Piko "Expert" range

[Taigatrommel]

Browsing the interwebs today, I came across mention of Piko's new product line, "Piko Expert".

 

Although I'm only going from German text, I think I've ascertained the following as seperating "Expert" locos from "Hobby":

 

• Flywheel drive
• Red and white lights (Hobby only have white lights in foward direction)
• Metal handrails and grilles
• Sound ready (I don't know whether this just means there's a speaker well or an actual speaker, a pictogram of a speaker is used to denote this feature though)

First releases are the G1206, BR185.2 electric loco, class 442 "Talent 2" EMU and DR BR118 diesel loco.

 

Prices are not that much above Hobby line locos, in fact the "Expert" G1206 has the same RRP as the very similar "Hobby" G1700.

 

From what I've seen so far, some of the "Hobby" economies remain (perhaps bringing cost savings compared to the "Classic" models), particularly printed details on wheels (eg disk brakes) and moulded windscreen wipers. I'm not totally sure about these aspects though, so don't take my poor detective work as gospel.

 

The announced models so far.

[Taigatrommel]

I've also just noticed that they are described as being fitted with a close coupling mechanism. I don't think Hobby locos have this feature, although I'm not sure.

[Barry Ten]

My one Piko Hobby line diesel doesn't have a close-coupling mechanism - in fact the worst part about it was that the NEM pockets stuck out so far from the bogies.

[Taigatrommel]

I've only owned two Piko Hobby locos, and neither had close coupling mechs, but there are so many now that I don't know whether others have it.