Greenmax 4709 Multiple Tie Tamper 09-16 Plasser & Theurer (w/Motor)

[Railwaygun]

RSN from Osbornes (8/8)

http://www.osbornsmodels.com/greenmax-4709-multiple-tie-tamper-09-16-plasser--theurer-pure-color-wmotor-39875-p.asp

[msr]

There are some interesting reviews and comments on the JNS Forum:
http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/11794-quality-issues-greenmax-plasser-theurer-tie-tamper/

[njee20]

Looks excellent, shame about the issues mentioned on JNS. Vastly cheaper from Hobby Search too, even factoring in risk of getting stung for customs fees.

[Ben A]

Looks excellent, shame about the issues mentioned on JNS. Vastly cheaper from Hobby Search too, even factoring in risk of getting stung for customs fees.

Hi Nigel,

Mine would've cost around £65 when I placed the order, but when they charged my card a fortnight ago it was nearer £90.  Shipping and import duty took the total to around £135.  So cheaper, but not vastly so.

Cheers

Ben A.

[njee20]

Ouch, the joys of plummeting sterling!

[Ben A]

Ouch, the joys of plummeting sterling!

Ouch indeed!  Though one did recently go for £180 on eBay...

Cheers

Ben A.

[Snowwolflair]

I'm afraid it looks too plastic and toyish.  Having seen one I almost expect it to be a transformer model, its of the same cheap quality.

Absolute shame.

Anyway for anyone disappointed and prepared to do a bit of work this is a much better bet, and its UK prototypical.



http://www.modernimagemodels.co.uk/page5.html

[Claude Dreyfus]

Not run mine as yet, so cannot comment on running qualities, but it cost me a total of £130.00 including VAT/Parcelfarce fees etc.

[Railwaygun]

DM-toys are doing DCC fitted versions

https://www.en.dm-toys.de/newsletter.211/items/newslettere319.html

[njee20]

Sadly, the consensus on this seems to be that it's a pretty inadequate model.

The MIM one looks good often hovered over the buy button on one! Just need David to finish his degree and get back to modelling!

[msr]

Mine looks good, runs well, and I have had no problems with it. If you buy from a UK/EU outlet then you will find the returns business much easier to handle, unless you can communicate in Japanese.

However, I would not personally find the fitting of DCC to this unit an easy task and so the DM-Toys facility is well worth considering.

[njee20]

If you buy from a UK/EU outlet then you will find the returns business much easier to handle, unless you can communicate in Japanese.

Yep, because English is the first language of all of the EU, and there are no language barriers there, whilst no one in Japan speaks English... 

The only potential difference is that some postal services are cheaper to the EU than to Japan. Big meh from me!

It's a reason to buy from a bricks and mortar shop, but IMO once you're mail ordering it's not really that different if they're in the UK, mainland Europe or Timbuktu.

[Snowwolflair]

Google translate and email, never had a problem.  Also most business Japanese under the age of 50 generally speak good English.

[Claude Dreyfus]

I am currently in conversation with Hobby Search about returning mine - straight forward enough as their English is excellent (and my Japanese is still somewhat rudimentary).

As with all things, you get your stinkers, but this particular model has had more than its share of issues. Take mine for example. The motor was so lose, it came detached. I knew there were an issue when the motorised section free-wheeled it down the rerailer. The rear bogie is fragile to say the least, and in general the overall finish of the model is inferior to other GM offerings.

Some people have been very happy with their models, but a higher percentage than normal for a Japanese model have not been.

I could try to fix it myself, but the body is so tightly secured to one end of the chassis, that to force the issue may result in damage. So I am leaving well alone.

It will be interesting to see what comes from this, but GM have had a reputational knock as a result of this. Endless delays, poor QC and a hit-and-miss end product is not something Japanese modellers are used to.

[Ben A]

Hello all,

I have been having a play with yellow version that arrived last week.

The "low gearing" that Green Max mentioned in their pre-release blurb appears to be effective as mine runs very smoothly and slowly both forward and back, but it *is* a little more basic than I was expecting in terms of the detailing and the finish for a Japanese model.

The shape looks good to me, and while it may not be of a type that runs in the UK TBH every track machine I have ever seen looks like a one-off so I can accept that it is a "plausible" model!  I may repaint it in a more suitable livery - maybe Balfour Beatty, Volker or Colas.

I am a little perplexed as to why the model has a plethora of lights that illuminate sections of the interior but does not feature working head and tail lights.

There is is a noticeable whine from the motor, and to dismantle the main car you must first remove the screw holding the unpowered bogie in position.  Once this is done the body can be unclipped and eased off.

When the body is free of the chassis it is simple to remove the clear sliding "sound baffling" panels which I have not seen on UK vehicles, however the area behind these is not detailed.  The tamping equipment is unpainted and a little rudimentary but a little paint and maybe some wire detailing would lift this considerably I feel.

There is a metal weight that sits below the roof; this can slide along and make the model hard to reassemble so ensure it is sitting correctly when you clip the parts back together.

I am pleased I got it, and I think it will be a useful basis for producing a more accurate model.

I must admit I don't know where Green Max sit in the market compared to, say, Kato or Tomix but on the basis of this I would not be in a hurry to pre-order further models.

cheers

Ben A.