Piko 51133 H0 - BR 152 Electric Locomotive, Captrain, Era VI

Model of the class 152 freight electric locomotive in Captrain livery

The neon green of Captrain is one of the most recognisable liveries on German freight lines, and only a handful of machines wear it. This H0 scale model depicts a class 152 electric locomotive, the production version of the Siemens EuroSprinter family, as it appears in Era VI. The prototype is one of the two locomotives Siemens built under the ES64F designation for its own leasing company, later sold to the ITL railway and today running for Captrain.

The model captures the characteristic angular EuroSprinter outline together with a precise reproduction of the livery and operator markings. A central motor with two flywheels drives the locomotive, and two traction tyres on the inner axles add adhesion so that substantial model freight trains can be hauled. The NEM 658 PluX22 interface allows a digital decoder to be fitted, after which the cab lighting can be switched digitally along with the headlights. NEM coupler pockets with close coupling mechanisms keep the gap between vehicles small.

Model specifications:

• Scale: H0 (1:87)
• Item number: 51133
• Manufacturer: PIKO
• Length over buffers: 226 mm
• Railway administration: Captrain (private operator)
• Era: VI (from 2006)
• Power supply: DC
• Decoder interface: NEM 658 PluX22, decoder available separately
• Sound decoder: PIKO sound decoder no. 56606 listed by the manufacturer as suitable for retrofitting
• Drive: central motor with two flywheels
• Traction tyres: 2
• Coupling: NEM 362 coupler pocket with close coupling mechanism
• Minimum radius: 358 mm
• Lighting: directional headlights, white / red
• Digital functions once a PluX22 decoder is fitted: switchable cab lighting
• Ready to run, factory painted and printed
• Age recommendation: 14 years and up

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

This model is not a starter set and contains neither track nor a controller. As delivered it runs on a conventional analogue layout supplied with direct current and operated by a standard speed controller. The NEM 658 PluX22 interface allows a DCC decoder to be retrofitted at any time, and the manufacturer lists sound decoder no. 56606 as a suitable match. Once a decoder is installed the digital functions become available, including switchable cab lighting.

Model railways - digital or analogue control?

In an analogue setup, speed and direction depend on the voltage applied to the track, so every vehicle in a section responds in the same way. In a DCC system the track carries a constant voltage while the command station sends addressed instructions to the decoders inside the vehicles, so several locomotives can be driven independently and their auxiliary functions switched. This locomotive leaves the factory as an analogue DC model with a PluX22 interface, which makes it equally at home on an analogue layout and on a digital one once a decoder has been fitted.

About the class 152 locomotive:

In the early 1990s the German railways needed modern, powerful three-phase locomotives for freight service. In 1993 DB launched the development of such a vehicle, and the Siemens and Krauss-Maffei consortium won the contract. By 1995 the prototype 152 001-4 was completed as the second member of the well known EuroSprinter family. Of an order for 195 units, DB AG eventually took delivery of 170 locomotives, built at the works in Munich and Uerdingen.

On entering service all the machines were allocated to the Nuremberg marshalling yard. From there they work freight trains across Germany, with a particular role in hinterland traffic from the Port of Hamburg via the Maschen marshalling yard. The class 152 offers 6,400 kW of continuous power and 300 kN of tractive effort, runs at up to 140 km/h, has a Bo'Bo' wheel arrangement and draws current from the 15 kV 16.7 Hz overhead system.

Alongside the DB AG fleet, Siemens also built two machines under the ES64F designation for its in-house leasing company Dispolok, where they carried the numbers 152 901 and 152 902. Both were later sold to the ITL railway company and today run for Captrain in a striking neon green livery that sets them apart from the standard red DB Cargo machines.

Prototype specifications (class 152, Siemens ES64F):

• Builders: Krauss-Maffei as main contractor, Siemens responsible for the electrical equipment
• Years built: 1996-2001, prototype completed in 1995
• Quantity: of an order for 195 units DB AG took 170 locomotives, plus two ES64F machines for Dispolok
• Wheel arrangement: Bo'Bo'
• Length over buffers: 19,580 mm
• Service weight: 86.7 t
• Axle load: 21.7 t
• Continuous power: 6,400 kW
• Tractive effort: 300 kN
• Motors: four Siemens traction motors with nose-suspended drive
• Power system: 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC
• Maximum speed: 140 km/h
• Purpose: heavy freight service

About the manufacturer - PIKO:

PIKO is a German model railway manufacturer active since 1949 and rooted in Sonneberg in Thuringia. More than seventy years of experience have made it one of the most popular brands in Europe, with a range covering H0, TT, N and G scales. The PIKO Expert series combines a high level of body detail with modern digital technology, including PIKO SmartDecoder electronics. The company is also a leading producer of Polish prototype models for PKP, PKP Intercity and PKP Cargo.