In the early 1990s, Lima replaced it's original, pancake motor version of the E646 and E656 with a new, improved cardan drive version. The earliest versions looked good, but the motors and gearboxes were not the best (and the gears split)- however this has gradually been improved through subsequent Lima and then Rivarossi releases. So the current Hornby / Rivarossi releases are still based on the Lima version, but have been greatly improved (lots additional detail, drivers in the cabs and good LED lights). Recently Riva have released a whole batch of E656, E655 and E646. I chose to buy the E656 and E646 in XMPR colours. The models are already a good price (145 Euros), but I waited until the Tecnomodel Black Friday sale, so got 10% off (along with the usual free postage). The reason I stick with the Lima / Riva version (rather than ACME) because it means I only need one set of spare parts (and the locos still look good)!! I have a stock of replacement gears too, so I can buy broken models off eBay and do them up (I currently 4x E646 and 3x E656- I might buy the E655 XMPR too).
The Riva XMPR E656 is numbered 250, so is part of the second batch of the 1st series. It is not push / pull fitted, so does not have the second set of red lights. I have shown it hear hauling an SBB EC90 Eurocity to Milano, which was a usual duty for these locos when still in service.
One thing I have noticed, even though the Riva E656 and 646 have exactly the same chassis and mechanism, it always seems to be the E646 that have problems! I have a recent green / grey Riva loco that quickly developed split gears (this causes poor performance and thumping noise like a wheelflat)- all fine once the gears were replaced! There is also something not 100% right with the XMPR loco- it doesn't seem to rest completely flat on the track, and the front wheel raises slightly on my super-elevation, causing it to derail sometimes on even very gentle curves (I had this on a Lima E656 before and managed to fix it, but can't remember how!). The loco also has a slight surge and wobble, even though the wheels are true. This was sorted by swapping the wheels around. So, I am "bonding" with this loco at present!!! It is seen here hauling a heavy freight.
Some of this video was filmed in the day, and some in the night, because I stopped filming to fiddle with the E646
