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PIKO celebrates major success – Awards and international achievements at Intermodellbau Dortmund 2026
Sonneberg, April 2026 – Intermodellbau in Dortmund (April 16–19, 2026) was marked by numerous awards, strong product response and intensive exchange with the model railway community for PIKO. With several first-place finishes in renowned reader polls as well as international “Model of the Year” awards, PIKO is among the outstanding winners of this year’s exhibition.
A particularly notable success was achieved in the “Goldenes Gleis” reader poll, organized by the specialist magazines Modelleisenbahner, MIBA, eisenbahn magazin and Digitale Modellbahn. PIKO secured first place in three categories: the G scale DB class 221 diesel locomotive in orient red livery (item no. 37460), the G scale VTG chemical tank wagon (item no. 37860) and its TT scale counterpart (item no. 37780) impressed readers and the expert jury alike.
Triple award winner at Intermodellbau 2026: (from left to right) PIKO Product Manager Matthias Fröhlich, PIKO CEO Rainer Landwehr and PIKO Head of Sales Jens Beyer present the “Goldenes Gleis” certificates at the PIKO exhibition stand in Dortmund.
PIKO models also received international recognition once again. The Rh 500 (item no. 22000) and the railbus Rh 553 “Brossel” (item no. 52112) were named “Model of the Year 2025” by the Belgian-Dutch specialist magazines Modelspoor Magazine and Train Miniature Magazine. In addition, the ML25 VLTJ diesel locomotive (item no. 52100) received a corresponding award from the Danish umbrella organization of model railway clubs, DMJU.
“These awards confirm our ambition: With a consistently implemented product strategy, we set standards in attractiveness, level of detail and quality. The fact that our products receive awards both nationally and internationally underlines the strong brand power of PIKO and our excellent competitive position. We will continue to expand on this commitment in the future,” explains PIKO CEO Rainer Landwehr.
The strong demand for the award-winning products is also evident in the market: the G scale class 221 in red livery and the TT scale chemical tank wagons are already sold out and only sporadically available from specialist retailers. PIKO will, of course, continue these successful product families in its 2026 new items range with additional variants – including the class 221 in beige-blue livery (item no. 37462) and as a sound version with pulsed smoke generator (item no. 37463).
The chemical tank wagons in striking chrome finish will also be expanded with additional variants in both G and TT scales.
In addition to product innovations, direct interaction with visitors was a key element of the exhibition presence. The presentation of new digital solutions as well as special campaigns – including a special wagon for “International Firefighters’ Day” in support of the German Youth Fire Brigade – met with great interest and generated lively discussions at the PIKO stand.
Overall, Intermodellbau 2026 underlines PIKO’s strong position in the international model railway market. The combination of award-winning products, innovative new releases and close customer interaction provides a solid foundation for a successful 2026 model railway year.