Product Features and Details
120 were produced worldwide, we only have one in stock.
Prototype: The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS; Italian State Railways) Class 691 (Italian: Gruppo 691) is a class of 4-6-2 'Pacific' locomotives; they were the fastest and most powerful locomotives ever built for the Italian railways. By the end of the 1920s the FS were considering the possibility of building a new class of Pacific locomotives for mainline express duties; the existing Class 690 ones were poor steamers (because of the small firebox) and therefore not being successful (with the much lighter Class S.685 2-6-2 locomotives having the same performance as them). This class, which should have been the Class 695, would have had however a very high axle load (as much as 21 t), which would have required strengthening of the lines they were supposed to serve; as electrification was becoming more and more prominent, such an expense was considered unwarranted. Therefore, a less ambitious plan, which involved rebuilding the Class 690 locomotives (and which would have entailed a lower axle load), was approved.[1] The boiler of the Class 690 was replaced by the one fitted on the Class 746 locomotives; the trailing axle was replaced by a Bissel truck, to sustain the weight of the new, larger firebox, and a Nielebock-Knorr pre-heater was added.[2] The 33 locomotives were rebuilt, part by the FS workshops, and part by the Ernesto Breda company. Initially they would have received the same tender designed for the Class 695, but in the end an enlarged version of the standard FS bogie tender was fitted. The 691.011 scored the speed record, between the stations of Verona and Padova, for the Italian steam locomotives, with 150 kilometres per hour (93 mph). In 1939 the 691.026 was given a streamlined casing, which was unsuccessful; by 1946 the casing had already been removed.
The Italian Class 691 was a gorgeous steam locomotive, considered by many collectors to be one of the finest Pacific's ever developed. The 691 was joint venture between "Kraus Maffei" the Bavarian locomotive builder and "Breda" the Italian locomotive builder.The 691 incorporated the "Maffei's"patented four cylinder drive system making it one of the fastest Pacific's ever built. The 691 was used for heavy express service between Milan and Rome
Model: Micro Metakits class 691 is handmade in brass; it features full cab interior, functional boiler hatch with full boiler details and a brushless, ironless bell motor. This model is a masterpiece and it features too many technical and optical details to list. Model is oainted in the Italian Black and reddish brown livery.
