PIKO America HO Siemens Sprinter DMU
PIKO America is following the prototype in almost every way by bringing its model of Siemens Sprinter Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) to U.S. modelers, just as the German equipment manufacturer Siemens brought its European DMUs to Southern California. The HO scale models are available with dual-mode sound decoders.
The Siemens Sprinter DMUs are part of the company’s Desiro line of DMU/ EMU commuter train sets. Available either with diesel engines or as solely electric units, the units are used around the world.
The North County Transit District in San Diego County, Calif., ordered 12 married pairs of Siemens Desiro VT642 commuter cars for its Oceanside to Escondido service inaugurated in 2008.
The DMUs are powered by a pair of 420hp diesel engines connected to the drive wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission using torque converters to connect the engine and transmission like an automobile or heavy truck.
Our sample model came equipped with PIKO’s SmartSound Decoder 5.1. Modifications to the U.S. model include an upgraded air-conditioning system and coach-style seating.
The decoration is excellent, matching online photos down to the placards by the doors indicating no smoking; accommodation for strollers, bicycles, and wheelchairs; and onboard WiFi.
Destination boards in the side windows and in the nose indicate our sample train is bound for Oceanside Train Station. All labels are legible, and the painting is opaque with sharp color separations. Large tinted windows allow easy viewing of the interior.
Inside the model is a single can motor with a flywheel driving the front truck, which has traction tires. The instruction pamphlet shows how to remove the shell for access to the interior to add passenger figures. A driver figure is included in the front of the set.
Simulated commuter-train couplers are included to mount on the ends of the model. There’s also a drawbar and simulated “coupled” coupler if you want to combine more than one train set as the prototype does during heavy traffic.
I first tested the model on our staff Milwaukee, Racine & Troy layout, which has Shinohara code 83 track. There was some noise from the wheels, but it was the sound of metal rolling on metal. On my home switching layout’s Atlas code 83 track, the larger spike head detail on the track created a drumming noise as if the model had derailed. As PIKO mentions on its website, the deep European flanges can interfere with some code 83 track. It operated well on an 18" radius loop of code 100 track.
Using an NCE PowerCab, I measured a starting speed of less than 1 scale mph at speed step 1, and a top speed of 73 scale mph, a bit higher than the prototype’s rated top speed of 55 mph.
PIKO uses a slightly different function map for some of the Sprinter’s sound features. Headlight, bell, and horn are in their usual Function 0-2 locations. Function 3 offers a short horn blast, F4 is an emergency horn, F5 starts the diesel engine sounds, F6 turns the interior lights on and off, and F8 mutes sound. You can sound a grade crossing sequence with F9, and there’s a four-step volume control at F12. Piko recorded actual announcement sounds from the fullsized Sprinters, which are available on F14 through F22.
On DC, the PIKO SmartSound Decoder 5.1 required 8V to begin making sounds and 9.25V to get the model moving at 5 scale mph. At our powerpack’s maximum voltage, 14.5V, the model moved at 43 scale mph. This is another unique model from PIKO America.