Joined: 20/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,300 Location: manteo, nc
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Does anyone own any Piko AC locos? If so, how's the quality of their digital versions? They seem fairly affordable which makes me curious.
Bill |
Marklin HO and Z also Hornby 00 and US 2-rail |
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Joined: 29/08/2003(UTC) Posts: 1,915 Location: Netherlands
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It is not to bad. But it is no Marklin.
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M-track with a CS2. |
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Joined: 09/08/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,919 Location: Auckland,
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My dealer won't sell them simply because he's had some customers bring them to him with faults, and he doesn't think there good quality.
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 9,278
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Mostley of them are very noising...! I have seen a steamlocomotiv testingrunning and it was not pleasant to see and hear how locomotiv was under function...!
Goofy |
H0 DCC = Digital Command Control
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Joined: 04/06/2002(UTC) Posts: 754 Location: Täby
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I bought one Piko AC loco just because of the price - 1/3 of a Märklin Hobby loco... And this loco was just for my daughter to play with anyway.
It has a very simple decoder, can't even control the lights and running is at "Delta level". But the details of the loco body are not bad at all, it looks like a standard Märklin loco. |
K-G / H0 and Z model train user |
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Joined: 20/04/2003(UTC) Posts: 2,248 Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands; Göteborg, Sverige,
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Recently a customer of mine opted for a Piko SBB AM 843 MaK G1700. Although the model looks a bit plastic and has a rather cheap can-type motor, it is equipped with LEDs. The original decoder made it run horribly, but after fitting a ESU Lokpilot (v3) it was actually quite acceptable. Not comparable to most Märklin models but alright considering its lower price. (Even including the additional costs of a new decoder) |
Sander
--- Era I(b): K.Bay.Sts.B. and K.W.St.E. |
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Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC) Posts: 15,870 Location: Gibraltar, Europe
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I have a Piko Taurus and also the Piko Desiro railcar.
The Taurus is a "Hobby" model and has rather a poor decoder, with no load regulation, but otherwise runs smoothly and quietly. I think a replacement of the decoder to a Lokpilot would be a good idea. It is comparable in price to a Marklin Hobby loco like the Traxx electrics or Hercules diesel, but is plastic bodied and doesn't run so well because of the decoder. OK as a cheap alternative to a Marklin or Roco Taurus.
The Desiro is from Piko's standard range, and has a much better decoder. It runs very nicely, has switchable interior lighting, and looks nice. If you compare it to a Marklin "Lint" railcar it does not look out of place.
Ray |
Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC) Posts: 15,446 Location: DE-NW
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I have three Hobby locos. They came with Uhlenbrock AnDi decoders and performed much like Delta locos. Headlights could be switched. Loco was prepared for a NEM connector, but decoder was soldered on.
Newer Hobby locos have a NEM connector and load regulation. Non-Hobby locos (I have none) had load regulation for some time.
The locos jump on the c-track 24649 crossing (w/o derailing) - the wheels are not fully M* compatible.
I replaced the AnDis with different decoders - and anything runs better than AnDi. With AnDi you can't even set minimum and maximum speed. As noted this only applies to old models with AnDi (which are still for sale).
A BR 101 is on its way - it should have NEM connector and load regulation. Hobby locos still have a cheaper decoder than the standard program (all Uhlenbrock decoders). |
Regards Tom --- "In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS  |
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Joined: 25/08/2008(UTC) Posts: 633 Location: Montlouis sur Loire, France
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Hi,
I owned two Piko Taurus that I converted from 3C to 2C (yes, I'm not wrong), sold the locos and kept the decoder. It's a very simple An-Di but useful for "cheap" loks that need to be converted to digital. The original loco was not bad nor noisy, In fact I think they are some kind of "best value" in the market. Of course they are not Märklins, but they cost less than a half.
Actually I own 2 Piko's SNCF 67400 diesels, and they run like a dream. They have UHL 76320 factory installed, and are smooth, powerful, pretty quiet...and very, very cheap. Of course they are not like a Märklin...but I do not expect them to be. |
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Joined: 13/02/2004(UTC) Posts: 382 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
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Variable is my experience.
In the end you do get what you pay for and entry end products help keep the hobby accessible.
The Br 92 0 10 0 tank is smooth running, metal body, good decoder and highly detailed, I think its up there.
I recently bought the 0 8 0 in SNCB loco, Hobby range, runs very well but is a bit simpler in detail.
Just my thoughts...
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Ralph HO digital ,Intellibox and 6021 |
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Joined: 06/04/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,573 Location: ,
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Exactly right Mr Berry! I have a Piko Taurus Dispolok. It runs well. I wish it had load compensation. It has no traction tires, so adhesion is nill. It is rather quiet. With the older hobby version decoder (Uhlenbrock), You must activate the headlights as you are programming the adress, or they will not function later on. For what the cost was, I have no complaints. I have a DC version Pendolino Regioswinger diesel railcar by Piko. It is a nice model. Runs wel, quietly, has dcc interface, interior lighting on at 8 volts, led head, tail lighting.
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Joined: 20/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,300 Location: manteo, nc
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Thanks for all the help! I was actually toying with the idea of a Taurus because of the attractive price. I'll have to mull it over a little more, so we'll see. Obviously you get what you pay for so I wasn't expecting too much. On the other hand, I do have some of their freight cars and have been quite satisfied with them.
Bill |
Marklin HO and Z also Hornby 00 and US 2-rail |
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Joined: 30/01/2006(UTC) Posts: 1,893 Location: Keene, NH
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,772 Location: New Zealand
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Bill, you could try a Roco Tauras, which is a bit cheaper than the Marklin equivalent (around $300 US - check www.eurolokshop.com). I have one of these Roco models, and find it to be very smooth and quiet and runs well on my M track layout. It has a metal chassis and plastic body. I'm not too sure about the plastic gears, but so far it has not given me any trouble. One of the reasons I bought it was I wanted a Tauras in DB traffic red with DB markings, which Marklin no longer produce. In fact keeping an eye on ebay revealed that 2nd hand copies of the Marklin loco were selling for around 240 euros, which is new price for some items. I paid around 180 euros for the Roco Tauras. Now, I wouldn't mind getting the Railon version, which Roco also sell.
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