Model Railroading > Australian Model: the VR, V-line Xclass

Thanks to inChi's recent post showing us a Chinese prototype model, I thought I might share a sample of a model recently arrived thanks to Aussie Post.

I will not provide you with a dissertation on the prototype but if you wish, enough can be learned on Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_Railways_X_class_(diesel)

Sorry for the "ebay" looking photos but this is just for anyone's interest.  The model comes from Auscision Models who primarily sells in a manner similar to our friend Mr. Schron but without all of the looney videos.  By similar, I mean they sell on what could be termed a subscription basis.  Those who did not do advance orders will pay a premium or take their chance that their favourite LHS has brought them in. 

In a quick word about the Australian market, it has advanced extremely quickly in the 26 years I've lived here.  When I joined the Victorian chapter of AMRA, only the hardy (one could argue - foolhardy) were modelling Aussie stuff.  Much of the rolling stock was built in backyard resin poring operations before the days of a vacuum pump.  If you ever dropped your completed kit, it would shatter to leave you only with your Kadee's and the trucks ("Bogies" down here btw).  The locos were limited to "cookie cutter" wheels on models made by Lima or Hornby.  There have been some extremely nice flat kits injection moulded and their quality continues to match today's quality (specifically, Steam Era Models).  The industry advanced into very expensive brass and before my time there was a famous brass dealer here in Melbourne called "The Model Dockyard" which sold brass from all over including accurate Aussie stuff.  Brass, was for the realm of those with a profession or those who were FLM's. (Fans living with Mother).

Then along came the Chinese model manufacturing sector and we all know the hiccups burps and farts from growing through that relationship. Suffice it to say, we are getting some really great models now and here is one for your viewing pleasure.  I usually hate reading someone write "I am not affiliated with this company in any way" because to me, it is implied by the reader  However, in my case, I am involved with another Aussie company who also does product to this level of quality.  I tell you this to show objectivity and independence.  There are in fact, some manufacturer/importers currently in this country who are setting the standards backwards 15 years in their development and engineering while moving their pricing ahead five years.  I won't go any further but only mention that is part of the highly competitive and comparatively small Aussie market compared to US, UK and European markets.  As a Canadian, I can say the Australian market is far more advanced than Canada as there is only one large scale and courageous operation (Rapido) up there doing fantastic stuff, a large sampling of which is in my collection.  Canadian's have a better opportunity than Australians to develop models which are not regional but national and yet, other than Rapido and PWRS, the rest of the Canadian market is based on the opportunities seen by American companies - no discredit to them.  I only offer this comment as a comment of admiration to the difficult and successful development of an Aussie market.

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One thing I find extremely appealing to this release is that Auscision fully captured the effect of a suspended fuel tank.  I hope the photos reveal this adequately.  I am not aware of any manufacturer in HO ever capturing this feature other than in brass - comments are welcome to correct me in this.

The V-Line paint scheme is a more modern scheme which, like it is in North America, has its' critics.  There is always people who never want to let go of the "good old days" but V-Line was there when I got here and it was around through out the 1980ies.  The previous scheme can be seen on Auscision's website but suffice it to say the original VR livery was inspired on the Erie with the black (on the Erie) replaced with a Royal Blue.  I have become so accustomed to the VR livery that I always think the Erie's is not as appealling when I see something over on the Nostalgia Board.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/15 20:42 by rschonfelder.

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Some final details.  Note the detail of the Staff Exchange.  This was the mechanism for giving occupancy permission to a train without it having to stop to pick up the Staff.  Having ridden in the Overland (a Melbourne Adelaide train) once at night, it was an incredible bang going off when the exchanger picked up the pouch holding the staff.  This was done through the use of a "pigtail" which is a curled iron rod which aligned itself to grab the pouch on the fly.  That white bit in the picture is the pigtail.

There were only 24  X class and some are still running today.  They were built in three series and this is a model of the first series.  There was no compromise here to do one generic X class and merely change the numbers across the range of 24 units.  A good product in my eyes from a reliable company.

Rick



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/15 19:02 by rschonfelder.

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A very nice model Rick, but am I seeing a 'door handle' on cab front in front of the driver ??????    personally I would not think there would be a door in the cab in front of the control stand.         It does not make sense to me.

 Malcolm
 New Zealand.

Malcolm,
I am surprised for this coming from a person under the same Southern Cross.  If we are looking end on from either end, the door is on the left.  From looking at the front (short end), the Driver sits on the right hand side.

BTW, the first series X class had dual control so it could run long hood forward on branchlines.  I am told the second series X also had dual control but third did not.  Later on, both sides of the rear cab had doors but on this first series version, just one door for both long and short hood.

I lived in Auckland for 2 years and IIRC, you guys have the same orientation don't you?

Rick

Rick,
          In the first photo the person in the cab is facing the Short Hood, there is an out line of a door and a handle,  so is this loco set up to run short hood forward or long hood forward.      If long hood then the person facing the door is sitting backwards to the direction of travel.     with hod units you need to state the direction of normal travel, I was of the opinion that the loco was set up for short hood forward, same as here in NZ.       Also what gauge standard or broad ??????

Malcolm
New Zealand.

That's a great looking model.

- Jeff Carlson

Is the engi--- . . . oops, driver, on the left or right side in Oz? If they're left hand drive, then the door location makes sense.

CPR_4000 Wrote:
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> Is the engi--- . . . oops, driver, on the left or
> right side in Oz? If they're left hand drive, then
> the door location makes sense.

Left hand drive is correct and I am certain that is so in virtually every Commonwealth country except Canada. [Australia's private mining company locos are North American in orientation IIRC].

I asked two Drivers and these two did not use the common orientation that the North Americans do.  RHS or LHS from the North American perspective is from the orientation of a crew member sitting inside the cab looking toward the front.  The Aussie Drivers that I spoke with described left and right as though you are standing between the rails looking at the loco.  The front is in fact the short hood.  So there is a driver and an Observer (lets say a Brakeman).  The Driver is on the right (as we are looking at the model) but on the left if you want to call it from inside the cab.  The doors are in the right, er "correct", spot.

As I said earlier, the later series of X's had doors on both sides on the engine side of the cab.

The X's worked both broad and standard gauge.

Rick



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/15 03:21 by rschonfelder.

Thanks for posting the model since many of us in the US don't get much of a chance to see such models here. Your country is very interesting to visit.

Bruce Stikkers
St. Joseph, IL

Cool engine. So how does it pull?  Good motor? :)

Anyways, Why did u go to Austrailia Rick and do u see yourself there for life? Austrailia is a great country. I work with many Aussies and they are fun energetic folks. 

Thanks Bruce

4thDistrict Wrote:
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> Here is a photo of the control stand of X37
> (source:
> http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/xd
> ie/xdie.html). The long hood is behind the seat in
> this photo (the two center windows are above the
> long hood), making the driver's position on the
> right side of the short hood as seen from inside
> the cab looking in the direction the chair is
> facing - the same side as the door in question. 

X37 is a second series loco and as I understand, it had dual control stands as did the first series.  Because I've said this several times, I will clarify that "Dual control stands" mean there are two control stands in the cab so the loco can be operated long distance in both directions.  The driver jumps over to the other seat when travelling in the other direction. 

Several US railroads had this and one that comes to mind are the WP's GP20ies.

Rick



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/15 11:33 by rschonfelder.

Bruce,
I'm very aware of the issues we've all seen with gutless motors but I must say, I have not seen those issues in any of Auscision's models.  This is something like the 10th loco they have released in a span of 12-14 months and there has been no such compromises despite the acceleration of product releases.  I have just thrown in a 21 pin decoder from TCS and yet to program or test the loco with any load.  I am expecting the weight might be a bit light simply because of the floating fuel tank.  Theoretically, one would expect this area to be lighter because the fuel tank is glued on (this is mentioned in the instructions) so it stands there is less weight in the tank.  China still is trying to replicate the Kadee coupler but, for me, there is only one coupler and that is the true Kadee.  There is never any problem with them.

As for working with Aussies; my advice if you are at a work function which serves Beer, get in early because they won't leave much behind. :-)

Australia is like Canada without long winters.  A good way of life, better coffee (at least in Melbourne), and you have four kinds of football to watch plus we get the NFL in our off season.  It is a fantastic sporting nation which is good for a sports fan like me.  Please send the NHL though.  I keep watching for a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup - any team, even if it is the Oilers.

Rick 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/15 11:35 by rschonfelder.

Nice looking model Rick.Havent purchased an aussie model since the Lima 44 class way back in the late 70's(I think).
Used to see these X class switching out the rice mill in Deniliquin regularly.
Just gone 9.30 am in my part of Australia....almost time for a beer <G>
Regards,dK



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/15 15:07 by DKay.

They remind me of some of the gensets appearing here.

FLM - that's funny!
Clarence G

rschonfelder Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CPR_4000 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is the engi--- . . . oops, driver, on the left
> or
> > right side in Oz? If they're left hand drive,
> then
> > the door location makes sense.
>
> Left hand drive is correct and I am certain that
> is so in virtually every Commonwealth country
> except Canada. .
>
> I asked two Drivers and these two did not use the
> common orientation that the North Americans do. 
> RHS or LHS from the North American perspective is
> from the orientation of a crew member sitting
> inside the cab looking toward the front.  The
> Aussie Drivers that I spoke with described left
> and right as though you are standing between the
> rails looking at the loco.  The front is in fact
> the short hood.  So there is a driver and an
> Observer (lets say a Brakeman).  The Driver is on
> the right (as we are looking at the model) but on
> the left if you want to call it from inside the
> cab.  The doors are in the right, er "correct",
> spot.
>
> As I said earlier, the later series of X's had
> doors on both sides on the engine side of the
> cab.
>
> The X's worked both broad and standard gauge.
>
> Rick

Thanks for the explanation. I was referring to the crew's position in the cab as seen from in the cab. Gets confusing! :-)

Nice looking model of something we don't see here very often.

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