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| Caterpillar
branded tin. |
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| On the rails. |
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| Underneath. |
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| Metal rail
wheel. |
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| Tamper tool. |
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| Opening doors. |
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| Opening panel. |
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The
Caterpillar M323F Railroad Wheeled Excavator weighs
around 23 tonnes.
It is designed for use in a railway environment,
and it can traverse along railway lines.
Packaging
The model comes in
the usual excellent packaging. There is
an outer shipping carton which contains a tin which is
protected by a nylon bag. The tin is high quality
and includes pictures and details about the real
machine.
The review model had no missing parts or defects.
A mini
catalogue of the Diecast Masters range is included.
Instruction sheets describe the fitting of the mirrors,
the operator, the included work tools, and the opening
doors. Two simple tools are included.
A number of work lights have to be fitted.
Detail
A plastic track section is included which provides a
display setting for the model in rail mode. It
would have looked better with a rougher surface to
represent track ballast.
The undercarriage
is metal with plastic side protection bars, and there
are lights at each end. The road wheels
are detailed. The rail wheels are metal and nicely modelled, and there is a support bar for use by a grab
when travelling.
The cab is plastic with a plastic mirror, beacon light
and air horns.
There is a windscreen wiper and lights are modelled
also. Inside the detail is very good with Cat on the
seat back. A standard operator figure is supplied.
The body casting has indented panels and the Cat graphics are very sharp
with the rear
lights painted. A side grille is modelled as a
clear plastic part with a grille pattern printed on, and
it looks reasonable. Detailing on top is very good with
highlighted parts.
The
two piece boom and stick connections are made by painted
rivets and they enhance the look of the model. The hydraulic hose detailing
is very good with soft hoses and connectors are detailed. The
quick connector at the end of the stick is plastic.
Three work tools are provided. The
digging bucket is a simple metal part. A picker for railway sleepers (ties) is metal
as is the tamper frame. Tiny graphics add detail.
Features
The road wheels roll well and the steering axle achieves
a reasonable angle.
The rail bogies can be raised and lowered, and the model
moves well on the track section.
The cab door opens as does the door to the passenger
compartment. A side panel also opens to gives
access to engine parts.
The model rotates well.
The boom, stick and movement of the quick connector
have a good range of movement. The model is stable on
the rails with the boom and stick at maximum extension
over the side.
The three tools give a variety of display
options. They clip on to the connector easily.
The grab rotates and has opening jaws.
Quality
This is a well made model with plastic used
appropriately.
The paint is
very good and the graphics are sharp.
Price
It is good value.
Overall
This is an excellent road rail excavator model which has
the usual high standard of presentation. It is
very functional with nice details. It would
probably be suitable on an O Gauge railway layout.
Footnotes
The model became available in December 2020.
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| The parts out
of the box. |
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| Nice body
shape. |
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| Detailed cab
with operator. |
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Nice hydraulic hoses. |
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| Profile view. |
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| Digging. |
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| Good detail on
top. |
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