After looking online (http://www.piko.de/produkt_db/check.php?page=detail&grand_id=6&parent_id=4&child_id=0&id=35200) I cannot see any relation to piko track and lego (http://www.ngltc.org/Train_Depot/) (http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=2735) is it the wrong pic of the wrong track or are people just spreading rumors, the piko track looks really no differnt than aristo (
(http://www.aristocraft.com/catalog/track/images/straight3.jpg)
)
I’ve seen Piko track, to me it looked identical to LGB.
mark Dash… said:
After looking online (http://www.piko.de/produkt_db/check.php?page=detail&grand_id=6&parent_id=4&child_id=0&id=35200) I cannot see any relation to piko track and lego (http://www.ngltc.org/Train_Depot/) (http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=2735) is it the wrong pic of the wrong track or are people just spreading rumors, the piko track looks really no differnt than aristo ((http://www.aristocraft.com/catalog/track/images/straight3.jpg)
)
That looks a lot like the piece of LGB track I’m holding in my hand. tac www.ovgrs.org
The PIKO G-Track System - G-Track for Indoors and Out
-Code 332 (0.332" high) solid rails of pure, virgin brass for
excellent electrical conductivity.
-Ties of ultra-violet stabilized HDPE (high-density polyethylene) for
decades of use outdoors.
-Unique track geometry makes even complex track plans simple to
build with only a few types of track sections.
-Compatible with most other brands of G-Scale track, such as LGB*
and Aristo-Craft*, for unlimited expansion possibilities.
From the PIKO website, they do claim the geometry is UNIQUE,
so if LGBOA gets stiffed by marklin then they go to PIKO and flood the market with track with a cheaper price in the US to get back at marklin? Win win for us in the US if that happens, wishfull thinking but slim chances happen - can you say ny giants?
Victor I have had the LGB and Piko track sise by side. The crossties of the Piko track are definitely different than Lehmann’s. I was told that the rail comes from the same factory for both.
LAO
John Joseph Sauer said:JJ
I still don't understand the negative comments about the Piko track system since none of you apparently own any of the track.
I didn’t expect you to understand unless you would have shown some talent in the track planning department in the past.
Track geometry has everything to do with how the resulting layouts come across. Use track components that have a toy like geometry and you will have a toy like layout. Simple!
But I’m painfully aware that some people have no inkling of the consequences of turnouts on which the diverging route covers a 30º arc. But it doesn’t matter, there are plenty of turnouts out there that one can use for realistic track plans.
PS BTW why would we buy track that doesn’t have the geometry we desire? That would be money out the window!
Larry Otis said:I'll take your word that the ties are physically different. The only thing that looked different to me was that the ties looked darker brown and the rails had a different hue, but for all intents and purposes they looked the same and completely interchangable.
Victor I have had the LGB and Piko track sise by side. The crossties of the Piko track are definitely different than Lehmann's. I was told that the rail comes from the same factory for both. LAO
Victor Smith said:Vic,Larry Otis said:I'll take your word that the ties are physically different. The only thing that looked different to me was that the ties looked darker brown and the rails had a different hue, but for all intents and purposes they looked the same and completely interchangable.
Victor I have had the LGB and Piko track sise by side. The crossties of the Piko track are definitely different than Lehmann's. I was told that the rail comes from the same factory for both. LAO
there have been some side by side comparisons of the track and while the rail profile is the same, the tie spacing and the look of the ties of the PIKO track is more in the SG line.
Hans, I don’t think your getting at what we are dreaming could happen if LGBoa uses PIKO in the US to “get back” at being snuffed by Marklin, The hypothesis is that LGBoa could influence PIKO to produce lines that they can agressively market in the US. Their UNIQUE track line, which resembles the LGB crap track could then be expanded include #6 switches and so on.
ps btw i’m sure there’s a prototype 30d turnout somewhere on this damn planet on some backwoods narrow gauge that would make their product viable
HJ,
as Piko has entered the fray with their ‘standard’ gauge prototype, then it is reasonable to conclude that their track would have a more standard gauge arrangement/profile as per tie spacing, etc. I believe that Piko would contend that they were not directly competing with LGB but providing a trackage system that complemented their ‘standard’ gauge locomotives. It will be interesting to see if Piko extend their range seeing as how Marklin seem to be in no hurry to rerelease any of the German standard gauge coaches not rerelease the V220 diesel and the other standard gauge electric that was planned. I feel that Piko will need to go it alone.
mark Dash.... said:
Hans, I don't think your getting at what we are dreaming could happen if LGBoa uses PIKO in the US to "get back" at being snuffed by Marklin, The hypothesis is that LGBoa could influence PIKO to produce lines that they can agressively market in the US. Their UNIQUE track line, which resembles the LGB crap track could then be expanded include #6 switches and so on.ps btw i’m sure there’s a prototype 30d turnout somewhere on this damn planet on some backwoods narrow gauge that would make their product viable
The various potential possibilities have been mulled over on the phone, in emails and in person. 
What people quite often forget is: it takes real money to design/develop/produce all that “stuff”. Add to that Dr. Wilfer being a real sharp and shrewd cookie and there are a few eventualities that would need to coincide before certain things will fall into place.
However, you could inquire with LGBoA how their USRA 0-6-0 project is coming along and what the ETA is. From what I gathered so far - reports from the Nürnberg Toy Fair - not a sign of it! I also checked the list of exhibitors, LGBoA isn’t listed. Too bad if one misses an opportunity like that if one announced in big fashion that one will produce one’s own, don’t you think?
On that prototype turnout to match the PIKO product; that’s possible, but not the point. If you intend to mix in the SG segment it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a look at the typical SG turnout configs and follow along that line. If OTOH you’re strictly targeting the TOY market then you’re on the right track (pun intended) to design a TOY geometry which saves on required components. As mentioned, it doesn’t matter to me. Generating the PIKO library was strictly an exercise to determine if one could do certain things. One can’t, end of story!
The only difference between the Piko and LGB track besides the length and radii of the track sections is the mold of the ties and the fact that the Piko rail joiners flare out slightly at the end to facilitate assembly. The ties themselves are very close in size (length, width, spacing) to LGB’s. I didn’t compare them one on top of the other, but the ties are definitely wider spaced than Aristo’s “US-profile” stuff. AMS’s code 332 track is similar.
Later,
K
Kevin Strong said:
The only difference between the Piko and LGB track besides the length and radii of the track sections is the mold of the ties and the fact that the Piko rail joiners flare out slightly at the end to facilitate assembly. The ties themselves are very close in size (length, width, spacing) to LGB's. I didn't compare them one on top of the other, but the ties are definitely wider spaced than Aristo's "US-profile" stuff. AMS's code 332 track is similar.Later,
K
SG spacing as in Euro SG spacing. 
Kevin I think what the issue is - piko designed their track system to eliminate the “odd” pieces of track required with other systems, which is fine for european modelers because they aren’t trying to make a dash9 switch at a 30d point like we are over here. and because it’s designed for shorter european engines and stock - it’s junk and not worth it for people like hans.
As for me, i’m looking at a mining or loggin line off the main line and see no problem using pikos track or switches, as Hans stated (As mentioned, it doesn’t matter to me. Generating the PIKO library was strictly an exercise to determine if one could do certain things. One can’t, end of story!) what he fails to look at is there is a sequel to that book and the story goes on for the rest of us that can take a look around, determine alternatives and hope for the best.
Of course this whole topic and thread relies on speculation, LGB is not mentioned in the Walthers/Marklin deal. So is LGBOA “burned” who knows?? will they shut down if they don’t have the lgb line to offer?? I DOUBT IT, restructure and reorganize, they still have piko, brawa, noch, emek, bridgeworks, and just plain folks. they might have to change their name - big deal, but also speculation!
What would you do if a major supplier isn’t working out for your business - you find a new one, why wouldn’t LGBoa push and prod piko for “american” items? is that so hard of a concept to grasp? yeah maybe they haven’t been ab;e to do it yet with all that’s going on, as for the USRA 0-6-0 project, what should they do, pull a bachman and release a train w/ major malfunctions??? obviously they can’t afford to have that happen with their “Flagship” introduction.
mark Dash.... said:
Kevin I think what the issue is - piko designed their track system to eliminate the "odd" pieces of track required with other systems, which is fine for european modelers because they aren't trying to make a dash9 switch at a 30d point like we are over here. and because it's designed for shorter european engines and stock - it's junk and not worth it for people like hans.As for me, i’m looking at a mining or loggin line off the main line and see no problem using pikos track or switches, as Hans stated (As mentioned, it doesn’t matter to me. Generating the PIKO library was strictly an exercise to determine if one could do certain things. One can’t, end of story!) what he fails to look at is there is a sequel to that book and the story goes on for the rest of us that can take a look around, determine alternatives and hope for the best.
Of course this whole topic and thread relies on speculation, LGB is not mentioned in the Walthers/Marklin deal. So is LGBOA “burned” who knows?? will they shut down if they don’t have the lgb line to offer?? I DOUBT IT, restructure and reorganize, they still have piko, brawa, noch, emek, bridgeworks, and just plain folks. they might have to change their name - big deal, but also speculation!
What would you do if a major supplier isn’t working out for your business - you find a new one, why wouldn’t LGBoa push and prod piko for “american” items? is that so hard of a concept to grasp? yeah maybe they haven’t been ab;e to do it yet with all that’s going on, as for the USRA 0-6-0 project, what should they do, pull a bachman and release a train w/ major malfunctions??? obviously they can’t afford to have that happen with their “Flagship” introduction.
I learned a very long time ago that one should never assume, i.e. I don’t assume what anyone wants to do with the PIKO track geometry, I determined what one can do with it and decided that it is too toy-like. When I design track plans I don’t do “toy-like”, I consider that a waste of my time.
Just like I considered working on certain makes of machines in the past a waste of my time. Answer: “Sorry, I don’t do those”. Very simple, really.
Now on that pushing and prodding PIKO, looks to me you didn’t read what I wrote or it didn’t sink in. There are one or two more people on this board who may enlighten you on the modus operandi of Dr. René Wilfer.
From what you write in regards to the LGBoA USRA 0-6-0, I get the impression that you didn’t look closely at the “mock-up” that was presented at the GR Convention in Las Vegas or you would know that the bulk of the parts came out of LGB/EPL tooling. Would that indicate that in the present situation it is “Start all over from scratch or forget it”? Hard to say, but when one has a lot of eggs in the same basket it is a bitch if the owner of the basket changes contrary to one’s expectations. Bravado press releases - as in “we’ll do our own” - don’t change that “little” detail. To put it simply, most LS consumers are from Missouri and say “Show me!”. As I mentioned before, I’m looking forward to seeing the first catalogue with LGBoA’s own product line with ETA dates for their very own product, until then it is “Show me!”.
