Trix Locos - Plastic or Metal ?

Trix Locos - Plastic or Metal ?
Hi, Somebody mentioned recently that Trix produce some locos in plastic and some in metal - the body, of course, rather than the chassis. I've been thinking of buying a few of the HO models of the Bügelfalte type loco E10 and related types, and have been trying to decide between Roco and Trix. If anyone would care to offer any opinions or experiences with these I'd be very grateful. However, I'm a bit confused about the Trix model. Some dealer websites have descriptions which say that the most recent types, #22031 blue/beige, and #22032 red/beige, have metal bodies, but the description for #22030 blue/black, doesn't say one way or the other. In an attempt to find the answer I emailed two Ebay sellers in Germany about their #22030 items up for auction. Well, one of the Ebay sellers told me it was plastic and the other said it was metal ! So I emailed Gaugemaster and received a very prompt reply saying that it is indeed metal. So..... can anybody resolve my confusion ? Is it even possible that Trix have issued the self-same model in both plastic and metal ? If so, have they indicated how to tell which is which ? Many thanks in advance for any relevant information. Pete.

Hi Pete, I think I can help you out with this one, because I have a 22030. The body is definitely metal. It has this in common with all TRIX locos that are also marketed by Marklin for 3-rail AC, because of Marklin's policy of only making metal locos. This only applies to the newest models, so I can't comment on older TRIX models. Some TRIX models do not have Marklin counterparts, and therefore usually have plastic shells. The best example I can think of is the (yet to be released) TRIX model of the Swiss/Dutch TEE RAm1. HTH Tom

The Trix ICE3 also has a plastic body, but every other Trix loco I have has a metal body. They do tell you in the catalogue and on the box as they have a code system which explains which parts, e.g. body chassis, boiler is metal.

Hi there Tom, Many thanks for your information about the 22030 - really helpful. Would you be able, either on list or privately, to offer your opinion about the qualities of the model - does it run well, at low speed, does it look good, etc. ? Are you pleased with it, impressed by it ? Thanks again. Slainte Mhath ! Pete.

Pete, I'm quite happy with my 22030, even though it has the much reviled MaTrix yellow LED lights, and red tail lights that can't be turned off independently of the front lights. It looks good, and on my DCC layout it runs well. I've read on the Web that the first run of this model, including mine, came with a good but slightly dated motor, while the current run has the latest SoftDriveSinus motor which has excellent running characteristics under digital control but apparently just the opposite in analog. I can vouch for the excellent digital running characteristics of the new motor, based on my experience with my recently arrived TRIX model of the SNCF CC40100 TEE locomotive - superb! HTH Tom

because of Marklin's policy of only making metal locos. Tom hi, I wish that was true, unfortunately Marklin still do produce plastic body locomotives - and not a few. Marklin-Trix cooperative effort produces some plastic body locomotives too i.e. DXII of the Pfalzbahn. You can check the body material on Marklin website in the product database section. Regards, Cem.

Hi Cem, I think you will find that the boiler is metal, and MaTrix considers this to be a metal locomotive. John

John hi, You're right, in most products the boiler is metal but for me the icon

represents a truly metal locomotive (like Gt 2 4/4, or B VI's, or Klasse C series ...). To me "metal but boiler-only" locomotives feels like a piece of pipe fitted with plastic details. But this is me :roll: most people might think differently. Regards, Cem.

Metal feels nicer and looks better to me, but can it achieve the same level of detailing? And surely it's more expensive to produce? Oder?

Thank you Cem, I stand corrected. As you can tell, I'm not a Marklinist, and my assumption that all Marklin locos were metal is wrong. And I also agree with you that it ain't metal unless the whole icon is black. On the other hand, I think the shell material makes little difference. I have plastic shelled locos from Fleischmann and Roco that I would compare against any MaTrix product. But then, as an Era IV modeler, I don't have a lot of steam, and perhaps it makes more difference there. Tom

I think a lot of the difference in plastic and metal is in the "feel" rather than the detail. A crisp plastic model looks better than a "soapy" metal one, especially in the details. In N-gauge I have two G 8.1 (BR55) loks, one an Arnold in metal (the cab is plastic), first released around 1981, and the other a Fleischmann, circa 1995, with a plastic shell. The metal one is not as crisp, and the thick glossy paint fills in a lot of the detail. The plastic one is crisper and has better detail and paint. This is probably more a result of it being a much newer product than any inherent differences in the material. The Fleischmann motor with its nylon gears is much quieter, but the noisy metal-geared and -bodied Arnold can pull far more, so your preference can also be determined by what your are looking for in a model. More recent models, especially Minitrix, combine metal structure and plastic detailing very well. My Trix G 12 (BR58), circa 1998, with a metal boiler and plastic detailing looks beautiful. With its Faulhaber coreless motor it also runs smoothly, quietly and slowly, and the combination gives it great pulling power.

On the other hand, I think the shell material makes little difference. I have plastic shelled locos from Fleischmann and Roco that I would compare against any MaTrix product. But then, as an Era IV modeler, I don't have a lot of steam, and perhaps it makes more difference there. Tom Hi again, Tom, I have many locos from other manufacturers than MaTrix namely Roco and Rivarossi. Many of them have the opposite approach; plastic body and metal detailing. Just great - I love them! Although I prefer full-metal-jacket, i'm not really very conservative on the issue. Having said that, I think you will agree with me that even for era IV or V full metal locos like from Hag do feel different. And one final remark; use of plastic parts in detail is absolutely necessary to achieve a higher degree of realism which I never object :D As Bill put it correctly me too tend to evaluate the models as per their production date. A soapy Hag produced 30 years ago still gives me a thrill. Best regards, Cem.

Bill and Cem, You make an interesting point about the feel of metal vs plastic locos, but I think what we need is a Pepsi challenge (did you ever have such a thing in Turkey, Cem?). What I mean by that is a blind test. If I gave you a metal loco in one hand and a plastic model of the same loco in the other, could you tell the difference? I don't think I could. But as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that's just as it should be! I will keep on buying any loco I like regardless of materials or place of origin, and I encourage everyone else to do the same. Cheers Tom

Hi there Neil, Thanks for your reply - it confirms the information I received from Gaugemaster. Very helpful. Do your Trix metal models perform well ? Would you recommend them - in preference to other makes ? Thanks again. Cheers. Pete. Hi Pete, ciamar a tha thu? Trix are one of my favourite brands. I personally prefer the metal bodies although there are those who do not. It gives robustness and added weight for traction. I think there performance is excellent in terms of running. I do have to say that there is the odd model which could have been done better such as the Henschel Wegman train but in general I would buy Trix in preference to most other brands. However they are not as good as more expensive brands such as Brawa. Sliante Neil

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