Large Scale Central

Piko

General Discussion
#21

Yes the Piko cars are a bit lacking in detail, but they are (usually) reasonably priced.

I have found, on some of my LGB locomotives, that removing the skates really helps with their pulling power. The skates can almost act like breaks dragging on the rails. Just an idea.

#22

mind if we revisit/continue the topic?

*back when, I began a conversion of an old LGB German loco for my eldest daughter (Caidyn 7y/o). Somehow in the move the running gear/chassis was lost…Now we have trains running and she doesn’t have “her own”. I’m thinking HLW, LGB or Piko.

I need robust gear that little hands can’t destroy…I’m considering a Tender Engine from Piko. I’m also a RC guy and wonder if anyone has done the conversion (with sound) with Batteries (non-DCC) and what sort of room is in the tender?

*is the sound outfitted loco worth the extra cost

I’d also consider the Saddle-tanker and go with a trail car if needed (battery RC as well).

thanks for the conversation!

cale

#23

Cale.

I have just this week finished an RCS battery R/C installation plus MyLocosound in the PIKO 0-6-0 tender loco. There is plenty of room in the tender once two stanchions are removed. Wiring is dead easy and there is no need to dismantle the loco to change anything.

The PIKO 0-6-0 tender loco is a beautifully made piece of European engineering. Every bit as good as LGB. Will be great for kids. I am especially impressed with the nifty loco to tender coupling. It runs superbly.

Just a pity it looks so awful.

I did take pics and will publish in a day or so. Been a bit busy lately cranking out the new RCS TX’s.

#24

I like my mogul and the inexpensive sound system works and sounds good. It has been improved over the last couple years.
I’ve encountered no power problems.
I have an open house coming up and it will get some hard usage.
We also have a member who just won a new Piko engine in a raffle and it will get a shake down run at the open house.i’ll let you know how it goes.

#25

OK, I have asked dealers, and they don’t know. Who knows for sure, definitely -

Is it pronounced Peeko, or Pieko?

Inquiring minds want to know.

#26

Lou Luczu said:

OK, I have asked dealers, and they don’t know. Who knows for sure, definitely -

Is it pronounced Peeko, or Pieko?

Inquiring minds want to know.

In German it’s “Peeko” (short “ee”), but doesn’t mean it will be the same in English. Says he who has a first name that gets regularly mangled. Precisely the reason why it is either Hans (German pronunciation) or HJ. Everyone manages HJ (no pun intended).

#27

In the UK , it’s Pie-co to avoid confusion with Peco (Pee co) the track builders .

And PIKO make some extremely good locos , and more , they are fairly adventurous when it comes to models of prototypes----the big diesel HSB shunter is a case in point .

The scales are slightly fluid ; basically around 1/32 , but the American outline , measuring their box car it comes out at 1/30 . But who’s counting ?

Not I .

Mike

#28

Mike, are you saying the PIKO mogul is smaller than the LGB?

thanks

#29

Cale , I do not have the PIKO Mogul to hand , I only buy their narrow gauge (if it’s PIKO with two buffers on , it’s standard gauge (European) which narrows my choices down a bit ).

I compared the scale in my usual model shop and the proprietor remarked that the PIKO stuff in general was , as they claim , G1 scale or around 1/30 . So I do not normally buy them except for cannibalising .

Their drive units are rather handy .

So I have no concrete answer to your question , sorry .

I am sure someone can help .

Mike

#30

There plenty of room inside the saddletankers body for batteries, and the smokedoor is easily removable

FYI

#31

Cale,

Yes the PIKO mogul is smaller. PIKO items are truly G (G - wie Gummi). While they state their G as 1:22.5 it is nowhere near it, Generally their items are in the 1:26 to 1:28 range - it all depends what parts you measure and compare.

PS Other than the NA quasi Narrow Gauge/Standard Gauge items they have only one Narrow Gauge item in the line up, 37540 “Harz Kamel” which is a German SG engine regauged for 1m track. Everything else is supposed to represent European Standard Gauge.

#32

Boomer , nicely put .

Mike

#33

Boomer,

And all of those American steamers are based on the drive they first produced for their BR80 German steam switcher.

There’s on thing to be said for PIKO: they make very frugal use of what is already on the shelf. I always thought LGB did an excellent job of that, but PIKO takes it to a new pinnacle. Which in most cases means more than the usual scale compromises.

#34

The Piko Mainline USA rolling stock did come from the old MDC molds, but it is not 1:24, its closer to 1:32. I have a few Piko and MDC cars I run with my 1:29 rolling stock and its definitely smaller.

The Piko Mogul is also smaller then the LGB Mogul. Once I saw a Piko Mogul up close, I was disappointed with the lack of detail on it. But that would make it a good candidate for a child, less to break off. It also would lend itself to detailing and kit-bashing, since you would not need to remove unwanted details, they simply aren’t there.

#35

Boomer K. said:

HJ

The BR80 as the first would make sense. I know PIKO USA is a spinoff of LGB. Not real familiar with the whole story beyond that.

NMGRR has bought some of PIKO track. It is an identical clone to LGB right down to the wood grain molded in the ties. It also matches the cross section of the rail.

…

Boomer,

There are plenty of differences when you compare the PIKO track to LGB track.

LGB track has a distinctly Narrow Gauge parentage (European Narrow Gauge), the PIKO track has much more of a European Standard Gauge appearance.

Apart from that there is a distinct difference in track geometry, along with their own system for radii e.g

R1=600mm (same as LGB and Aristo

R3 = 920mm

R5= 1240mm

Reference PIKO’s website

Again their system is based on “as few components as possible”.
What they do have in common with other C332 profile tracks out of Germany is the actual rail profile. Looks like all the mfgs use the same profile from the same producer.

#36

Doug and other PIKO owners:
I have them.
Lube them – Mobil One synthetic grease works great – cheap by comparison. The oil likewise.

Wendell

#37

Wendell, you mean they don’t have “lifetime lubrication” like Aristo used to say about Eggliners?

#38

so anyone have a comparo photo with the Piko and a Bachmann Annie in the same frame?

#39

Doug Arnold said:
Wendell, you mean they don’t have “lifetime lubrication” like Aristo used to say about Eggliners?

Doug

They used to have “life time lubrication” and then … they smartened up and only added enough lube to ensure the internal electrical pick-ups would still work as intended. They also changed some of the materials that go into the drives.

All of that happened after less than flattering reports in print and on the fora.

There were also the difficulties on many engines when DCC decoders were added, that took several weeks to sort out in order to get the expected pulling power. Unfortunately those threads/posts bit the dust when one particular German forum was upgraded to the latest and greatest software.

Summary: More instances where the consumer is the Beta-Tester.

#40

Well it looks like the scale of the PIKO lines will have me looking elsewhere. My LGB #50 and HLW Macks are keeping the kids happy and will run over this mess of a track pretty splendidly!