My layout is analog, but the 3 newer Piko locos that I have run fine on tight curves and are nicely detailed. I also have several passenger cars that are comparable in quality to Marklin, IMO. One caveat is that it's all recent production, and the locos have all plastic shells, whereas similar Marklin locos are diecast. The old stuff from the Communist days can be very poor quality. I bought an old pre-1990 Piko SVT railcar at a train show and it's garbage. It runs when it wants to and shorts out and trips the transformer breaker when it doesn't. The detailing is non-existent and the paintwork is execrable. Thank God it was cheap.

Bottom line: New Piko, go for it. Old Piko, fuggedaboutit.

Hello
Last year i bought the BR 83 from the hobby expert line.
I wonderful locomotive, of metal and fine detailing, and of course it runs very well in my M track layout
It come with Uhlenbrock fit mfx decoderso it is recognized by the Central station
Regards

Hi!

I have several Lludmillas from Piko. I use them with Roco Universal couplers. The oversized Märklin close couplers are known to give trouble with scale models, so I don't even try that.
Recent Piko models should register automatically on the CS2 or CS3 using mfx.

LMAO.

Recently most of my loco purchases were from Piko. They have a few lemons and sometimes sell a Monday loco, but on average my Piko experience is much better than my Märklin experience.
My Piko coaches are on the level with my Märklin coaches (except that many Märklin coaches lose lengthwise). But Roco coaches beat them both.

Consider buying a box of Roco Universal couplers if you're buying other brands beside Märklin. In case of problems, also put a Roco coupler to Märklin items coupled to scale models.

Yep. You can also get a box with 50 pieces.

To change the sound on an ESU sound decoder, you will need an ESU LokProgrammer.
Some dealers will upload the correct sound for you if you do not have a Programmer. Contact your dealer if you want to go that path.

In the old days Piko sold ESU sound decoders with a suitable speaker for the Lludmilla. That's how I did it.

I don't know if you can get the speaker separately from Piko. Or if there is a suitable ESU speaker.