Warning: Outbreak of Piko Point Lurgy

[bobg]

Saw the photos and thought I should have gone to specsavers

I should switch to Macro. No, no ,no.....the CAMERA, not where you buy specs.

 

[trammayo]

Mick
Oh they look bad - I think!! Try removing the lens cap........8| Sorry!

No not a dickey-bird from Piko.
Fills me with confidence - NOT.

On the plus side since reworking them they have performed OK (I will no doubt live to regret that) and I have tempted fate by buying 2 more to create a crossover. Slight cock-up though - I only went and bought one L/H and one R/H! :wits::wits::wits:
How daft can you get?

Public relations?

I felt a lot better when I lifted the second set - no rust - just badly tarnished. As these were LGB there was a lot of difference underneath and, on the whole, I felt that Piko points were better designed (spoilt by the use of ferrous screws).

As for the camera - its a bit like the nut behind the wheel - good camera spoiled by an incompetent operator

 

[trammayo]

Saw the photos and thought I should have gone to specsavers

I should switch to Macro. No, no ,no.....the CAMERA, not where you buy specs.

Still got a very good set of saucepans I bought SWMBO from Makro!

Oh Macro, doh! Is that the one which is used for close ups and a tiny yellow flower pops up on the camera's screen? Instruction book makes War and Peace look like a dime novel. Anyway, even if I read it, how would I remember it?

Give me an Instamatic anytime (no - on second thoughts don't).

 

[johnl]

Hi all, newbie here, so please forgive me if this question seems stupid. (Not totally new to model railways, but up to now have confined my activities to the warm and dry).
I am starting to build my first outdoor layout, and have bought some Piko points but not laid them yet.
In view of the problems mentioned on here, how about leaving the base plate off? It must act as a moisture trap and although moisture can get in more easily if left off, the points may dry out more easily?

John

 

[Gizzy]

Hi all, newbie here, so please forgive me if this question seems stupid. (Not totally new to model railways, but up to now have confined my activities to the warm and dry).
I am starting to build my first outdoor layout, and have bought some Piko points but not laid them yet.
In view of the problems mentioned on here, how about leaving the base plate off? It must act as a moisture trap and although moisture can get in more easily if left off, the points may dry out more easily?

John

Hullo John and welcome to the forum.

Quite possibly a good idea? Though maybe I'd refit the base plate after drilling a drainage hole.

I'd also check the screws, wiring and washers before refitting, following from what I've heard here, should I ever buy Piko points....

 

[KeithT]

Hi John
I would do as Gizzy suggests but also wrap additional insulation between the wires where they cross over. On mine, and others, this melted and shorted the points.

 

[Gizzy]

Talking of which, I have a PIKO R5, manual brand new in box with small extension piece that's going for £38 plus postage (which I shall check on if sold)..and will advise purchaser on. Should not be too much anyway.
PM me IF interested..

Left or right handed?

Might be useful info to know.... ::

 

[johnl]

Thanks for help from Gizzy and Keith.
i will follow both suggestions.
As a matter of interest, the connections on both sets of my points are so tight that i am more likely to strip the screwhead (using a torx 6, which seems best fit) than to free them. These are recent purchases and may be the result of " You don't want loose, ok then..."

John

 

[KeithT]

Don't forget to apply a good coating of protective grease to the connections.
It would be nice to think that Piko took note of the comments we made BUT they never got back to even acknowledge them.

 

[johnl]

Thanks for that, Keith. Is vaseline ok, or should it be something more specific, like the LGB grease?

John

 

[Willem WDLS]

Don't forget to apply a good coating of protective grease to the connections.
It would be nice to think that Piko took note of the comments we made BUT they never got back to even acknowledge them.

They did. I even posted their official reply here on GSC.

They acknowledged the problem, and at the time I contacted them, they already changed (= fixed) the design.

 

[KeithT]

Don't forget to apply a good coating of protective grease to the connections.
It would be nice to think that Piko took note of the comments we made BUT they never got back to even acknowledge them.

They did. I even posted their official reply here on GSC.

They acknowledged the problem, and at the time I contacted them, they already changed (= fixed) the design.

Hmm I must have missed it.

 

[Willem WDLS]

Don't forget to apply a good coating of protective grease to the connections.
It would be nice to think that Piko took note of the comments we made BUT they never got back to even acknowledge them.

They did. I even posted their official reply here on GSC.

They acknowledged the problem, and at the time I contacted them, they already changed (= fixed) the design.

Hmm I must have missed it.

Will see if I can find the thread tomorrow

 

[KeithT]

Don't forget to apply a good coating of protective grease to the connections.
It would be nice to think that Piko took note of the comments we made BUT they never got back to even acknowledge them.

They did. I even posted their official reply here on GSC.

They acknowledged the problem, and at the time I contacted them, they already changed (= fixed) the design.

Hmm I must have missed it.

Will see if I can find the thread tomorrow

Even so it pays to check when you buy some. I bought a pair not long ago and they still had the soft red insulation on the wiring. So there are still some about.
Fortunately it is not a difficult 'fix' if you have a small enough torx driver and I have just realised I have mislaid mine. &:

 

[KeithT]

Don't forget to apply a good coating of protective grease to the connections.
It would be nice to think that Piko took note of the comments we made BUT they never got back to even acknowledge them.

They did. I even posted their official reply here on GSC.

They acknowledged the problem, and at the time I contacted them, they already changed (= fixed) the design.

Hmm I must have missed it.

Will see if I can find the thread tomorrow

Willem Its post 25 under "PIKO G Curved switches".

"Got a reply this morning at 9AM.

"Hi Willem, I got following information about it:
It's a problem that's already known by PIKO. We already did some changes there. Seems like the guys with this problem own some of the "older" R5 swichtes. We feel really sorry about this. I don't know if this is a satisfying answer. But that's all I have for you. Hope I could help. Kind regards."

Good to hear it's 'only' the older switches, and the new ones are fixed. Still doesn't solve the issue for the other guys around here though... I'd say, contact your retailer and bring them back under warranty? "

 

[whatlep]

Don't forget to apply a good coating of protective grease to the connections.
It would be nice to think that Piko took note of the comments we made BUT they never got back to even acknowledge them.

They did. I even posted their official reply here on GSC.

They acknowledged the problem, and at the time I contacted them, they already changed (= fixed) the design.

Indeed, BUT they did not reply to either Keith or me when I sent e-mail(s) highlighting the earlier thread on their point issues. To me, that's both rude and lousy PR. When Piko first came on the scene, I was very impressed with their communications, but they seem to have lost their way a little.

DR - Since you have a way into the firm, perhaps you could point out to your contact that failing to reply to communciations about problems is a certain way to get lots of negative publicity on the Internet.

By the way, I don't have any problems with my Piko points!

 

[mike]

me niether.. got shut off the buggers..

 

[KeithT]

Don't forget to apply a good coating of protective grease to the connections.
It would be nice to think that Piko took note of the comments we made BUT they never got back to even acknowledge them.

They did. I even posted their official reply here on GSC.

They acknowledged the problem, and at the time I contacted them, they already changed (= fixed) the design.

Indeed, BUT they did not reply to either Keith or me when I sent e-mail(s) highlighting the earlier thread on their point issues. To me, that's both rude and lousy PR. When Piko first came on the scene, I was very impressed with their communications, but they seem to have lost their way a little.

DR - Since you have a way into the firm, perhaps you could point out to your contact that failing to reply to communciations about problems is a certain way to get lots of negative publicity on the Internet.

By the way, I don't have any problems with my Piko points!

My feelings exactly. I contacted them more than once. I was embarrassed because I had previously extolled their virtues ie would run stock which jibbed at LGB ones.

Incidentally I don't have problems with my Piko points - - any longer!

 

[JRinTawa]

I'm planning adding a steaming bay into the H&MGR needing either two Aristo-craft wide radius turnouts or two Piko R5 jobs. Putting the wiring issues aside (going in with eyes wide open on that, checking and making adjustments before laying) do the Piko R5's, running wise, function okay. Our stock has an increasing about of smaller flanged wheels, i.e. Accucrat and Tenmille, which copy well with the Aristo-craft turnouts.

I'd use the Aristo turnouts but they are in limited supply at the moment, hence the reason to look at alternatives. An aside on the Aristo ones, there was a design flaw in the frog casting on the ones I laid some 6 or 7 years ago. I think I read it has been sorted in ones available now, well I hope so, while it only took 30 minutes each to fix, annoying thought.

 

[KeithT]

John
I have had the very occasional opening of the curved rail causing a derailment. Not sure if it is due to the lack of a spring or some grit. Operating the point a few times resolves the problem.
Accucraft, LGB, Hartland, Aristo, Bachmann, Buddy L, IP and USAT wheels all negotiate the points without problems.