BR159 CargoNet from Sudexpress

Introduction

Sudexpress have created several models of the BR159 in the past, for example in a Green Cargo livery. The BR159 is an EuroDual from Stadler. I was actually tempted to buy the model in the Green Cargo livery as I have some Green Cargo wagons, but I decided against it as I haven't seen that livery in real life. I am actually glad that I didn't buy the Green Cargo livery, since that ment I could afford the CargoNet livery! And the CargoNet livery is actaully one I have seen in real life as you can see from the above picture.

I preordered the CargoNet livery from NMJ in february and it got delivered in may. The product I ordered from NMJ was named "CargoNet EuroDual ED9004, DCC m/ Lyd". The interesting thing is that the SKU for the model I ordered is SED90041. That is the DC version of the locomotive. So the product I actually got was the analog version of the locomotive with a DCC decoder fitted by NMJ or a partner.

Why did I get the analog version with a DCC decoder fitted afterwards? The reason for that is that I did not want motorized pantographs on my model, since I am unsure how well those will work with catenary heights and because I honestly belive the additonal cost isn't worth it.

Why did NMJ or a partner have to add the deocer in? The reason is that Sudexpress doesn't offer a DCC edition of the locomotive. The versions they offer are DC, DCC premium, AC, AC Digital and AC Digital premium. Premum editons always comes with the motorized pantographs.

Unboxing the model

The model came delivered in a sturdy packaging with proper protections. The box also seems to be suitable for transporting the locomotive safely. The pacakaging seems to be similar to the one NMJ Di6 came in. Bellow is a top-down-view of the box before and after opening it.

The first thing I noticed right away was the included manual. It was actually just a QR code with a download link as you can see from the picture bellow.

I personally think thats great! There is no use for a manual on paper for me and the manuals I have just ends up stored in the box in my storage room. Digital manuals in the PDF format is actaully my preferred type of manual, as I always download the manuals for the locomitives I own. There have actually been several times where I have had to take pictures of the physical manual in the absence of a PDF one.

The model comes delivered with a parts bag containing some detail parts and spares. The NEM couplings are also delivered in that bag, as none of them are fitted from the factory. Bellow is a picture of the parts bag and the blindplug used if operated without a decoder.

There are two types of snowplows included with the model, one suitable for NEM couplings and one suitable for display models. Both ends of the locomotive are fitted with the snowplow suitable for the NEM couplings from the factory, which is the left snowplow in the bellow picture.

The only additional parts I decided to fit was the couplings in both ends. After all, whats the point in having a cargo locomotive without being able to haul cargo wagons? Bellow is a picture of what the locomotive looked like before and after fitting the coupling.

Note how the hoop of the coupling is slightly elevated. The hoop is supposed to be flat, but the hoop included with the locomotive actually hits the snowplow! I am not sure if that is intentional or not. What I have observed though is that it will properly flat out when pulling wagons, so It might be that its supposed to be a decoupling mechanisme.

Pictures of the prototype

BR159 is a locomtive I have seen several times in real-life. The running number on the model is 9004 (BR159.004). I know for sure that I have seen 9001, 9002 and 9003, but I am actually unsure if I have seen 9004. I have some pictures that might have been 9004, but the side of the train is so dirty that I am unable to tell. It should be mentioned that the pictures I have of 9001, 9002 and 9003 all have the text 159.00n in front of them. The locomtive in the picture bellow does not have it, so that might actually be 9004.

But enough talk about what I have seen or not. Lets start by comparing the front of the model with the front of the truescale one.

I have to say one thing right away when comparing the front. I am impressed. There are only minor discrepancies that isn't noticable unless you try to hard:

• The windshield wiper on the model is placed too much right compared to the real model.
• The white box bellow the handrails on the window are missing a red line.

None of the above is of any importance and it would be unfair to judge the model too harshly just because of the mentioned differences. I would by far say that this model is true to its prototype in terms of detaling in the front. Note that the one white handle that is missing on 9003 is in place on the other locomotives I have seen, so it have probably just fell off. Note that the 9001 and 9002 have that handle in a black color.

Lets have a look at the side of the locomotive. I unfortunately only have pictures of one side of the locomotive. Note the shunting lights on the prototype.

The only minor difference I am able to spot is the ELP logo. That difference is however realistic as I am here comparing 9001 to 9004. 9004 probably doesn't have that logo. So I would again say that this model is true to its prototype.

The prototype have lights in the engine room. That is actaully something the model also have! I do have a picture showing the engine lights on the prototype. So let's do a comparison!

The light is as you can see in the correct position, but it has the wrong color. The light on the model have the yellow light you typically find in incadescent bulbs, while the white color in the prototype is typically found in LEDs or xenon lights. Could be though that the light source is different on the 9004 and it could also be that they have swapped the light source on the prototype.

Programming the decoder

Those of you who have read my articles in the past know that I always reprogram the lights of my decoders and adjust the volume using JMRI. The decoder in the model is a Loksound 5 from ESU. I have at the time of writing this article reduced the master volume from 192 down to 128. The faded volume is adjusted from 64 to 32. I personally think that the volume is a little bit too high for my liking, so I might have to finetune it in the future.

The way the programming of the lights work is actaully a bit disapointing. The front lights can be reprogrammed to work independently from the direction of travel, but the red tail lights and high-beam can't! That makes it difficult to program the lights to work independently of traveling direction. Another thing that adds to that is that a sound function will have to be unmapped to free a function slot for the additional light controll.

That actaully annoyed me a bit, but I luckily found out that it wasn't that bad after all. Thats because activating the shunting mode of the decoder also changes the lights to shunting ligts! So that means that I simply turn on shunting mode whenever I want to reverse with white lights in all directions.

It would still be nice to be able to controll more lights independently of travel direction, but I honestly belive that the lights are hard-wired in a way that makes that impossible. And that could be the result of decoder limitations.

First run

The first test run went great. There where no issues and the locomotive just worked. The locomotices comes with an condensator pre-installed from the factory just like the Di6 from NMJ did. The BR159 is a long locomotive. Its almost the same length as my Y1! You would think that shuch a model would have problems in tight curves, but I have so far not seen any problems. The model takes R2 curves perfectly fine. Should be mentioned though that I haven't been able to test it in any of the clubs I am a member of at the time of writing this article.

This locomotive have a ton of features. You can have the driving sound switch between disel and electric. What you have to do to go electric is to activate function F9 or F10 first, then function F4. Fucnction F4 can also be used to mute the sound if F9 or F10 isn't activated.

Function F9 and F10 controlls the pantographs on the premium model. That means that you wil be unable to use the electric sound without elevating the pantograph on the model! That might be something that can be changed with programming, but what function slot will you be using for the pantographs then?

That factor is for me a reason to drop the motorized pantograph as mentioned in the introduction. It isn't realistic to drive with the pantographs down in real life, but remember that there are scenarios in the model railroad world that requires you to drive with the pantographs down. Both model railroad clubs I drive my models in have tunnels where the clearance is way too low to safely drive with the pantograph up. I could off course always go disel on those layouts, but whats the fun in that?

Also remember that some model railroad layouts have bad catenary that might damage your pantograph if its up. That is a prime example of when you would want to drive with the pantograph down in the model railroad world.

The disel engine can be started with function F1. The electric one takes precedence over the disel one, so the electric must be switched off to be able to use the disel one. Turning off function F4 while keeping function F9 or F10 on will allow you to drive with the pantograph up while driving on disel.

Another thing I tested during the first run was the lights. They can't be programmed to work independently of travel direction as mentioned previously, but there are quite a feature set that can be used.

• Directionaly dependent white lights.
• Directionaly dependent red tail lights.
• Directionlay dependent high beam white lights.
• Directionaly dependent cab and engine room lights.
• Shunting lights (white lights in both directions).

Bellow are some pictures of what the different light settings looks like. The upper left image shows the high beam lights. Those are the ones used in both directions when shunting as you can see from the side image of the prototype above. It's also used when driving in the forward direction normaly. The upper right image shows the high beam lights. The lower left image shows the tail lights, which is really only used when the locomotive is operated without any wagons. The lower right shows the cab lights. The engine room lights are show in the side view of the model above.

There are two fans on the top of the model. They can actually be turned on and off as you desire! Be aware though that they make a hissing sound when turned on. Bellow is a picture of the fans.

Final thoughts

This model is at the writing of this article by far the greatest model in my collection. The Di6 from NMJ comes close, but I will say that BR159 is better. The model is an expensive one, but I personally think its worth the money when you drop the motorized pantograph. This model is defintely a high-end model to a high-end price. Collector models would off course be more expensive, so I would say that this model falls within a price range of locomotives you would actaully operate.