New Piko

RkyGriz

RkyGriz

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Hi,all. I just bought my first Piko locomotive and tender. It's their Santa Fe 0-6-0 #728(38204 0-6-0 SF Steam Locomotive (G-Scale)) . It's very plain Jane with no smoke unit or sound,but the price was right at $203.99 plus $26.95 S&H.However,Ebay is giving me $20.40 back on the purchase,so my total after the Ebay Bucks discount is $210. 54. Piko lists this little loco on their website for $259.99,so it's not a bad deal. It is brand new, and from a very reputable seller on Ebay. I plan on buying a Seuthe 7 smoke generator for it within the next couple of weeks, and eventually, the Piko #36221 analog sound unit which runs around $100.00,or maybe even their Piko DCC/digital sound kit #36220, which seems comparable in quality and sound to the Phoenix boards,and runs around $170.00. I thought about buying their Pennsylvania 2-6-0 Mogul that has factory installed smoke and analog sound, but that would have cost an extra $100.00,or so,and I don't have that large a budget right now. Besides,this loco allows me to select whether I want to add smoke and/or sound at my discretion, and that can be an advantage! Of course, I have to wait on it to arrive until as late as May 23, but oh well.
Later!
Andrew
 
and then you'll add photos of course :)
 
Hi all! The Piko arrived today. Here is my video of it on it's very first run:
Please be aware that I am not 100% satisified. Please read my commentary section posted on this video by clicking on youtube to take you to my video on the website for the details of why I don't think that this is a great locomotive!
 
Someone on another site suggested adding weights to the loco. He says there is a lead putty that can be molded and inserted in various places on the chassis to increase the weight. He also suggested self sticking weights ,but I don't know if I want to do that as I'm concerned that doing so may cause extra wear and tear on the drive train thusly voiding the warranty. So,I'll either leave it a 3-4 cars for a passenger consist, or use it as a dedicated freight train. It's running around the tracks right now with a 5 car freight consist and doing just fine. I brought out my LGB Mogul earlier today,and ,boy , the tender alone weighs as much as the Piko and tender combined does! I must say that I now consider Piko to be somewhat sub par when it comes to details and pulling power. Even my two 32 year old Lionel -0-6-0 switchers out perform this Piko! I mean, Piko is a toy train that looks exactly like what it is-a toy train. Reminds me somewhat of the old Kalamazoo 4-4-0 in that regard. A somewhat cheesy looking toy that looks good in my collection but isn't as nice or as detailed as other brands of G Scale locomotives,such as the Bachmann Anniversary Edition Big Haulers, are. This will be my first, and last, Piko of any type.
 
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RkyGriz said:
Someone on another site suggested adding weights to the loco. He says there is a lead putty that can be molded and inserted in various places on the chassis to increase the weight. He also suggested self sticking weights ,but I don't know if I want to do that as I'm concerned that doing so may cause extra wear and tear on the drive train thusly voiding the warranty. So,I'll either leave it a 3-4 cars for a passenger consist, or use it as a dedicated freight train. It's running around the tracks right now with a 5 car freight consist and doing just fine. I brought out my LGB Mogul earlier today,and ,boy , the tender alone weighs as much as the Piko and tender combined does! I must say that I now consider Piko to be somewhat sub par when it comes to details and pulling power. Even my two 32 year old Lionel -0-6-0 switchers out perform this Piko! I mean, Piko is a toy train that looks exactly like what it is-a toy train. Reminds me somewhat of the old Kalamazoo 4-4-0 in that regard. A somewhat cheesy looking toy that looks good in my collection but isn't as nice or as detailed as other brands of G Scale locomotives,such as the Bachmann Anniversary Edition Big Haulers, are. This will be my first, and last, Piko of any type.
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Be interesting to see how it comes in with the A’s bought weight. My Piko 2-10-2 was pretty heavy as bought and manages as much as I would even]r need on my line. I think that your 3 Coaches are about right for such a small Loco, yes in real life perhaps a switcher may manage 10 or more on shunts and short slow stock moves but on a Branch line likely 1 Coach, a mail car and perhaps a Wagon or two may be the consist. 5 on a Goods is just fine. As for voiding the warranty, well my 2-10-2 already has had that done by the varying mods that I have done. Plus of course turning it into a Battery Powered Loco.

A few details and some weathering with perhaps a modest increase in weight would certainly take a way the ‘Toy’ look of it giving you a Loco that is much more satisfying. There has been a recent pic or two of a small 0-4-0 US LGB Loco that has had some of the treatment that I am thinking about. Give it a go and you will recast your thoughts about this Loco I am sure.
 
What is your control system ? Do you have enough supply power ?

I have 2 Piko engines , one BR 112 and one BR194 and I am far to have drag power . For sure they have 2 motors.
 
ARIA31 said:
What is your control system ? Do you have enough supply power ?

I have 2 Piko engines , one BR 112 and one BR194 and I am far to have drag power . For sure they have 2 motors.
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As indeed do my 2-10-2 and Kamel. The 25 Tonner now converted to Battery Power is a pretty weak performer. But I never tested it out before the Battery Conversion, certainly it was quite a bit heavier. Perhaps some extra weight may be the way Ray to go.
 
Bachmann coaches have 2 lights power feed systems :. With 9 volts battery or track feed.
Track feed is creatind additionnal mechanical drag besides the electrical power needed.
If you are using track feed just adding some conductive oil on the electrical pick up will decrease the mechanical forces.
 
If I found it pulling in one direction better, I would look to see if the weight was evenly balanced (which I think you have proved is not) and then add weight to balance it (over the drivers)

Basically it should balance if supported on the middle driver.

In my mind you proved the balance was way off.

Greg
 
Hi,guys! Thank you for the thoughtful and helpful replies! To keep it simple, my control system consists of 2 Lionel 4060 transformers that came with my Gold Rush Express(0-6-0 locomotive with a D&RG gondola and caboose) and Thunder Mountain Mountain Express (0-4-0 locomotive with 2 Pennsylvania lighted passenger cars) sets,both of which were manufactured back in 1987 ,and sold through ToysRUs and other retailers . These transformers are 1 amp and have proven more than adequate to run all of my various locomotives, even when they are loaded up with my passenger cars, al of which are track powered and have custom LED lighting systems that I built and installed in the cars. The only exception is my LGB Mogul,which appears to have a higher amp draw than all of the others.Yes, I have noticed that the track powered cars have more drag to them than cars that are battery powered. I usually apply a drop or two of Labelle 107 Medium weight synthetic oil to the wheels, and that helps a lot. I will look into the weight issue when I get the Piko sound system for the Piko 0-6-0. I have to take it apart to install the system, and it will make a perfect opportunity to address the weight issue. The less that you take them apart ,the better! As far as weights go, I looked into what type of weights to get, and I favor the weight putty, as it can be more easily configured to work in the body of the locomotive than weights that are rigid. I'm just taken a bit aback at the cost of that stuff! Hobby Lobby wants $9.99 for a 1oz. package. I can get it from China for about $6.00 per ounce, but I'm not even certain how much I might need .At this rate, I may choose to leave well enough alone and use the Piko for freight cars only as it does very well with that type of consist.
Thanks again, everyone!
Andrew
 
My first camelback. I'm not certain what I'm going to be doing with it yet. I may try to double my money by reselling it on Ebay,I may keep it, or I may rip out the sound system,adapt it to my LGB mogul,and then sell the rest for whatever I can get back out of it. It didn't cost me much more than the Piko 3220 digital sound system,and the more I think about it,the better it sounds. I did purchase the Piko 36221 analog sound system for my Piko 0-6-0 yesterday evening. I was thinking about buying the more 36220 system for it,but it's a cheap train,so I figured"Why spend the extra $70.00 on it?"I did take the time to disassemble the 0-6-0 earlier today to figure out where the wires are for the smoke generator,a Suethe 7,that works best between 11-16 volts,so I will be wiring it directly to power and the sound system,without installing the included voltage regulator that's in the sound kit.
 
The Seuthe 7 smoke generator has been successfully installed in my 0-6-0. See it operate in this test video:
Enjoy!
 
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