Opnions on a LGB 2073 Eurovapor U class 0-6-2

artfull dodger

artfull dodger

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I have been shopping for what I will use as the "big" engine on my garden line. Would love to find a Cambria 0-6-0 with the red valve motion, but those are about as rare as hens teeth lately. I do have an affinity for earlier LGB motive power and found a nice yellow box era 2073 green 0-6-2 U class locomotive. I know this one went to a Swiss museum in 1970, according to my old LGB catalog, but I like the green/red paint scheme as I think it compliments the Stainz locomotive colors. Anybody have this model and can give a review on it, how well it handles rough track and R1 curves. Thanks in advance. Mike
 
depends on how early-
overall they track fine and run great but see my lower comment
the really earlly ones dont have pick up skids , which i think helps, the really eraly ones also have a unique LGB style coupler which cannot be made into mirror image couplers (hook on each loop) this can be importnat on rough track , as i often use this on certain cars and locos

i think as i recall too, they had an issue with the trailing truck, not sprung as i recall and therefore it didnt track as well

the other thing, personally, i dont care for about the older versions generally, but its not a big deal, is the clamshell motor block
if you get an old one you will need to take it open and re-lube-not a huge hurdle, but a much bigger endeavor than the later d shells
and really old parts can be harder to find is you need them-some of the original atyle screw on wheels are getting very scarce

i also prefer the later ones with 5v lights and smoke-just cos i like these features as well as headlight lens personally

the upside is that the old ones have metal drive assemblies which may be more robust than the later plastic ones

the early quality was great-as was the green livery
price is everything i think, if you can get one cheap in great condition i thinkyoull indeed be pleased, no matter
 
One I am looking at lacks the yellow striping on the sides of the tank, so I suspect its an early one. I dont mind the added maintance of the older clamshell gear boxes. I only run single hooks on my line without any issues, so the track isnt to rough I guess. I would like one with the screw on wheels but with the yellow strips, but those seem to exceed my funding. Looking to spend around $200 US dollers on one. Mike
 
artfull dodger said:
Here is a link to the one I am considering buying. Mike
http://www.ebay.com/itm/230850973304?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Or this one, although thier shipping price is a bit high.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LGB-2073D-G...547059?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2574cf8533
Click to expand...
IMHO the second, red boxed, version is the better one as it has the later, and still current type of coupling, pickups on the rear truck (lacking on the earlier ones and replaced by a skate on the last runs of U class) and the photo of the underside shows very little evidence of use
 
The first one has the best cab of all three versions. These ones had a cab with internal bunker, but more accurate height. Later models without the rear bunker had the cab raised to match the coaches. The ones with a rear bunker also had a lower cab, but I think this was too low, and not in proportion with some of the other compromises in scale. My favorite, I'd definitely go for the earlier one for that reason, if price and condition were right. My late 2006 one runs and tracks well, if looking a little dated in body detail.
 
The 1990s up to present versions although running better have a very week plastic valve gear design which is easily broken and now spares are hard to get and expensive if you can find some.
 
I bought one of these in the late '70s and, not knowing about clamshell motors and the need for lubrication, the gear train wore out (ah, where was this forum when we needed it in 1992?). I should have been warned by the characteristic growling sound it made at the outset. I have since remounted the body on a spare, more modern, U class chassis and all is well. I never found, however, any problem with tracking R1 points and reverse curves with the original running gear.

Particularly recommended on aesthetic (and other) grounds is putting it to a rake of the 2 axle green and cream Austrian verandah-ended stock, or the green RWE bogie verandahs...

Graham H
 
The 2073 looks like the 1973 model, without a smoke unit and retailed in Germany at 225DM. 2073D (dampf) was 245DM. I had a black one without the skates, and with plastic rear pony wheels; ran like clockwork for many years;- sold it about 10 years ago, and at the time was still giving good service. Alyn
 
I have 6, - 1 black, 3 green - one of those with yellow lining and 2 grey.
All mine run through R1 points and "S" bends in either direction without the slightest problem. They are one of my favourite loco types.
The most vulnerable part is the smoke unit, they rarely last long I find. One of my plastic valve gear versions snapped a rod, I much prefer the early metal rods.
The oldest and most used one has only one remaining sprung pick-up on a driver but because of the pick-ups on the trailing bogie it still runs faultlessly.
Don't buy one if you want a speed merchant, they are "sedate" ie run at scale speeds.
I love 'em.
 
The advantage of the early U class over most other early LGB locos (Stainz etc) is that on the U you don't have to completely disassemble the chassis and motion to get at the motor - just take the body off, remove the four sideways screws that secure the black cover plate, then simply lift the motor out. This makes re-lubricating and/or motor replacement (and DCC chipping, if you wish) a doddle - just be careful that you set the wheel quartering correctly when you drop the motor back in.

Here's a couple of pics of me taking my early Eurovapor apart to DCC chip it with a Massoth LS sound decoder:

be59d1ed494a4e81adb9d6260ba25ed2.jpg


901733ca1d5c4bd185c0c20ff77827ec.jpg


The decoder wiring was very simple - the green and yellow leads are soldered directly to the motor terminals, and the brass contact strips that used to press on to the motor terminals have been cut away with snips; the power feed now comes through the brown and white leads, which are directly connected to the brass bus bars that used to feed the lighting, just in front of the cab.

The blue and red wires coming up through the cab floor are the original feeds from the rear pony truck wheel pickups, that are soldered to the bus bars.

Jon.
 
pghewett said:
I bought one of these in the late '70s and, not knowing about clamshell motors and the need for lubrication, the gear train wore out (ah, where was this forum when we needed it in 1992?). I should have been warned by the characteristic growling sound it made at the outset. I have since remounted the body on a spare, more modern, U class chassis and all is well. I never found, however, any problem with tracking R1 points and reverse curves with the original running gear.
..........

Graham H
Click to expand...

My old green one growled too, until I reset the quartering... it was one tooth out, not enough to stop it dead but enough to give it trouble...

Jon.
 
Thanks for the info guys, I plan to go for the yellow box one. I can always upgrade her to a metal wheel pony truck with power pickups. I see the parts on ebay here once and awhile. I hear you on the fragile valve motion on the later models. My Stainz is a later model with the plastic valve gear, better looking since its the Allen straight link motion of the prototype, but one must watch how he/she grabs the lok off the layout to avoid snapping a rod. I have repaired those rods before on a customers Spreewald by using a thin piece of sheet brass on the backside of the rod, and 2 small brass pins, using epoxy to lock it all back together. Allowing it to dry for a couple of days before reassembling the engine. Dont need speed queens on my layout, I prefer just watching a passenger train run sedatly around the loop while sipping tea. Mike
 
i agree with neil -the second is the better one to buy-imho, condition, and being newer
and you wont need to screw with pick ups , metal wheels , etc -youll easily pay 2-3 times the difference between the 2 locos youve mentioned for the parts and postage etc
id pay the extra post in a heartbeat
 
stevedenver said:
i agree with neil -the second is the better one to buy-imho, condition, and being newer
and you wont need to screw with pick ups , metal wheels , etc -youll easily pay 2-3 times the difference between the 2 locos youve mentioned for the parts and postage etc
id pay the extra post in a heartbeat
Click to expand...

Yep, I would definitely "third" that suggestion - the second (red box) one is exactly the model that I have, it looks immaculate and would be a much better proposition - plus it looks nicer (IMHO) with the yellow lining!

Note that both of them have the metal valvegear and motion, plus the small-diameter lensless headlamps with the screw-in 19v yellow bulbs.
Jon.
 
I've got one yellow box U-Class picked up a few years at a Sussex G-Scale Society meet:

d89f19a4903c4d78bc430a7e9fb0df3d.jpg


Soon after purchasing the loco passed it over to the late (and still sorely missed) John Powers of Hobbybahn who gave the loco a good going over and installed a Massoth sound decoder. Runs like a dream.

Even took the loco and some coaches to Stockers to run on the Isle of Oxney a couple of years ago.....

97fb8b9429d645b7bb99ee2cb2969def.jpg
 
I like those pics Keith. Very nice! I am leaning toward the yellow box one at the moment as he will sell and ship for the price i want to pay if it doesnt sell on ebay, which it appears it isnt going to. I emailed the other seller an offer on thier red box version with the striping, I can live without the striping and could always get it added later if I really wanted it. I also plan to light up the upper covered lantern. Almost all the pics I see of the real U class have tripple headlights, not sure why LGB never did this on the models. I have seen several guys that have added the upper lantern or lighted the one on the green 2073. Cheers Mike
 
I like those pics Keith. Very nice! I am leaning toward the yellow box one at the moment as he will sell and ship for the price i want to pay if it doesnt sell on ebay, which it appears it isnt going to. I emailed the other seller an offer on thier red box version with the striping, I can live without the striping and could always get it added later if I really wanted it. I also plan to light up the upper covered lantern. Almost all the pics I see of the real U class have tripple headlights, not sure why LGB never did this on the models. I have seen several guys that have added the upper lantern or lighted the one on the green 2073. Cheers Mike
 
@artfulldodger - triple headlights would be right for 298.14, which spent its most recent years in green on the Waldenburgbahn in Switzerland, where 3 headlights are mandatory, two would do for Austrian schlamperei...
 
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