hello to everybody…I have a question for the european modelers…I’m trying to get one steam engine (BR01 or 03) on HO scale for a WWII train but the prices for the marklin or Fleischmann engines is very expensive (around $400) but I find this german company PIKO with very good prices (some times half price of a Fleischmann engine) so I want to know if the quality on this Piko engines is average or will be better to expend another 200 bucks for the same engine but from marklin or roco manufacturer
PIKO seems to specialize in railway items of the former DDR (East Germany). From what I can see, they don’t seem to model pre WWII variants of equipment. Given that PIKO was an East German manufacturer, this is not surprising. Prior to the fall of the Iron Curtain and the re-unification of Germany, PIKO was not known for quality. How much that’s changed in the last two decades, I have no idea.
ROCO does make pre-war variants of German steam locomotives including the 01 as shown here: http://www.reynaulds.com/products/Roco/63341.aspx ROCO has a well-earned reputation for quality. Not cheap, but not cheaply made, either.
I have several Piko German steam engines. They are ok but not the best. The new line in the last few years is better then the real old ones. The older ones i have run fine but have plastic drive rods and linkage but good detail. I only get to run them a few times a year. Most of them i purchased on Ebay used from the UK Ebay, with no problems. I could see that if you run then everyday the drives could wear out. I would put them in a class with IHC older engines and older Rivarossi. I can’t complain as i only paid between $95.00 to $125.00 for them. In Europe there are alot of train collectors with no layout so you can purchase used but like new or even never run engines.
I also have several Liliput, Roco, Hornby (oo) , Rivarossi and Fleischmann engines. Also purchased on Ebay UK. You can get some very good deals.
The Rivarossi German engines are very much the same or like the American steam engines and run the same.
The Liliput engines are now owned by Bachmann and the newer ones are as good as the Spectrum line here in the US.
Liliput, Roco, and Fleischmann are all a large step up from Piko and i would run them everyday. Solid construction and quality. All the ones i have, run like Swiss watches. I have about 30 of them. They cost a bit more but they also have better resale value in the long run.
Older Piko locos (designed prior to the fall of the Iron Curtain) have poor mechanisms, whereas the newer models run and look good. Unfortunately, Piko has released only one steam loco in recent years, which is a cheaply looking 0-8-0, included in their bargain line called “Hobby”. If you are looking for well-detailed, well performing steamers of the pre-WW II era, then Roco or Fleischmann, as well as the new Rivarossi (now owned by Hornby/UK) and Liliput (Bachmann) should be your option.
You can also look for Trix locos (not Marklin), but they are even pricier than Fleischmann.
Thank you so much to everybody, now I have a better idea about the german manufacturers…looks like will be a Liliput BR42, it’s expensive ($270) but is just perfect to be on a war train.