Piko DB Rebuilt Three Wheel Passenger Cars

[jimmielx]

So having acquired a lovely BR218, I needed some suitable DB stock to go with it. And here they are...

They run very nicely indeed and look great. Perhaps a bit plasticy at the ends, but I'm very happy with them.

 

[Steve]

Brilliant pics

 

[Gizzy]

I like those?

Saw some of those 3 axle coaches in an DB Infrastructure train in Munich a couple of years ago.

Like that signal and feather too! Can you tell us more please....

 

[jimmielx]

I've also added the Piko Interior Lighting and metal wheels.

I did find that the wheels as supplied are blackened everywhere except where they touch the track. Unfortunately that includes where the pickups touch the wheels - I assumed this was chemical blackening or something conductive - it is not! So I've sanded around where the pickups touch the rims. You can see the difference in this picture - the centre wheels are not used as pickups so I've not sanded them.

I haven't tried them in the dark yet, but as far as I can tell the lighting kits work very well.
One oddity is that at the end of each coach there is a pair of red plastic lamp housings - read to receive 5mm LEDs and the lighting boards appear at either end to have been designed to allow these to be attached, but for some reason the LEDs (and surface mount resistors on the boards) have not been included either with the cars or the lighting kits. It seems as though this idea just didn't make it from design to production. I will certainly add some LEDs myself. Does anyone know if the prototype would have had the red lamps lit at both ends of each carriage, or only at the end of the train?

 

[Nemo]

I likes as well, looks smart......

 

[Gizzy]

Does anyone know if the prototype would have had the red lamps lit at both ends of each carriage, or only at the end of the train?

Yes they do.

German coaches are fitted with tail lights as standard. Most euro coaches have them also.

I guess that they are switched on inside the last coach, but I'm not sure about that?

I've never seen a removable tail lamp on a bracket as used here on UK coaching stock....

 

[whatlep]

Does anyone know if the prototype would have had the red lamps lit at both ends of each carriage, or only at the end of the train?

Only on the tail end of the last vehicle of the train, but both lamps should be lit (i.e. a double tail lamp).
If you want to be truly prototypical, you should nip out and get two all-second coaches. The 6-axle stock always ran in fixed pairs with three possible combinations:
all-second + all-second
all-second + brake second
all-second + 1st/2nd composite

By the way, where did you manage to find those Piko lighting bars. Everywhere I've looked at recently in the UK is out of stock. I've been thinking about buying from Germany again.

 

[jimmielx]

Thanks for the info and comments all. Oh dear, my credit card may have to lighten again. Sadly my station is only long enough to fit the BR218 and two cars so I may have to stick with my mismatched pair. Maybe the express train doesn't stop at my small station though... A couple more coaches would look nice...8| !

The Piko lighting bar came from Gaugemaster ludicrously expensive and they only had one in stock. But I also couldn't find them anywhere else either. I think Gaugemaster are the Piko importers, certainly their showroom had a lot of Piko (and many others) on display and in stock - but they are very expensive. I'm sure a saw a Taurus with a £295 price tag on it - yikes! Do let me know if you find a supplier for them in Germany as I need one more too!

Gizzy, I've just made a new thread here http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?high=&m=148789&mpage=1#148790 < Link To http://www.gscalecentral....789&mpage=1#148790 with a few details on the signals...

 

[WillemD]

I have three of these coaches, but no matching loco until now. I was thinking about the V60, but the BR218 looks great in front of it too... I might buy them both

 

[mike]

they certinlyy look the part!!

 

[coyote97]

Nice train!
Yes, some more coaches would look fine.
But prototypically there often was a combination with 3y´s and one or two 4y´s. THAT looks fine, too.
Or even better: the 3y-pair, a 4axler and a 4 axler wooden express baggage car. Oh there were lots of nice combinations!!!

No worry about the composition. The AB3y/BD3y was common. Nearly all thinkable combinations were put together.
All based on 3 types of cars:
the B3y (all-second class, 3 axle, rebuilt-program)
the AB3y (1st/second class combi)
and the BD3y (combine with a baggage-part)
As far as i know there never was a AD-Combine, just for the case that will ever come to discussion (or a chinese cheap-builder will make one).

So, your AB/BD-combi is very fine and fitting the 218 perfect, even though the 2500PS may be a bit overmade for this short train. As i told you: ONE 4 axler or a second pair (but then a B/B-pair) and it will look perfect!

Those Coaches were built on standardized (while rebuilding) frames of old 3axle Reichsbahn-Cars.
They all got the same hull and interior and were well known for their bad running in higher speeds. Coupling two cars tight together gave the cars a power-guidance and the speed could have been risen by 10 km/h.

In the same shape there were the 4-axle rebuilts, looking exactly the same with same interior and the same classes:
AB, B, and BD, but with additional middle doors and each running on its own. But especially on the 4axlers u can see their splitted home: there are 4 or 5 different trucks known, and in detail a lot more: all coming from old Reichsbahn-Coaches.

I wish u many fun with your cars, dont mind to ask if u want to know something about them.
Even though i have to confess that the brake-lettering on the side confused me: i thought i KNEW about it...

Greetings

Frank

 

[whatlep]

The following article is worth a read on these "Umbauwagen". http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbau-Wagen_(DB )

 

[jimmielx]

Whatlep and Frank thank you very much for the extra information. I think the correct link for the German Wikipedia entry is http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbau-...r inspiration they would be much appreciated.

 

[jimmielx]

Here's the link on English Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbau-Wagen

 

[jimmielx]

I've added a pair of 5mm bright red LEDs to the luggage end of the car. I found 14v DC on the underside of the Piko lighting board so just soldered into that with a couple of LEDs and a suitable resistor.

Very clearly the board and car are designed for this, though the board would have surface mount resistors and perhaps one would simply plug in a pair of prewired LEDs using the same sort of plugs they have used to connect track power to the board. Similarly in the loco red tail lights are not provided although the holes are ready for them. I guess in both cases it is a cost saving exercise.

Looks good with the tail lights on!