Ive already pointed out items such as the brass gears/enclosed gearboxes as the higher looking detail as you have said yourself "I am sure that the Voith model raises the bar in terms of fidelity and it must be a superb model."


Please note that this is not an agreement that the cost of the Voith model is justified as both models raise the bar and both are superb however one product carries the burden of a considerably higher price tag with little visible justification.

If I recall some of the noisiest models that I have encountered used brass gears and enclosed geardrives have been the norm for many years, there is nothing special about these features.

Unfortunately this model is merely one example of an endemic rise in prices which do not seem to be justified and I doubt that the hobby will be able to survive in its present state with models accessible to the average enthusiast. The decline in German retail model railway outlets and the multiple failures of famous manufacturers might suggest a problem exists, unless of course, the original problem was over capacity chasing a declining market?