Associazione Ferrovie Siciliane

SAFER

The “Truman” show !

Available since 2009 July the model of

Class D 143 FS shunter made by SAFER

Let’s have a look !

by Roberto Copia

(Socio AFS)

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Marketed in July 2009, , this model diesel "heavy" shunter locomotive of the D. 143 ( “Truman”) class, is produced by SAFER in H0 scale.

Thanks to SAFER people’s kindness, we found ourselves among the first privileged who have seen and touched this "day-to-day" , long awaited model.

Of the model loco there exist two versions, the first dating to the 4^th epoch (art. No. 2038, D. 143. 3043, described here) and the second dating to the 5^th epoch (art. no. 2039, D. 143. 3017).

The packaging consists of a cardboard box with a clear window bearing the firm logo.

The first impression we get, on opening the box, is definitely good; the Truman is quite heavy (it weighs about 360 grams / 0.80 pounds ). Our shunter loco is in real 1/87 scale (152.2 mm / 4.8 in. long), case and chassis are made of plastic; handrails, platforms and other details are made of metal.

The main colors (the classic FS shunters’ hull’s green, the horizontal stripes’ yellow and the nose’s red) are in the correct shade, well painted, including several service writings.

An Igarashi 3-pole and double universal-joint type engine, with transmission and electric contacts on all wheels, and the weight give the model a remarkable traction force and an excellent driving stability, without any stop when running along isolated point’s parts.

The model travels easily through curves with a minimum radius of 360 mm / 14 in. The test we conducted on the helicoidal track at our disposal didn’t let any problem out. We only found out a little nasty engine noise (totally acceptable!), which reminds us that the prototypical loco was very noisy too.

The loco has no lighting and no socket for a DCC decoder. This way the manufacturer has been able to limit the final price (€ 124.00 ), which - according to us - is reasonable.

Less acceptable, but certainly to all the shunter’s front part advantage, the choice of equipping the loco with fixed hook coupling instead of kinematic short coupling (NEM).

In conclusion, the SAFER model is ready to operate on our tracks, shunting trains in and out of the model ferries that AFS members are busily making for the next scheduled events.