A review of Trix's Bavarian DXI

Please note that this review is my own personal opinion.

Author: John Oxlade, Salfords, Surrey, United Kingdom (email: )

The model is available in 3 versions (as well as in sets):

Brief information on the prototype

• With 139 examples, the DXI was the largest class of branchline locomotive the K.Bay.Sts.B. had.
• K.Bay.Sts.B. number 1991, built by Krauss was the first, but several of the batches were built by Maffei.
• 98 507 is preserved outside Ingolstadt station, but rumour has it that it will be returned to working order.

Appearance of the model

• Overall, the model's appearance is excellent, and is one of the better ready-to-run models on the market.
• The proportions of the model look right compared to photographs of the prototype.
• I personally think that the black paintwork (on the DRG version) is too shiny, but other than that, the finish is excellent.
• It has NEM pockets at both ends, but they are not on close coupling mechanisms.
• The wheels are blackened and reasonably fine, and run OK on code 75 track.
• Most of the cab is clear, but there is no interior detail.

Accuracy

• Converting the prototype measurements to 1:87 (HO scale), there is a slight discrepancy in the overall wheelbase (2mm too long), but otherwise, it is a very accurate scale model. Details obtained from a review in eisenbahn Modellbahn magazin, December 1990

Running properties

• The model runs reasonably well, but the motor is rather noisy - this seems to be common with Trix locos. sb modellbau make a Faulhaber re-motoring kit for the DXI, but it isn't cheap.

Overall impressions

• They're not exactly cheap (about £125 each), but it is a very nice little locomotive.
• Compares very well with photographs of the prototype. Put another way, it looks right.
• If you have a model of a Bavarian branchline, you shouldn't be without one, from a purely statistical point of view, you should have more DXI's than Fleischmann GtL ⁴/₄'s.

[ last updated 31st Dec 2003 ]