Liebherr A900C ZW Wheeled Excavator
Presented here is the limited edition 1:50th scale Liebherr A900C ZW "Road/Rail" wheeled excavator from NZG in the ETF (Eurovia Travaux Ferroviaires) company livery. Formally known as the Vossloh Infrastructure Services, Eurovia aquired Vossloh in 2008 and the new subsidiary became known as ETF, specialising in the construction and maintenance of high speed rail links and the building and maintenance of urban metro and tram networks.
The detail level is amazing for a model so small with the new body casting showing all the detail of the real machine, right down to the double cab doors and all the warning & working lights. The cab is highly detailed with a fully reproduced interior featuring 2 seats, handrails, mirrors and internal controls.
The outriggers operate and have pivoting pads along with hydraulically operated rail wheels that can be lowered to engage with the section of track. The cylinders are stiff enough to keep the model raised on the pads or track rollers.
The steering is functional and the tread pattern on the tyres is different on the outer wheels to the inner wheels like the real machine, which is another nice addition.
The boom is fully functional and is finished with hydraulic pipework. Even the rivets used to join the boom sections have been touched up. The offset boom tilts both left and right and the model is supplied with both a tilting grading bucket and clamshell grab which are finished in a matching white colour.
The bucket is removable from the stick by removing the 2 pins. Spare pins were provided in the box along with a piece of railway track with metal rails. The track has 2 lugs allowing it to be connected to other pieces of track if required to form an interesting diorama.
The markings and paintwork are fantastic on the model with the ETF logos printed on the body and boom and the red and blue stripe running around the body, complete with a red and white chevron safety strip across the counterweight. The Liebherr A900C ZW is the latest addition to the rapidly expanding VINCI Group model collection.
