Zenner rollbock and 64mm wagon

idlemarvel

idlemarvel

Neither idle nor a marvel
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Having an odd mix of East German 750mm and Austrian 760mm lines, I thought I needed at least one rollbock / piggy back wagon to make a realistic goods train. I recently bought a Zenner rollbock (what they call the simple grey model, with DR lettering) and a 64mm gauge box car to ride on top, again DR, along with a Boermann draw bar to link the rollbock trolley to a standard LGB coupling.

The box car was basically a converted "Train" 45mm G scale wagon fitted with double buffers and cosmetic (non working) link and chain couplings. The trolley is made of metal with two small wheel bogies and adjustable wheel blocks. I wasn't really sure if the box car would fit but it does just with the blocks set at maximum. The trolley comes with a coupling bar to link to another trolley if you have one. Some pictures below.

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I had to file a little bit off the top and sides of the coupling bar, the part that fits into the "funnel" and has the pin inserted through it, to get it move freely around R1 bends. The way the coupling bar links to the LGB hook and loop couplings is ingenious and works very well

2017-06-23 17.07.20.jpg

The box car doesn't look quite as imposing as they seem to in pictures I have seen of the prototypes, but it is substantially taller than normal wagons. It does roll quite nicely and the trolley squeals pleasingly going around bends. I am very happy with the end result. Below being pulled by 199 031-6.

2017-06-24 12.35.59.jpg

I bought this from the Zenner web site rather than their ebay shop. It was simple to do business with them and as far as I can tell postage is included in price for goods under 2kg. The goods arrived within 3 days of payment and were shipped by UPS with full tracking and signed for delivery. Vey good service.
 
idlemarvel said:
Having an odd mix of East German 750mm and Austrian 760mm lines, I thought I needed at least one rollbock / piggy back wagon to make a realistic goods train. I recently bought a Zenner rollbock (what they call the simple grey model, with DR lettering) and a 64mm gauge box car to ride on top, again DR, along with a Boermann draw bar to link the rollbock trolley to a standard LGB coupling.

The box car was basically a converted "Train" 45mm G scale wagon fitted with double buffers and cosmetic (non working) link and chain couplings. The trolley is made of metal with two small wheel bogies and adjustable wheel blocks. I wasn't really sure if the box car would fit but it does just with the blocks set at maximum. The trolley comes with a coupling bar to link to another trolley if you have one. Some pictures below.

View attachment 224698


View attachment 224699

I had to file a little bit off the top and sides of the coupling bar, the part that fits into the "funnel" and has the pin inserted through it, to get it move freely around R1 bends. The way the coupling bar links to the LGB hook and loop couplings is ingenious and works very well

View attachment 224702

The box car doesn't look quite as imposing as they seem to in pictures I have seen of the prototypes, but it is substantially taller than normal wagons. It does roll quite nicely and the trolley squeals pleasingly going around bends. I am very happy with the end result. Below being pulled by 199 031-6.

View attachment 224701

I bought this from the Zenner web site rather than their ebay shop. It was simple to do business with them and as far as I can tell postage is included in price for goods under 2kg. The goods arrived within 3 days of payment and were shipped by UPS with full tracking and signed for delivery. Vey good service.
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Very nice, just looked at the Central links s and Zenner does not appear. Can you put link address in here please? What was the final cost as well please.
 
The box wagon is, I think, pretty much identical to the one I got from Modellbau Uwe last year, along with two of his Rollwagens and an open coal truck:
https://www.gscalecentral.net/threads/rollwagens-and-standard-gauge-loads-from-modellbau-uwe.308343/

I believe that Uwe Leibiger probably makes these for Zenner to re-sell, as Zenner are also offering the brown Rugen baggage wagon (RuKB28) which is also a Modellbau Uwe product - I bought one of those direct from Uwe, then later noticed them on Zenner's store too.....
Modellbau Uwe's own site is here: http://modellbau-uwe.de/wagons.html

I don't think that he is making these grey Rollwagens for Zenner, though - my guess is they are getting someone else to build those. Uwe's Rollwagens are considerably more expensive, but with a much higher level of detail; they are also of a composite metal and plastic construction, and a good bit longer.

Jon.
 
PaulRhB said:
View attachment 224732 There's are two versions on his web shop. Super detail £182 and basic £82.
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From what I can see, the "super detail" versions they list are the recently-released production ones from Trainline45, which are HSB types and different from the Saxon designs that Modellbau Uwe makes. I saw the new TL45 rollwagons at their store in Wernigerode in May, they are rather nice though they seem very expensive for what is a (semi) mass production item as opposed to the handbuilt alternatives.

For the price, the "basic" Zenner ones seem pretty good value - loaded with the box car it looks great in your pics, Dave - some ingenious design there, for example using CO2 "bulbs" for the air brake tanks!

Jon.

EDIT: OK, revision to the above post: for some reason those pics didn't show up in your original posting, Paul, only when I "replied" to it.... very odd!
Yes, of those two in the pics, the "super" one IS a Modellbau Uwe version, just like the ones I have.... these must be available in addition to the new TL45 ones that are also listed on Zenner's site.....
 
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How similar are any of these to that which sits at the Brocken with a tanker on it, please?
 
Hm those uwe ones look a bit like my Scratch Built ones where the wheels look a bit heigh from the Rail to the bottom of the Wagon RSJ. I feel I got it wrong but by the looks so have these guys. The Zenner ones appear to use spokes wheels again not sure this is correct either.
3 Metre Gauge ones on the Harz.
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750mm Gauge at varying locations.
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In all cases note how low slung the wagons are in relation to the Track. Also one clearly shows a bogie with sold wheels, this is what I used on my Scratch Ones.
My train of 3 with Wizzy Cranks.
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Showing how I have eroniously set the Bogies too low in my mind.
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But at least I have Solid Wheels, you win some you loose some.
JonD
 
JonD, I think you could be right about the rollwagen models perhaps not sitting quite low enough - but I wonder if it's a deliberate decision to avoid risk of the fouling on things such as lineside fittings.... or it may be down to the size of wheels that are available to the builders, I think that even the quite small (20mm or so) wheels that are used on the models are possibly still a touch oversize compared with the very tiny diameter wheels that the real wagons seem to use?

These are my Modellbau Uwe ones, as also available from Zenner: they might ride a little bit higher than the real ones, true, but I think they are close enough....

Rollwagen 87side.jpeg

....and with the open wagon loaded up....

Rollwagen loaded open.jpeg

Jon.
 
Zerogee said:
JonD, I think you could be right about the rollwagen models perhaps not sitting quite low enough - but I wonder if it's a deliberate decision to avoid risk of the fouling on things such as lineside fittings....
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Yes I think it is, the "simple" model only just misses the top of LGB point motors on inside bends, and just brushes the top of PIKO point motors which are a little higher.
And yes the wheels are spoked, but you can't see they are spoked unless you look very carefully, with your eyes at track level.
 
These would look good on those rollwagons....................And they are for sale..................Both for $500...........Magnus.
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Zerogee said:
JonD, I think you could be right about the rollwagen models perhaps not sitting quite low enough - but I wonder if it's a deliberate decision to avoid risk of the fouling on things such as lineside fittings.... or it may be down to the size of wheels that are available to the builders, I think that even the quite small (20mm or so) wheels that are used on the models are possibly still a touch oversize compared with the very tiny diameter wheels that the real wagons seem to use?
Jon.
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I used IP Engineering 16mm Insulated Wheels on my Rollwagens. Yes perhaps some compromises needed to be made to miss Point Motors etc as Dave has said. Plus access to Production wheels as well. Sometimes it is not always possible to have things just so, as I found out when looking at my own bodged ones. Never mind, I can live with the looks 'looks from a distance' rule, for mine the further away the better!
JonD
 
Ignorance again..

Those two wagons have got bogies?? - They can't be four (rigid) axles, Shirley?
 
PhilP said:
Ignorance again..

Those two wagons have got bogies?? - They can't be four (rigid) axles, Shirley?
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I think that the "real" ones would be rigids, but I'm guessing the models have a LOT of sideways movement on the two centre axles - even then I reckon they'd be restricted to pretty wide radius curves....

Oh, and don't call me Shirley.....
Jon.
 
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