idlemarvel
Neither idle nor a marvel
I recently purchased one of these (going cheap at grootspoor) and I read the article on the Massoth wiki about fitting a decoder, here:
http://wiki.massoth.de/index.php/Piko_V36/en
There's a section at the end about "enhanced retrofit" which describes how to set shunting lights (lights on at both ends in both directions) which involves a couple of diodes. As I didn't have any diodes to hand I reused the ones in the DC circuit board that is removed when you are wiring for DCC:
Wire it up as shown with the yellow wires going to front and rear lights and black to output A2 on the decoder (I used a second hand Massoth XL, but any decoder with additional light output will do).
I left it as F2 to set the shunting lights (default setting).
I changed the defaults as per the Massoth wiki article (28 speed steps, parallel only, dimmed lights).
I also reduced the max speed by 50% (from 255 to 128) as otherwise anywhere near top speed will send it careering off R1 curves.
I think it is a fine model, and the articulated bogie to allow what would have been a long wheel base to go round R1 curves is particularly clever IMO. My only complaint is that the cable inside from the front light at the top of the engine cover to the PCB plug socket is too short and is strained when you try and remove the engine cover. A few more inches of wire would have helped.
http://wiki.massoth.de/index.php/Piko_V36/en
There's a section at the end about "enhanced retrofit" which describes how to set shunting lights (lights on at both ends in both directions) which involves a couple of diodes. As I didn't have any diodes to hand I reused the ones in the DC circuit board that is removed when you are wiring for DCC:
Wire it up as shown with the yellow wires going to front and rear lights and black to output A2 on the decoder (I used a second hand Massoth XL, but any decoder with additional light output will do).
I left it as F2 to set the shunting lights (default setting).
I changed the defaults as per the Massoth wiki article (28 speed steps, parallel only, dimmed lights).
I also reduced the max speed by 50% (from 255 to 128) as otherwise anywhere near top speed will send it careering off R1 curves.
I think it is a fine model, and the articulated bogie to allow what would have been a long wheel base to go round R1 curves is particularly clever IMO. My only complaint is that the cable inside from the front light at the top of the engine cover to the PCB plug socket is too short and is strained when you try and remove the engine cover. A few more inches of wire would have helped.