Description
The “Rhätia” was delivered from SLM in Winterthur as road number LD1 in 1889 as the first locomotive of the Landquart-Davos Railroad of that time. With a performance of 250 pounds per square inch, this locomotive weighed 30 metric tons and had a maximum speed of 45 km/h / 28 mph. It corresponded to the level of technology for that time and it was used in normal train service. Yet, soon the small class G 3/4 locomotives were pushed into less challenging service until they became unnecessary after complete electrification of the RhB network at the start of the Twenties. In 1928, road number 1 was retired and intended for a planned Swiss railroad museum. In 1970, the locomotive came to the museum railroad of Blonay-Chamby in Western Switzerland, where it was kept in storage. In anticipation of the 100th anniversary of the RhB, the locomotive came back to the RhB in 1988. It was overhauled and restored to operational condition there and was used to pull special trains at the anniversary in 1989. In the following years, special trains were also regularly pulled by the “Rhätia”, until it was stored in 2014 due to a deadline for maintenance and servicing. There have been many calls for donations to restore the locomotive again, also some with appropriate models – this locomotive can thus continue as a testimonial to the beginning of the RhB.
This is a model of the RhB “Rhätia” steam locomotive, the first locomotive of the Rhaetian Railroad. This is a finely detailed model in heavy metal construction with many separately applied details. All of the driving wheels are driven with side rods by a powerful ball bearing motor. The cab doors and the smoke box door can be opened. The cab has complete interior details. The green/black paint scheme and lettering are prototypical for Era VI, just as the locomotive was in use in 2014. The locomotive has an mfx/DCC decoder with many light and sound functions such as headlights, cab lighting, running sounds, a whistle activated by a reed switch, and much more. The rear coupler can be operated by remote control in digital operation. The running sounds also work in analog operation. The locomotive has a built-in smoke generator with steam exhaust synchronized to the wheels, as well as cylinder steam, steam at the exhaust for the vacuum brakes, and steam exhaust at the whistle, when it is activated. Length over the buffers 35 cm / 13-3/4″.
