Hello from Thailand I'm interesting in MTH E+ for Marklin but I'm no experience about it and I've a AC Marklin layout, Could I operate E+ (MTH for Marklin) HO:Scale by Marklin Mobile station? and How could I set up it? Thank you for any kindness.
Hello and to the MR forums!
Marklin uses its own proprietary digital command system, which is based on an old, but revised Motorola protocol. It is not DCC nor DCS (MTH-system) compatible.
Marklin´s home page does not give a hint towards compatibility.
I doubt that you can run a MTH loco with Marklin´s Mobile Station.
Unless I am mistaken, Marklin HO is effectively a three-rail system with the third rail being small nubs running up the centerline between the rails...on top of the ties. So, while it is an AC system, and so is the DCC an AC system, the pickups to the decoder don't work between MTH DCS two-rail power and the Marklin three-rail power.
Crandell
Here's what I found regarding Proto-Sound 3E+ direct from MTH:
"For those who have operated Marklin HO AC 3-rail trains in the past, choosing a Proto-Sound 3E+ equipped model will give you an opportunity to run sound-equipped North American prototypes on your railroad with your Marklin DCC command control system.
Outfitted with NEM 311 wheels and NEM 365 couplers, each of these engines feature an all-new version of Proto-Sound 3.0, contain a third rail sliding shoe for use with Marklin HO stud rail and can operate on AC power. Like their 3.0 counterparts, Proto-Sound 3E+ locomotives feature full digital sound, speed control, 28 DCC functions, hundreds of DCS sounds and features and a command control receiver for use with Marklin DCC control systems."
Quoted from page 1 of the MTH 2011 HO scale Catalog.
It sound like the answer would be yes you can as long as you make sure you get a 3E+ model. Like previous posters have already mentioned, a standard PS3 model will not work on 3 rail (Marklin) track.
I checked the MTH Catalog and only found 2 SD70Ace locomotives equipped with PS3E+: BNSF 9168 (item # 80-2138-5) and UP 8625 (item # 80-2135-5) both of these are "comfort cab" loco's.
If you're still not sure check with MTH before purchasing,
Good luck,
Jamie
Cape Vincent Southern Railroad
HO scale Horseshoe Curve in 5’x10’
My YouTube
Hi Thailand Model RailRoad Shop,
Welcome to the forum!
Yes, MTH HO engines with Protosound 3E+ will operate with the Marklin Mobile Station. The Protosound 3E+ engines will function like any other Marklin engine.
For those who don't know, Marklin Mobile Station is an entry level Marklin Digital system developed by ESU and sold by Marklin. It is very similar to ESU's own DCC system but with additional commands that are not part of the DCC standard code set.
MTH has been expanding into Europe in both O scale (European O scale - 1:45 in Germany and 1:43.5 in France and UK) as well as HO. A big part of the European market in HO is dominated by Marklin 3-rail (stud rail). These trains use a slide shoe that runs on top of small studs that stick up out of the center of the ties. MTH has cataloged many of their HO models with a new version of their Protosound 3 decoder designed specifically for Marklin HO. The Protosound 3E+ decoder runs in conventional mode on AC, in command on Marklin Digital, or MTH's own DCS system. Engines equipped with Protosoud 3E+ can be distinguished by their item number, which ends with "-5". So far, models with PS3E+ include...
As far as I know none of these models have actually shipped. However, MTH did have pre-production samples in their booth at the TCA meet in York, PA, back in October. My crew and I recently finished building two display layouts for MTH that will first appear at the Nuremberg Toy Fair next month. One of the layouts is all HO and features two loops of MTH's own HO ScaleTrax flex track and one loop of Marklin HO 3-rail stud rail track.
Thank you for any kindness, It's a good information for me and my customer, I'm not good command in English.