“Swiss small scale locos HGem2/2”. Yet another rabbit hole to disappear down into, that’s what I muttered to my self as I came across yet another Flickr library whilst looking for something else! You may ask why this and not say a whole range of other locos, but something just grabbed me about its simplicity and strange beauty. Yes it’s not going to be everyones cup of tea and I have had the same feeling about many of the modern freight locomotives introduced into this country in the last decade. But one of the factors that draws me in is the notion that this would not be “too” difficult to reproduce in model form. Well that’s what I have in my head, along with a bunch of 3D printer reviews and photo-etching blog posts.

The bonus to this particular Swiss loco is that I have found some rather comprehensive dimensional drawings. Which is usually the hardest things to come by. With a wheelbase of 4250mm it would seem to me that it might fit on one of the Kato motorised chassis 11-103, just. And unless I have monetised it in a previous cull I have a feeling that there is one in the bits box that I got in Porthmadog many years ago.

It would seem that the builders definitely followed the KISS mantra for this design and I am guessing that the operations for these Swiss made HGem2/2’s are relatively light weight and seem to be used purely for MOW duties, although I maybe completely wrong. There are a few shots of multiple locos lined up due for delivery to other lines and so they are not exclusively built for TPC.

Finally some pics of the loco in the wild with the TPC and some pondering about construction.

https://hiveminer.com/User/ChristopheBerthoud/Recent

HGem2/2 Loco TPC HGem2/2

Until next time..