Playmobile

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Sarah Winfield

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After the trials and tribulations of the past few months I'm wondering (and probably a few members are) if Playmobile wasn't where I should have begun?

However we are where we are but I would like to ask which Playmobile models are a good step towards the big-boys (and girls) toys please?

Oh, but being DCC does that preclude me from Playmobile?

Thank you,

Sarah Winfield
 
Sarah Winfield said:
After the trials and tribulations of the past few months I'm wondering (and probably a few members are) if Playmobile wasn't where I should have begun?

Oh, but being DCC does that preclude me from Playmobile?

Thank you,

Sarah Winfield
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In short no.

Unlike some more modern models from other sources no Playmobil locos are "DCC ready" so chipping could be interesting. However Playmobil locos are simple with few if any fancy features so not many connections will be needed. An exception may be their last effort, the radio control battery only powered Diesel, probably best to leave this as battery powered.
 
If you are wanting to use track-powered locos, the Playmobil ones have not been made for some years, but are available on eBay, for example. Prices range from the sensible to the ridiculous. Playmobil also sometime comes up at G scale dealers.

You can convert them to DCC. They use up to 16v so you need to either limit the power you use if your controller goes above 16v or fit some sort of gubbins in the loco to limit the current reaching the motor to 16v.

I've had Playmobil locos now for getting on for 8 years now and they run fine. I will be off to the ninth annual Playmobil Exhibition at Kirkbean next month where my locos will run on a 16 foot by 8 foot for four days, each loco doing a two to three hour stint each day. (The change of loco is more for the interest of the visitors and me as any other reason.)
 
Thanks for your responses.

Which particular model are you referring to please, Neil? Sounds like it would offer me a compromise away from all the complicated electricical stuff.

SW
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Thanks for your responses.

Which particular model are you referring to please, Neil? Sounds like it would offer me a compromise away from all the complicated electricical stuff.

SW
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Have a look at this topic.

https://www.gscalecentral.net/threads/playmobil-r-c-battery-diesel-train.307643/

That was a couple of years ago when they were available at good discount end of line prices.
Now that they are no longer produced prices and desirability have increased considerably.
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Thanks for your responses.

Which particular model are you referring to please, Neil? Sounds like it would offer me a compromise away from all the complicated electricical stuff.

SW
Click to expand...


If you mean the Battery RC Diesel its the one out of the Playmobil 5258 set. Good little loco and being battery RC would not "interfere" with your DCC setup. They're getting scarce now as Playmobil no longer make the set. Price is increasing accordingly.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Playmobil-5258-Action-Control-Freight/dp/B0077QSSTU
 
The old Playmobil track powered locos are easy to convert to DCC, and there is room in the chassis block for the decoder if a section is cut from one of the weights. The locos don't require much current so I used a cheaper "high power HO" decoder. My line used to run on around 18V DCC and this was no problem for the Playmobil motors, but if necessary the decoder's maximum speed can be reduced (no need for any "gubbins")

DSCN1910a.jpg

DSCN1906.JPG
 
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ntpntpntp said:
The old Playmobil track powered locos are easy to convert to DCC, and there is room in the chassis block for the decoder if a section is cut from one of the weights. The locos don't require much current so I used a cheaper "high power HO" decoder. My line used to run on around 18V DCC and this was no problem for the Playmobil motors, but if necessary the decoder's maximum speed can be reduced (no need for any "gubbins")

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View attachment 238798
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I've never seen one of those with those particular stickers on the sides and digger arm. Those put it as one towards the end of the production run, 1995-1996/97
 
playmofire said:
I've never seen one of those with those particular stickers on the sides and digger arm. Those put it as one towards the end of the production run, 1995-1996/97
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Ebay purchase a few years ago now. Nice set, not mint but in good condition and came stuffed with a whole load of bits and pieces / loads etc. as I recall, more than would have been with the set I should think. It's been sitting in its box for some time now.
IMG_1098.JPG
 
I got a battery powered RC 4017 engine for about $30 on ebay a few months ago. It was in great condition except someone left the battery in too long at some point or something, so one of the connectors needed to be sanded shiny again. That seems to be a common problem on 2nd hand playmobil battery powered trains. It runs very well now after I gave it a quick rub with fine grit sand paper on the discolored connector when I first got it. It was only missing the battery(the old nicad batteries are just about useless anyways), and the controller, but I got a new controller for $13 with free shipping on ebay recently and a non-playmobil but compatible 27 MHz AM quartz set for $5 here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/161797279816 (they send a random frequency pair, so go by the text, not the picture; I ended up with a #3 red/brown pair). I had a spare battery holder which now holds eneloop nimhs. I think you can still get the AA battery holders from playmobil UK for under 10 pounds. I've seen the 5258 on ebay new, 'buy it now' with free shipping, for $150 a few months ago, only the box was damaged. You could look around and wait for a good price rather than just buying what's available at this very moment, because decent prices pop up semi frequently. But beware of missing bits. If you get a deal on a skeleton of a train, you might end up paying more for the replacement bits than you did on the train. A particular roof is usually only offered for about $70+, while other kinds are $10-$20, and chimneys can cost a bit much as well, not to mention that prices for a lot of other discontinued parts can add up.
-bbbb
 
The grey battery holder to replace the old black holders are still available from Playmobil number 7829 at £6.60 or you can try the spares number 30679890 at £6.35 both plus postage.
 
Idly looking at Ebay I found this with 3 available, great loco I have one. Good starter for Battery use. Not sure if it comes with a Remote but as said they are easily available. The Postage is a bit steep from Germany. But still pretty good value.

s-l200.jpg

Look at this on eBay

PLAYMOBIL 4010 RC remote-controlled Railway Locomotive Freight Train Battery
 
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