The PIKO commuter coaches have been around for quite some time. They were originally quite cheap so they quickly gained a lot of fans. The coaches are a model of the German N-type that you used to see around urban areas and on branch lines (and to some extend still do). From time to time PIKO have released modern versions of these coaches, but done nothing else than repainting the older types in the new colours. This is fine, when you think of the price, but there are some small changes that you can make yourself to add a more modern look to the coach. In this article I will show you how I upgraded my models to look more modern.
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The Roco class 112 has very basic lighting and it can be enhanced significantly using black isolation tape. In this article I will show you how I did that. The result speaks for itself.
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The locomotives from the cheaper end of the Märklin and Trix product range, also known as "Hobby Locomotives" does not benefit from short coupler guide mechanisms. Instead the locomotives have a cheaper solution making the gap between the buffers a bit unrealistic. This article describes how a spare part, a screwdriver and a few minutes, can greatly reduce the gap between the buffers - and you can enjoy a better looking model.
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Märklin has two special kits for adding sound to Trix (and Märklin) locomotives of the families ER20 (Hercules), TRAXX and classes 232 and 234 (Ludmilla). I thought I would try out a kit as I have a few of the class 232, 234 and because it would be a fun little project.
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