Piko BR 80

[palstig]

I recently purchased a Piko BR 80 Locomotive secondhand from a member of the G Scale Society. The loco is boxed and hardly used. In fact it runs very well on my DC controlled garden railway.

However, the loco appears to have an issue with the directional lights/lamps. When the loco goes forward the front LEDs are working perfectly, whilst the rear lights (which should remain off) flicker. The same problem occurs when the loco goes in reverse. The problem is exacerbated when it crosses LGB pointwork, but it does continue to flicker along the rest of the track. I am using a 1 Amp LGB old style controller with the transformer/speed control combined in one unit (as opposed to the new style train set controller).

Can anyone give me their thoughts or advice on what might be causing this.

Many thanks,

Paul

 

[PhilP]

From another thread..
I think the LGB starter set controller is a little low on current output for the Piko loco..

 

[palstig]

From another thread..
I think the LGB starter set controller is a little low on current output for the Piko loco..

Thanks Philip. appreciate your advice. I just have tried an older style LGB controller (1 Amp) and the problem is the same. I shall try cleaning the wheels/skates to see if that makes any difference and report back.

Regards,

Paul

 

[pugwash]

I had one of the first Piko BR80 locos that I bought off Whatlep, he had DCC but I ran analogue through a 5 amp Gaugemaster controller (the newer model with a cooling fan) and seem to remember having the same problem. If I remember rightly it was the pickup skates - I can't be sure as my brain has gone to zap.

 

[palstig]

I had one of the first Piko BR80 locos that I bought off Whatlep, he had DCC but I ran analogue through a 5 amp Gaugemaster controller (the newer model with a cooling fan) and seem to remember having the same problem. If I remember rightly it was the pickup skates - I can't be sure as my brain has gone to zap.

Hi Pugwash,

Thanks for your thoughts about the pick-up skates. I tested the loco this evening and it was much improved with the occasional flickering only when crossing one set of LGB points. I was able to replicate this on a straight piece of track by applying a 5cm long piece of insulation tape on both sides of the rail surface. When I placed just one piece of tape on the right hand side of the straight piece of track there was no flickering. However, when I placed a piece of tape on the left hand side of track the flickering returned. Conclusion - it appears that there might be an issue with the left hand side skate. or maybe this is what happens when it crosses the plastic frog on the LGB point.

Any further thoughts? Is it worth replacing the skates?

Regards,

Paul

 

[pugwash]

More likely the spring that pushes the skate down or a bad moulding preventing the skate moving freely. Easy to test, just turn the loco over and push on the skates - they should pop right back out. I don't think replacing the skates will help although some people have bent the ends slightly lower (flatter) to help with the frog/pickup issue.

 

[palstig]

More likely the spring that pushes the skate down or a bad moulding preventing the skate moving freely. Easy to test, just turn the loco over and push on the skates - they should pop right back out. I don't think replacing the skates will help although some people have bent the ends slightly lower (flatter) to help with the frog/pickup issue.

The skates pop back out.

To be fair the loco runs very smoothly and the lights stay on without flicker in the direction of travel. It's only the opposite end that occasionally flicker and I guess it's something I will have to learn to live with. I've been spoilt by German engineering for too long.

Regards,

Paul