How are the couplers fastened to the rolling stock? If it's not a standard coupler pocket with a cover plate, they may be "NEM" couplers, which is the European standard.
I think Kadee makes a replacement coupler with the NEM snap-in shank, but they aren't readily available at most hobby shops. You will probably have to order directly from Kadee or have your local hobby shop order them, and you'll have to be very careful that you get the correct size because Kadee makes more than one type.
Check Kadee's web site at http://www.kadee.com
Click on "couplers," scroll down and you'll see 4 different types of NEM couplers offered: Short, Medium, Long, and Extra Long shank.
Since Marklin HO uses a 3 rail system (studs in the center of the track) make sure your wheelsets are insulated.
Enjoy
Paul
Gads.... what a pain. Thanks guys. Now I just have to figure out what length will work best with the box cars. Guess that's why my sister got a good deal on them (was my Xmass gift last year)
Not sure what you mean about 3 rail or insulated wheel sets.... Should I run a ohm meeter accross them to check??
Lee,
If these cars are recent, it should be pretty easy to convert them. Check with a Marklin dealer. I recommend Scott at Helmut's hobbies (google em').
OTOH, they could be worth some pretty good bucks exactly the way they are, you might check Ebay. Your sister must have gotten a good deal or she coughed up some serious bucks...Some of the sets work out to around $30-40 per car. Selling them could net some cash which could buy lots of Blue boxes or a few nice Kadees or IM cars with closer prototype accuracy and no coupler/wheelset hassles...
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
Loco wrote:Gads.... what a pain. Thanks guys. Now I just have to figure out what length will work best with the box cars. Guess that's why my sister got a good deal on them (was my Xmass gift last year) Not sure what you mean about 3 rail or insulated wheel sets.... Should I run a ohm meeter accross them to check??
Marklin HO uses a 3 rail AC system just like Lionel. The third "rail" is actually a series of studs set in the center of each tie that a sliding contact under the locomotive makes contact with. This allows for both rails to be electrically connected to each other. Since the rails both have the same polarity there is no need for one of the metal wheels to be insulated from the axle.
If you look at an insulated metal wheel set you'll notice that one of the wheels is not mounted directly on the axle. Instead there is plastic bushing that the axle goes into and the wheel is around that. This is needed on a 2 rail system since the rails are opposite polarity and a non insulated wheelset would short it.
I don't know how Marklin does their wheelsets, so I would check. You can use an ohm meter, but a visual should work just fine. If they are not insulated, you'll need to replace them for use on a 2 rail system.
Hello everybody,
Ironrooster you are correct. The wheel sets from the Marklin cars are basically cast into one piece of metal. So if the wheel sets are not exchanged then they will short out the layout because they act the same as a piece of steel across the rails. As for the couplers, check Kadee. Here is what Kadee says on their web site
"Most Marklin Cars and locomotives that have Non-NEM coupler pockets can easily be adapted to useKadee couplers (mostly 30 series). Contact Kadee
with the type of car or locomotive and the Marklinproduct number.NOTE: Most late model RTR European Locosand Rolling Stock come equipped with "NEM" stylecouplers. Kadee® also offers HO-Scale NEM-362Couplers in four different lengths.................................."
Hope it helps
Frank
"If you need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm."
Ohm leads in hand, I can state for a fact that they are a dead short accross the wheels. So they will all have to be replaced. But I got to tell ya, them are the SWEETEST wheels. They just roll and roll, and solid as they come. Took one out and taped it with a small hammer and she gave the nicest ring... ah well. My sister stikes again! (( yah, we are rather close - she will be more tickled that this gift will make "work" for me lol))
Figure to go with Intermountain 33's as this is what I started with when replacing some other plastic wheel sets.
Thanks for all the advice!
The Marklin/Trix boxcars are accurate and well-detailed, and the trucks are superb. In most cases, Marklin dealers will exchange the uninsulated wheelsets for insulated sets with RP25 flanges at no cost. I don't know that IM or other wheels are a drop-in fit, because as I recall the axle lengths differ.
We showed how to convert these cars to body-mount couplers in the October 2004 issue, page 28. Basically, you remove the factory drawbar, mount a piece of styrene sheet to the car floor, then attach a coupler pocket to that.
Good luck, and thanks for reading MR.
Terry
Hi,
got to thinking why not go to a European hobby shop that sells Marklin and Trix. Trix is the DC part of Marklin and they should have the proper replacement axles.
If that is not possible then if need be I can post a question on a German forum dedicated to North American Railroads.
Kadee offers knuckle couplers to fit in the European NEM 362 coupler pocket used by Märklin and other European manufacturers.
Use either the Kadee no. 17, 18, 19, or 20, depending on the shank length you want for the coupler.
Jeff Stimson
Märklin, Inc.
Thanks for the post Jeff. I ordered the #17's this morning, should have them in a few days I removed the NEM 362's on the one box car and they came out effortlessly.
One question on the wheel sets, can I exchange them? I logged on the Marklin web site and located a dealer in St. Louis, Hobby Station Inc. Greg, was very helpfull and if you would drop him a call about exchanging them, that woud be cool. I'm more than willing to pay for any shipping or such as I live out here in no-hobby store land and it's a two hour drive one way.
If an exchange is not an option, what replacements do I order? I MUST have these box cars on the track or I will NEVER hear the end of it from my sister!
Update:
I recieved a reply to an e-mail I sent this morning to Marklin concerning the wheel set (wow, fast) confirming they will do a total replacement at no charge. Tom at Marklin also gave me a number to call should a dealer have any questions. This is simple outstanding service in anyone's book!
not sure if this info is still of interest: The RP25 wheelsets fot those boxcars are sold under Märklin's item number 320389.
Cheers,
Harry
Update: Last Thursday, per advice from Marklin, I called got ahold of a dealer in my area and after checking the stock (I didn't want to wipe them out as I needed 40 axles) they called me back this morning and said everything is good. I'm packing them up to be sent off for a no cost exchange! So far EVERYONE has been totaly friendly and not in the least "put out" about helping - you all know that look and attitude you get sometimes. Well, the local dealer made sure to keep me up to speed, called me three times after leaving the original message and all is good in the world!
I know we all have add terrible experiences with our retail/wholesale counter parts, that just why I wanted to make sure to post up a KICKA$$ experience
The #17 couplers came from Kadee on Friday and I just got done installing them.... smooth and easy. Check out the spacing. Oh, and I boxed up the wheel sets today as well and will be shipping them out on Moday.
I returned home today to find a VERY well packaged and boxed up set of brand new wheel sets to replace the original wheels! I would like to thank everyone involved, this was an OUTSTANDING and fun learning experience. I will be sure and post up "the fleet" when I get some track down
Again, Top Notch All