Regner Mh6 & 399

Well, the best kept secret in G scale is out. Regner has now released a limited edition (101 models) of the Austrian 0-8+4 Engerth locomotives with ELECTRIC drive.
In 2007, Herr Regner released a live steam Mh6 as a special limited model for 2007 only. Price for the unbuilt kit was 2,890 €uros and it was a popular release. I wanted one, but not being a fan of live steam (dirt, grease, burnt fingers, peeling paint, etc), I let the opportunity go. I asked Herr Regner many times about the rumour of an electric version but he always grinned and shrugged. At Llanfair last year, I had the rumour confirmed and left a deposit with the UK distributer on an electric Mh6 ... but then came months of silence.

http://www.regner-dampftechnik.de/aktuelles/neuheiten2007/mh6_jahresmodell07.php

Well, the models have now arrived and are being sent out (again as kits) but I reckon (hope) they will be a nut and bolt job, the parts (hopefully) being pre-painted. One thing I didn't know at the time of ordering though, was the option of Mh6 or a standard 399, or that would have been a real dilemma. The 399 was never offered as a live steam model, so I assume that the majority of the 101 electric models will be 399's to complement the earlier Mh6 live steam version (guessing). Will Herr Regner release the 399 later on as a live steam model?

Herr Regner doesn't normally make electric steam locomotives. This has only come about apparently, due to the persistence of an Austrian Model Club who commissioned an undisclosed number of electric models, with Herr Regner rounding the number up to 101 (?)
I'm looking forward to picking my Mh6 up from Lincoln G-Ex on 28th Feb, so allow some time for pics to appear. Another member of this forum has ordered the 399, so there should be some scope for comparisons between the two different versions.

Excellent. Look forward to seeing it on this forum first.....

The new Regner catalogue is out too.
Online and interactive this tme.
Regner catalogue
It comes complete with an order form and divorce papers.

I'm confused (again) I looked through the Regner catalogue (beautiful engineering); my German is non-existant. Am I looking at live steam ? for 400-500 euros? cant be. I thought all his models were thousands!. It's probably the price of each wheel!!

Mikey

You're right Mikey you can buy the simple Regner locos, Willi, Konrad, etc.......ready built for under 500€
Reliable and fun.

This is it...........

Is that really your's Paul?

The 399 pic above is from the Regner site (link below) ....

http://www.regner-dampftechnik.de/aktuelles/aktuell/mh6_auslieferung.php

The 399 certainly looks a better model than the Mh6 and had I known there was an option, I would have had the 399 rather than the rather plain Mh6. I also have more of the correct Waldviertal stock to run with the 399 as well.

carl hibbs wrote:

Is that really your's Paul?

I wish Carl.
No, its a picture Bruce posted on GSM - presumably a pre release pic by Regner.

Tis indeed from the Regner site, of the newly released model. Herr Regner told me at Llanfair that he was making 105, with ten more to be held in reserve, though final numbers were dependent on pre-orders - I recall that he said he'd sold about 50 by that point. He was adamant that this was a one off, not to be repeated. I wasn't sure whether this had been a happy venture or not...

My 399 was supplied through Martin's Models and I am having it constructed for me (pure cowardice, I know). I should have it on 28 Feb or 1 March... pictures will follow...

MzB wrote:

The 399 pic above is from the Regner site (link below) ....

http://www.regner-dampftechnik.de/aktuelles/aktuell/mh6_auslieferung.php

The 399 certainly looks a better model than the Mh6 and had I known there was an option, I would have had the 399 rather than the rather plain Mh6. I also have more of the correct Waldviertal stock to run with the 399 as well.

Ah, but you have the support van for Mh6, Andy... and as it gets about a bit you could run almost anything with it, surely?

...I've lost the plot on this one a bit (not diificult for me these days...).

Bruce are you having an electric or live steam version?

If the latter, do you know who is actually building it in the UK. Martin himself to my knowledge does not and farms the work out. From what little I have seen it is to a very high standard and comparable to Regner themselves.

I have bought an electric version of the class 399. It is supplied as a kit, as is the live steam version. So far as I can see, Regner have just released both the live steam and the electric versions of the Mh6 and the class 399 (i.e. pre-preservation OBB version) at more or less the same time. Yes, I know that the live steam version was the 2007 Model of the Year. The video on the Regner website of the steam Mh6 is of the pre-production prototype, and from the discussion that I've half understood on the Austrian forums, I don't think the live steam production version appeared until January this year.

Carl, you're quite correct - Martin doesn't build them himself, he has a sub contractor who does this. No, I don't know his name or details, I'm afraid. He has apparently been doing this for Martin for a few years now. Martin's view was that the factory can be rather busy with orders and making models up isn't always a priority, so he now always builds (or offers to build) them here in the UK. The builder has, so Martin told me, built up a considerable expertise and, as you say, his skills are as high as those of the factory.

At least, I hope they are... !

I had a Regner Emma about 5 years ago from Martin that was made by his 'subbie' and yes the quality of assembly and fitting is high.

Things like pipe bending with no kinks or marks and solid well machined brackets for servo and receiver mountings.

Martin inspects and tries the machines before delivery or collection.

I have also had work done by Regner direct and would recommend them. They usually advise beforehand of the expected delay and I think their prices are reasonable for part assembly.

The cost of having a quality Regner kit built professionally through Martin's (or indeed Regner direct) can be cheaper than an off-the-shelf Roundhouse model. And look at the difference!

In France Regner can bought and assembled through Pascal at,
Atelier Vaporiste

We look forward to seeing this machine Bruce.

Bruce ... the Mh6 live steam model came out ages ago .... quite a few appearing on forums as photos and videos in 2007 .... or were they all the same one? AFAIK, no 399's have been made as a live steam model, although that may be a future special model.

http://www.myvideo.de/watch/1625399/Mh_6

That's what I can't weigh up, Andy. I thought the live steam version had been and gone, as you say, and Mh6 only. It's disappeared without trace from the catalogue. But the Regner link to a video of Mh6 in steam (same video as your link) takes you via the Spassbahn forum. The author states on that forum this is the hand built prototype (Handmuster). I've certainly seen photos of an Mh6 (or parts of one, with the promise of more to follow) but always at shows, never, apart from the Rgener link, on a garden line. Then I picked up this thread, which also suggests that people are still waiting for the loco in whatever variant. Though some of these Austrian forums aren't updated too regularly, and my German is far from perfect! Finally, Regner's own announcement of 2nd January this year states that the first series Mh6 is now being delivered, and at the moment they are working on kits of the 399 (propulsion unspecified). It then goes on to say that the electric versions will follow shortly, finally explaining that r/c for the steam versions is not included and will be offered separately later. I'm confused!

You may well be right and a steam batch was delivered some time ago, and I missed it. Although I knew about the steam Mh6, my interest really got kindled when rumours of the electric versions started to circulate. In any event it seems a strange and convoluted story. Still, I shall be very pleased to have an electrically driven class 399.

Well, they've arrived. A very nice model. Mine is a 399, assembled by Martin's Models. A couple of minor disappointments - one bent lamp, the front cover below the smokebox needs to come off and be re-aligned. Most fundamentally, though, it will not go backwards through curves - one part of the motion jams against the frame. Forwards is no problem... Although Herr Regner said he was going to make it go through R1s, it does not. I have a tiny section of R1 to "hold" a curve and it won't go through. Can't confirm R2 as I don't have any, but it's happy on R3.

From H&DLR public album photos

It still needs a few details. Some coal (not enough!) is supplied, as are stickers for the numbers and other text. A full set of numbers are supplied, but no OBB lettering, which is a serious omission - it is supplied as the preserved 399.03 operating without a "road name". They're also stick-on, not cast.

From H&DLR public album photos

You may guess that while I'm pleased, I'm not delighted. Electrics are very basic - no lights, smoke or anything else, although from the instructions it appears that directional lighting is available off the electrics board. It appears possible to synchronise smoke to the wheels, but the add on kit to do this is €128.

From H&DLR public album photos

Fortunately my main circuit is R3 or larger.

From H&DLR public album photos

Backhead detail is adequate...

From H&DLR public album photos

One has to say Bruce that is a beautiful looking machine. Even if it were just for show.

If Austrian was my scene I would have for sure bought a live steam version and lived in a tent.

I would be a bit disappointed with the minor details too but I hope that doesn't detract from the overall performance.

In all honesty do you think it is worth the price?

carl hibbs wrote:

One has to say Bruce that is a beautiful looking machine. Even if it were just for show.

If Austrian was my scene I would have for sure bought a live steam version and lived in a tent.

I would be a bit disappointed with the minor details too but I hope that doesn't detract from the overall performance.

In all honesty do you think it is worth the price?

If I didn't already have a live steamer, I too would have bought the live steam version, but one is enough for my line. Overall it is a fine model and runs smoothly (forwards...) and seems powerful (3 heavy bogie coaches and 5 x 4 wheelers with ease). It is solid metal, although I have no hang up about whether a model should be metal or plastic. You'd get a very detailed scale model by Kiss for similar money (bearing in mind that the Regner price is for a kit) and, dare I mention it, an awful lot of LGB loco for that price. On that basis it compares poorly with, for example, the Harz 2-10-2, although this is a very small production run by comparison. I doubt there's any other way I'd get a 399. Yes, just, for a metal limited run of a unique prototype, would be my answer, but you'd have to want a 399!

It certainly looks the part Bruce.
Sorry to hear it isn't spot on.

Good job I didn't order one.........more than half of my curves are R1 and I ain't about
to redo my whole layout for one loco.