss colored items....)How they succeed in doing some of those beautiful shaded tones doen't cease to amaze me...
On the video we can see several stampings for each side of the item . The neophyte could think that one stamp = one pattern. In fact each stamp is for one color (one stamp = one color). IE : the stamp with red ink is printing all which is red on this side.... 6 or 8 or 10 stamps printing one side...it means that there are 6 or 8 or 10 different colors or shades on this side...... computers & softwares allowed a big improvement in terms of accuracy on automatic lines...so true !
At the old time when they had to make it manually, the operator had to be skilful (almost an "artist"). He could do some very nice job as well (but very short quantities...)

Edited by user 19 September 2010 21:13:11(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

really too soon to assess the MISTRAL model .
For less than 10 days that the first units have been delivered a few at a time ....half a dozen of comments from 3 or 4 owners pointing positive points as well as some negative....
I don't want to judge on mere intent or to put those manufacturers in the dock ....I'm interested in facts only...

According to those few comments it seems that on The Pano Railcar model one issue is about the mounting of the skirts...it seems that the manufacturer has been using " a lot of glue".. ..at least on this very first batch ...
the over-use or excessive use of glue into manufacturing is also one issue on many LSM models....(difficult to be opened, , difficult to knock down and put back together again, etc...) ....that only shows a poor design with its serie of consequences. As you cannot make some parts properly fit together , glueing them is much easier . (
( also a bad habit of some Chinese subcontractors if they are not seriously controlled...- some of them...I think that those small new brands without any experience into industry don't know how to manage efficient control of their subcontractors, as all is made by subcontractors, not necessarly the best ones...Often : the cheapest ones for short run for small markets...)
But this thread is about TGV , we'd better open another thread about the Mistral Pano Railcar if we don't want readers to feel bored...

Edited by user 10 October 2010 00:30:04(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Thanks Steven, I can't wait. It's a beautiful train, but it looks a bit, well, short.



But by the end of this year this will have grown to 230 cm train! For now, it's assisting in test-running on my layout-in-construction.

Very nice, peter.

How is the running and sounds?