PIKO ICE-3 HO Model

I have just taken delivery of an HO model of the German ICE-3 High Speed Train made by Piko.

It joins my existing high-speed fleet of a TGV Thalys and TGV Duplex. I ordered a 4-car "starter set" (complete with track and controller) and 2 additional cars to make up a 6-car train. The length of the 6-car ICE is similar to my TGV's which have 7 cars, because the TGV cars are shorter.

The ICE model has some interesting features:

• The motor is mounted in the Bistro car, which is one of the intermediate cars. It drives the inner axle of each bogie, and all 4 drive wheels are fitted with traction tires.
• None of the wheels on the Bistro car pick up power, so it will not run on its own. Power pickup is via all 8 wheels on one of the end cars.
• The couplings between the cars include a 5-pin electrical connector which transmits the track power from the end car to the Bistro car, and feed power back to the lights in the end cars.
• The "couplings" are male and female, so each car can only be inserted in the train in one direction.
• The Bistro car includes an 8-pin connector for a DCC decoder. I installed a Lenz 1014 which I had laying around, and everything worked fine including the lights.
• The wiring throughout follows the standard DCC colour codes (a nice touch). The couplings to the rear of the bistro car are wired for lights only, so it would not be easy to add additional power pickups to the rear cars.
• The LED lights are a nice white colour (not too bluish). The centre light at each end, just below the windscreen, is white only and the lower two lights change from white to red, depending on the settings for the DCC decoder. I left the decoder set for the default of directional headlights, although I don't usually use directional headlights for locos (preferring independent front and rear lights).
• The model depicts the original Class 403 ICE-3 which is only suitable for use in Germany and neighbouring countries with compatible overhead power and signalling systems. (The Class 406 trains can operate on international services.)
• The cars are numbered 403-015, 403-115, 403-215, 403-315, 403-615 and 403-515. The 4th digit of the number represents the car type - see Train Composition Table. 403-215 should be a first class car but the model is 2nd class.
• I have ordered my cars to produce a "plausible" 6-car set, with 2 x 1st class, bistro and 3 x 2nd class cars. Prototype trains have one extra 1st and 2nd class cars - 8 in total. Piko do not make all cars necessary for an accurate 8-car set.
• The last two digits correspond to the number of the complete set, i.e. 15. I have used 15 as the DCC address for the train.

I like this video of 2 ICE's passing in the Netherlands. Although there are many videos of ICE's at speed, the ones in this video are travelling slowly so it easy to see the train properly.

Bergs (Minimodels) Sydney Electric Cars - Bogies 2

I have rearranged the mounting for one of the bogies of the power car to allow some side-to-side rocking motion. This resulted in better running and power pickup on my layout due to the superelevated curves. Unless you have superelevated curves, this modification would provide little benefit.

The modification was not as difficult as I had first thought. First, I removed the existing bogie mounting bracket (Part No. 30 on the exploded diagram included with the set.)

I determined that the required height between the top of the bogie frame (not the top of the gear tower) and the underside of the floor was 3 mm.

I cut a rectangle of 1 mm styrene the same width as the bogie frame, and attached it to the top of the bogie frame with 2 x M1.4 screws (slightly larger screws could be used also). I drilled and tapped a 2-56 hole in the styrene for the new bogie pivot screw. I glued a smaller piece of styrene to the underside of this piece to give greater thickness for the tapped hole. On the top of the main piece, I glued 2 small strips of 0.5 mm styrene, approx 1 mm wide x 2 mm long along the longitudinal centre line, either side of the tapped hole. These provide a raised centre section so the bogie will be able to rock slightly from side to side.

I cut another rectangle of 1.5 mm styrene to fit under the floor in the vicinity of the bogie area, and also attached it with M1.4 screws screwed into the floor below. I drilled a 2.3 mm hole in the centre of this piece for the bogie pivot screw, and countersunk the hole to suit a 8BA countersunk head screw. (This fits fine into the 2-56 tapped hole - the threads are almost identical.) The countersunk screw head provides clearance for the drive shaft to the bogie. Part of this rectangle will need to be cut away to provide clearance for the gear tower, as per the existing "keyhole" shaped cutout in the floor.

When the bogie is attached to the new bolster with the 8BA screw, the car (and coupler if using body mounted couplers) should be at the same height as before. The bogie should be able to rock from side to side, as well as fore and aft, to accommodate all track conditions.

Tips:

1. I used Evergreen black styrene sheet so I didn't have to paint the new parts. When assembled, they blend in nicely with the original chassis parts.
2. When tapping the 2-56 thread, don't run the tap all the way through so the screw is slightly tight in the hole. This will prevent it from unscrewing.
3. Save the original bogie mounting bracket in case you ever want to return the car to original condition. Apart from the small holes for the M1.4 screws, there are no irreversible changes to the bogie and floor.

Bergs (Minimodels) Sydney Electric Cars - Traction Tires

The two powered axles of the powered car were supplied with traction tires. I am not so keen on traction tires as they often don't run true (i.e. they wobble), they can wear out relatively quickly and they reduce the number of wheels used for power pickup.

When I bought the set, I bought a spare set of non-powered axles (2 axles = Spare Part No. 32) with a view to replacing the traction tires. I was expecting the spare axles to have gears fitted and that they would be a "drop-in" replacement for the original driving axles, but they did not have gears.

I used the spare wheelsets I bought to replace the end wheelsets of the non-powered motor car, as these axles had splines in the centre (for a gear) and also splines at the ends for the wheels (to prevent slippage). It was then relatively simple to remove the solid wheels from the now spare splined axles, and use these to replace the original driving wheels which had the traction tires, using the original geared axles. When I removed the wheels, I was careful to leave the plastic centre bushes on the axles, and just remove the metal wheels, to minimise the risk of introducing wheel wobble.

Overall, the operation was a success and the motor car now has 8-wheel pickup and still 4-wheel drive. Without the traction tires, it has enough tractive effort to haul the 4-car train up my grades which are around 1 in 80. It also manages without slipping on my branch line which has a section of 1 in 40 grade.

Based on other information on the web, the prototype trains has a reputation for wheelspin as each power car was only powered on two axles. (The powered axles were both on the long-wheelbase power bogie, compared to the model which is powered on one axles of each bogie.)

The design of the model bogies is a bit unusual in that they clip into a turntable which fits into a round opening in the floor. The individual bogies can rock freely fore and aft which is good for accommodating ups and downs in the track, but they have almost no rocking movement side to side. Because my layout has superelevation on the mainline curves, the power pickup is not so good at some spots, particularly at the transitions between curves and straight track where the superelevation changes from maximum to zero over approx 300 mm. At these transitions, the weight of the power car is not evenly distributed over all wheels. The bogies on the non-powered cars are identical minus gears and pickups, but the lack of transverse rocking doesn't seem to adversely affect their tracking.

Another unusual feature of the bogies is that the central mouldings are identical for all bogies, and they have two sets of axles slots to suit the short wheelbase non-powered bogies and the long-wheelbase powered bogies of the prototype.

Bergs (Minimodels) Sydney Electric Cars -Decals

As supplied, these models do not have any lettering applied although decals are supplied for various car numbers (Txxxx and Cxxxx), Non-Smoking labels, and "Waratah" emblems, together with a diagram showing the correct placement for various eras of the prototype.

I am putting off the application of decals for now, as the cars will need a spray coat of clear finish afterwards to protect the decals. Because the clear window "glass" has been glued in place, I am reluctant to attempt the decals until I confirm if the window glass can be removed without damaging it or the car body shells.

Bergs (Minimodels) Sydney Electric Cars - Weight

I have added lead weight to the 3 non-powered cars in the set. I added approx. 56 g of lead sheet which brings the total weight up to approx. 140 g per car. There is a rectangular recess on the top of the underframe, about 3 mm deep, which is part of the motor mounting in the powered car. I cut 2 thicknesses of lead sheet approx 1.3 mm thick to fit in the recess, and secured them in place with a single screw through an existing hole in the centre of the recess.

While the cars did not derail prior to adding the weight, I feel more confident now when running the set with the powered car pushing from the rear.

Another reason for adding weight is that I fitted small resistors to the wheelsets of the end bogie of the non-powered end car (Cxxxx) so that this car will actuate the track occupancy detectors which are part of my signalling system. Eventually, I will add resistors to the end wheelsets of each of the centre cars (Txxxx) as well so that the entire train is detected. The extra weight will make the detection of the non-power cars work reliably.

Bergs (Minimodels) Sydney Electric Cars - Couplers

Problem: The supplied E-Z plastic knuckle couplers are bogie mounted and have no sideways movement, so they won't uncouple with a magnetic uncoupler ramp. Also, they look toylike and create a large gap between the cars when coupled.

Solution: Fit body mounted couplers. Fortunately, the supplied couplers are easily unclipped from the bogies without damage to either. I used Kadee 30 series coupler boxes combined with "scale" size couplers from Kadee No. 58 couplers. The 30 series coupler boxes have less projection behind the mounting hole, so they don't interfere with the rotation of the bogies. I drilled (1.8 mm) and tapped a 2-56 mounting hole 10 mm back from the buffing plate on the end of the chassis. This results in close coupling with around 3 mm between the buffing plates. The chassis needs to be packed down to get the correct coupler height. Bergs supply a mounting adaptor (Spare Part No. 103) to suit, and I purchased 4 pairs of these with the cars. Based on my preferred mounting bolt position, I had to drill the Bergs adaptors about 1 mm further back from the moulded "dimple". I drilled the clearance holes (2.3 mm) from the top to avoid being guided by the dimple. With the Bergs adaptors, mounting the spring assembly of the 30 series coupler boxes on the bottom results in the correct coupler height.

Curve Radius: With body mounted couplers as described above, my cars run happily through my sharpest mainline curves which are 700 mm radius. I also tested them on a shaper curve of 550 mm radius and the were OK.

Bergs (Minimodels) Sydney Electric Cars - Bogies

Problem: The bogie sideframes on the trailer cars project slightly below rail level and foul diverging rails at points.

Solution: I narrowed down the problem to one side of each bogie. As you look at the car from the side, the near sideframe at the left end and the far sideframe on the right end have this problem. I found I could get some improvement by dismantling the affected bogies, and trimming the flash from the 2 halves of the bogie (labelled "gearbox" on the supplied instructions as the mouldings are the same as for the power bogies). Part of the trick is to get the 2 halves to fit together tightly. If they are too wide, they spread the sideframe moulding apart which bends the sides down, leading to the problem. I also trimmed a tiny amount from the inside of the sideframe moulding so it fits easily over the gearbox assembly, without forcing it to bend. Using these methods, I was able to get all 4 bogies on the 2 trailer cars to run through points OK.

Aesthetics: In my opinion, the main cause of the problem is that the moulding is such that the sideframes are approx. 2 mm too low. Look at the centre of the axlebox moulding compared to the actual centre of the wheels. Comparison with the drawings included with the instructions also confirms that there should be plenty of clearance from the bottom of the sideframe to the rails.