LGB 21480

Although a quite powerful locomotive for operation on the Saxon narrow gauge lines in the Erzgebirge Region was available with the VI K with its five coupled driving wheel- sets, there continued to be a demand for an even more powerful design. The German State Railroad management in Dresden thus managed to purchase a standard design locomotive for 750 mm / 30 inch gauge. Thirty-two loco- motives of the DRG class 99.73 – 76 were thus delivered between 1928 and 1933. They were soon designated colloquially as “Saxon VII K” even if this designation was incorrect, since the units were purchased by the DRG, not the Saxon State Railways. These 600 horsepower, 57 metric ton, and 30 km/h / 19 mph fast locomotives fulfilled all expectations and were used on many narrow gauge lines in Saxony. Another 26 locomotives in a somewhat more modern version were ordered by the DR between 1952 and 1956. Several of these locomotives are still currently in use on museum railroads in Saxony, including the Zittau Narrow Gauge Railroad, where the prototype of the LGB model, road number 99 731, is based.

Highlights;

• Completely new tooling with many separately applied details.
• This is a model of a DR class 99.73 (also called VII K) narrow gauge steam locomotive. The paint and lettering are prototypical for Era VI as a museum locomotive, road number 99 731, as it currently looks in use on the SOEG.
• Two powerful Bühler motors with ball bearings drive the wheel sets.
• Traction tires.
• The locomotive has an mfx/DCC decoder with many light and sound functions, such as headlights that change over with the direction of travel, firebox lighting, cab lighting, running sounds, a whistle and much more.
• The locomotive has a built-in smoke generator with steam exhaust synchronized to the wheels as well as cylinder steam.
• The locomotive has many separately applied details including cab doors and a smoke box door that can be opened.

Length over the buffers 51 cm / 20-1/16“.