Original page created on 23/12/2017; updated on 13/02/2023.
REE MB-072
DU 65 unified rail inspection car 4 5M 154.
94 g
32 mA at slipping; 150 mA motor blocked.
The dimension table shows that the dimensions are only loosely respected. But it’s still a performance to have installed a motor, a decoder, or even a speaker, in such a small space, while keeping a well cleared cab.
The front grille will require a blackening, but not the side grilles, well cut. The front buffer beam is equipped with a tulip coupling. The rear one is equipped with a NEM dovetail drawbar. There is an elongation, although of low amplitude and perhaps useless. It is not possible to mount an elongating drawbar at the front.
The exhaust pipe, painted yellow, is surely to be weathered. All handles (buffer beams, doors) are inserted. The windscreen wipers, which I first thought moulded with the windows, are inserted and very fine. Attention: we can easily hang them during handling. The windows are not so flat. There is an interior layout. Too bad that REE does not indicate how to dismantle the body to install staff.
The installation of a decoder is delicate. We must first remove the dummy circuit in a very narrow housing. The main PCB comes with the previous one: you have to be careful not to tear off the wires of the headlights that are soldered on the PCB. Finally, when putting the axle back, there is a chance of twisting the current pickup strips and therefore causing a short circuit.
In use, the motor is noisy running forward, but not backward. The single driving axle is struggling, especially since there is no three-point suspension. The car nevertheless managed to tow a wagon in level. The front white lights, whose LEDs are off-axis (they are two-coloured LEDs), are more or less visible depending on the viewing angle.
Manufactured by CIMT Lorraine, the DU 65 (Draisine Unifiée 1965) track inspection cars were delivered in three sub-series from 1966 to 1973, with the aim of replacing all the older, very disparate inspection cars.
They are equipped with a Unic diesel engine with Voith hydromechanical transmission, with railcar wheels and buffers for standardization. In addition to the standard screw coupling, they have a special tulip coupling for towing small trucks (the official SNCF term is simply remorque — trailer).
Main characteristics (1st series): power 72 kW ; max. speed 70 km/h. Capable of carrying 18 people or 1.8 t into cab, 0.7 t on the rear platform. Capable of hauling 8 to 60 t. Weight in running order: 11.2 t (source : Loco-Revue sheet).
The “M” in the registration means able to circulate in mountain area.
Photo SNCF.
Dimension | Actual | 1:87 | Model |
---|---|---|---|
Overall length | 8 330 | 95.7 | 96.3 |
Chassis length | 7 000 | 80.5 | 80.2 |
Cab length | 4 055 | 46.6 | 46.0 |
Cab width | 2 600 | 29.9 | 30.5 |
Height | 2 960 | 34.0 | 34.0 |
Wheelbase | 3 600 | 41.4 | 41.0 |
Wheel diameter | 860 | 9.9 | 9.9 |
Document available as a PDF.
If you are interested, please let me know by e-mail,
specifying the title of the document-s.
For conditions, see page
Loco-Revue documentary sheets. .
The car is delivered with a very complete historical notice presenting numerous photos in colour. This is a very good point and an example to follow for competitors.