Piko 22064 H0 - BR 215 Diesel Locomotive, DB AG, Era V

Model of the Class 215 diesel locomotive in Deutsche Bahn AG livery

For decades the V 160 family formed the backbone of West German diesel traction, and the Class 215 was one of its most adaptable variants. This model depicts a machine from the period when these locomotives already wore Deutsche Bahn AG colours, which places it in era V. It is an H0 scale reproduction of a four-axle diesel-hydraulic locomotive, equally at home at the head of passenger consists and freight trains on a layout set in the 1990s or the turn of the century.

The body carries finely reproduced details: separately applied handrails, steps and spring packs, the auxiliary diesel exhaust and an additional tank. The model is fitted with a push-pull connector, and brake hoses and coupling hooks are supplied for the modeller to fit. Livery and lettering are crisply printed, with even the smallest inscriptions legible. The driver's desk is illuminated, and once a PluX22 decoder is installed the cab lighting can be switched digitally. Drive is transmitted through a motor and gearbox, with two traction tyres providing the pulling power needed for longer trains.

Model specifications:

• Scale: H0 (1:87)
• Item number: 22064
• Manufacturer: PIKO
• Length over buffers: 188 mm
• Railway administration: DB AG, era V
• Power supply: direct current (DC)
• Decoder interface: NEM 658 PluX22 (decoder to be purchased separately)
• PIKO sound decoder no. 56657 listed by the manufacturer as suitable
• Traction tyres: 2
• Coupling: NEM 362 pocket with close coupling mechanism
• Minimum radius: 358 mm
• Lighting: directional white / red head and tail lights
• Digital functions: switchable cab lighting (with a PluX22 decoder fitted)
• Illuminated driver's control panel
• Ready to run, factory painted and assembled
• Age recommendation: 14 years and up

Please note: a power supply unit and a powered track are required to run this model.

This model is not a starter set and includes neither track nor a controller. As delivered it runs on a conventional analogue layout supplied with direct current and controlled by a standard throttle. The NEM 658 PluX22 interface allows a DCC decoder to be retrofitted at any time; the manufacturer lists sound decoder no. 56657 as a suitable match. Once a decoder is installed, the digital functions become available, including separately switchable cab lighting.

Model railways – digital or analogue control?

On an analogue layout the speed and direction of travel follow directly from the voltage applied to the track, so only one locomotive can be driven independently within a given section. DCC sends both power and coded commands through the rails, so every locomotive with its own decoder responds only to its own instructions, which makes it possible to run several trains at once and to use sound and switchable lighting functions. This model leaves the factory as an analogue DC locomotive with a prepared interface, so it works equally well on a classic direct current layout and on a digital system once a decoder has been fitted.

About the Class 215 locomotive:

The Class 215 was the Deutsche Bundesbahn's answer to the need for a medium-powered general purpose locomotive able to handle passenger and freight duties alike. The machines were built by Krupp and MAN between 1968 and 1971, and 150 examples were completed in total. The design derived from the proven V 160 family, which meant good parts availability and predictable day-to-day operation.

A characteristic feature of the Class 215 was the through-pass boiler for steam heating of passenger coaches, together with an auxiliary diesel engine that could work as an air compressor and recharge the batteries while the locomotive was stabled. This meant the machine did not have to stand near a mains connection. Locomotives of the class worked in the Eifel region, on the Lower Rhine and around Lake Constance, hauling trains of every description. Because of the noisy diesel engine, the whole V 160 family earned the railwaymen's nickname "Ölkocher", the oil cooker.

Withdrawal began in 2000 and the last regular workings ran until April 2003. Sixty-eight locomotives were rebuilt as Class 225 between 2001 and 2003, losing the steam heating boiler and being adapted for freight work only. The design also allowed for later conversion to Class 218, which says a great deal about how flexibly the type was conceived.

Prototype specifications (Class 215 diesel locomotive):

• Builders: Krupp, MAN
• Years built: 1968–1971
• Number built: 150
• Wheel arrangement: B'B'
• Length over buffers: 16,400 mm
• Service weight: 79 t
• Power output: 1,900 hp (1,397 kW) and 2,500 hp (1,840 kW) depending on engine fitted
• Engines: MAN V6V 23/23 TL, Mercedes-Benz MB 839 Bb, MTU MA 12 V 956 TB 10
• Transmission: hydraulic
• Starting tractive effort: 235.2 kN
• Top speed: 140 km/h (215 001–004: 130 km/h)
• Intended use: medium-weight passenger and freight services on main and branch lines

About the manufacturer – PIKO:

PIKO is a German model railway manufacturer that has been in continuous production since 1949, when the works were established at Sonneberg in Thuringia. More than seventy years of experience have made the brand one of the most popular in Europe, familiar to newcomers and advanced modellers alike. The range covers scales H0, TT, N and G, from starter sets through to collector-grade models. The PIKO Expert line combines a highly detailed body with modern digital technology and preparation for DCC decoders. The company is also a leading producer of Polish rolling stock models, including PKP, PKP Intercity and PKP Cargo vehicles.