My Neighbour has a Marklin layout!!

[NZRMac]

Amazing I thought I was the only train geek in the street!!

He has Marklin digital. Just the beginnings of a roundy round layout, 3 loops.

Runs cool tho, what can you tell me about Marklin?

Thanks Ken.

[ac4400fan]

expensive hehe i havent worked with it much cause of the price but i havent herd anything bad

[Anonymous]

It uses AC power, and has a stud contact system between the rails. Rolling stock axles aren't insulated so wheelsets need to be exchanged to run Marklin cars on 2-rail layouts. It seems to be very robust and long-lived - many of the big public exhibition layouts I've seen articles on (Miniatur Wonderland in Hamburg, for example) use Marklin, presumably for the reliability. The fact that the two rails are a common return allows easy train detection which may also be a help for automated layouts - a change in resistance can be detected when a train passes due to the conductive axles. The only major snag is that the stud contact AC nature of the system limits it - you can only run Marklin locos (and a very few others - Fleischmann and Electrotren offer locos wired for this alongside their regular 12v DC ranges).

[dknelson]

Yes it is not compatible so do not try to run regular American trains on Maerklin layout or vice versa
Maerklin is top quality. The trains run like little Swiss watches. To me Maerklin layouts tend to look toylike because they tend not to use handlaid track, nor flex track, and the layouts look very rigid. But they are beautiful models that is for sure, and costly.
Some Maerklin models are available for regular 2 rail under the Trix name, including their Big Boy and freight cars
Dave Nelson

[simon1966]

I have a Marklin Z scale set and the quality of the product is superb. Even the packaging exudes quality. I was in Europe last year and planned to pick up an HO Marklin to run on my layout and was blown away by the sticker shock. My understanding is that many Germans have smaller layouts, due to size constraints, but like these layouts to be equipped with the very best.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by NZRMac

Amazing I thought I was the only train geek in the street!!

He has Marklin digital. Just the beginnings of a roundy round layout, 3 loops.

Runs cool tho, what can you tell me about Marklin?

Thanks Ken.

The quality can be seen in their Trix model of the Big Boy. It is the best running model to date!!!

[joeyegarner]

I can't tell you much about Marklin but, The guy has done some really nice work and made very good use of his available space. Salud!!

[Anonymous]

I ran Marklin for 30 years until I switched to the dark side (two rail DC). The gear was very high quality and my 40 year old loco still runs. The older track you will still see was called M track and was/is pressed metal molded with ties and roadbed (like unitrack or easy track). In the 70's they introduced K track which is very similar to two rail flex track and much more realistic looking. Marklin uses a coupler similar to the older style Baker coupler modeled after the european couplers.......The layout in my link (the old one) was Marklin...Look for the studs in the track....I switched because there were little or no US protoypes availabe. I was able to make Intermountain, P2K and other American prototype cars run on the layout using a variety of tricks....Converting locos to and from the Marklin system is not worth it in my opinion....

[selector]

That is my take on it, too, Ken. Many years ago, my parents bought we three boys a Marklin train set with a diesel switcher and a steamer. Even then, I knew we had received a wonderful gift. This stuff is top drawer. But, it is stand-alone; you'll have to use it by itself, or take pains to convert your other stuff.

Who's to say you couldn't have 'the best' as a separate oval included in your layout...a little bit of 'Cheumany' right there with your Zephyr! [:D]

[NZRMac]

Wow thanks guys a mine of information. I'm not going to convert, me or any trains. I'm interested to find out about Marklin so I can help him with his layout.
He has a few electrical problems, and some grade problems!!
I guess we could find out what the his wee steamer could pull, I'll take 20 100 ton hoppers down there.

Thanks for all that, Ken.

[Anonymous]

my dad ha marklin from 1960 and they still run fine
I find marklin very very nice

[Anonymous]

Ken,

E-mail me off of the forum if you have specific electrical problems, with the exception digital, I've pretty much done it all in Marklin when it comes to electrical stuff (I'm sure you'll ask something I'm not familiar with), I have lots of tricks.....

[NZRMac]

Thanks Guy.

Ken.

[railroadyoshi]

That stuff looks really cool
but i cant imagine the price tag.