Back when I lived in Pennsylvania, I had a nice little Marklin layout using older late 60's and early 70's trains. When I moved back to Indiana, I rejoined the local club, sold off the European stuff to get back into USA 2 rail DC. That club has since folded up and after wallowing for a year or two, just messing with my little garden railway, I decided to get back into Marklin HO 3 rail AC but with digital control this time. I swapped some Lionel stuff for some track, a Uhlenbrock Intellibox-IR and IB-Switch Digital control system powered by a 60va Marklin Systems power transformer. Then I got word that Walthers had a nice little digital starter set on thier dump list. Set MSRP over $500, got it for just under $280. Comes with a nice diecast class 24 2-6-0 steam locomotive, 3 passenger coaches and a low side gondola with a tractor load. Also has a nice loop of C-track w/passing track and a Mobile station 2 controler(which I didnt really need but a good contoler in its own right). Pics show my new benchwork, a 4x7 table that folds up against a frame on the wall made out of 1'x10's So anything 10" or under can be mounted to the layout. I also picked up a class 261 shunting diesel with digitaly controled couplers on both ends. Both the train and all turnouts will be digitially controled. Still need more track for the shunting yard and the rear passing track. If anybody is looking for an awsome starter set with Marklin quality, Walthers may still have it, ajckids still shows it available as well. I highly recommend it! Mike
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Looks like you have a good start, please keep us informed of you progress.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Congratulation on a good start!
OK, Marklin 3-rail AC is not to everyone´s taste, but it is a rock-solid, well engineered and reliable system, which will give you endless hours of MRRing pleasure!
The class 24 2-6-0 is a nice and versatile little loco. Built in the 1920´s, they saw service well into the 1960´s, mainly pulling light passenger trains. All but one have been scrapped, but I am not sure whether this one is still in an operating condition!
Hope to see more of your layout as it develops!
Welcome back! My first foray into model trains was with a Marklin set that my father had purchased when he was stationed in Europe in the late 50s. Wish I knew whatever happened to that set.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR