Hi all, recently after much searching I've acquired one of these at a price I could live with and really it's everything I anticipated, but a couple of problems needing attention.

I'm having some peculiar results with the rotation and reset of the platform, once it's working it turns in both directions smoothly and raises/lowers without any problems but often it will give quite a 'flick' and of course the poor Preiserlings get thrown around the platform often falling off and I can tell you, they don't like it!

The reset option (F4) is meant to initialise the motor but using my Intellibox, each time I press F4, it rotates a little clockwise and I can actually get it to go fully 90º, but testing it last night on a CS2 it would not do this, it still jerked and seems to have a bit of free-play but repeated use of F4 didn't make it rotate further so I suspect this may be an SO setting in the IB. I'll see if I can make a video of this 'flicking' of the platform at some stage.

I am indebted to Ross for his tips on configuring my IB to access the additional functions via his article, http://members.ozemail.c.../pdf/39970_functions.pdf

But the main problem for now is that the Pantograph won't raise or lower and I suspected this might be a problem even before I got it because the auction pictures were clear enough to see that the thin cord did not appear to be attached and sure enough it was not connected. Sadly for me, the problem is not as simple as what Bill midwestbls found in his topic....

https://www.marklin-user...ntograph.aspx#post344045

Last night at the club with the help of Peter clapcott we had a bit of a play around, opened it up and I have confirmed this morning that the cord is broken entirely and only a short length of it remains so I am going to have to replace at least the cord, which I suspect comes with the arbour it's attached to and the small 'dogbone' pin to sit in the Panto wiper.

But when I lifted the body off a small extension spring fell out (glad I saw and caught it) and I was puzzled where it came from.

Having studied it closer this morning and taken some photos I think I know where it's from and would seem to tie in with how it all works. I've emailed Ross to see if he can take a photo of his inside but haven't heard back yet so while I wait I thought I'd share what I do have, and some close-up photo's for those who are interested.

First is the removal of the body, very simple. I suggest you work on a clean rag or something soft to place things down on and to catch anything that might be adrift.

There is a small panel on the platform deck (directly above the hoist ram) which you need to pop out, you'll see a small thin seam where it joins, push down just to the left of the seam and it will pivot up where you can grab it with tweezers. Undo the small Philips screw, remove it and gently lift the entire platform off.

The body is a 'friction fit', and for me I found it easy to place my thumb onto the hoist ram, then place my middle finger of each hand on the bottom edge of the body below the platform, roughly about where the wheels are and just lift with both fingers while gently pushing down on the hoist ram with my thumbs. Kinda hard to explain but easy in practice. Lift the body slowly and you may encounter some resistance when the electronics PCB hits the headlight shroud, mine was a very tight fit here but moving the body about slightly released it, then it just lifts clean away.



As above, at this point was my first surprise with the spring and very glad I saw it, would have been very easy for it to have passed my eyes unnoticed. If your panto is working this spring will be secured but if your cord has also broken, this will almost certainly be loose within, and with a very real risk of shorting across the electronics PCB so should your cord break, STOP using the Loco until you get it fixed.

Ok, so here's a photo of the spring and initially I was puzzled where it might have come from even wondering if it was part of the platform mechanism but the more I thought about it this morning and looking at the very limited diagram in the booklet the more I determined that it was part of the Panto drive and pending more detail I decided to take some more photos because I could find very few so here was a perfect opportunity to create a reference for others.



Looking in underneath the Pantograph and the upper portion of the drive clutch - this appears to be a one-way kind of clutch mechanism where the pawl will catch in one direction but slip in the other. Unfortunately with the body on there's no way to see the two parts correctly engaged (mated if you prefer) and if I could get my hands on a sacrificial body shell where I could cut the side out at the corner for a 'cutaway' view it would be very easy to see how it works. It may yet be possible to achieve a view by removing the shroud around the drivers cab at that end and with a strong light and a hack of a good lens possibly catch the mechanism in action - I'll keep that thought for another day.



At this point I could see the end of the VERY thin cord, this really was a surprise, much thinner than I thought. Not a lot thicker really than a human hair or a strand of fibre-optic cable. I grabbed the end with my tweezers and gently pulled, it only unraveled a small amount but I didn't go any further at that stage.

This morning I got back into it again at home and this time decided to remove the upper clutch from the roof underside. Here are some detail photo's at different angles and I can actually see them much clearer from these images than with my own eyes - misplaced my jewelers head magnifying glasses which I will absolutely have to find when I get to repair it so I can see!! It's obvious that the cord has snapped and where the other end has gone who knows. And I am a little worried has this broken from the friction of repeated use or mis-use? (accidental I'm sure)

Clutch and cord different angles....





Ok, now I turned my mind to that spring again and a closer look underside after studying this image from the booklet...



The cord seemed to just disappear in a loop and I wondered if it went away through the end-loop of the spring. Looking closely at the roof underside was a small post with a shoulder on it just as you'd expect from a spring anchor, and the spring sits nicely here...



OK, seems very likely. Will find out soon enough. On with some photos of the rest of the interior

One side image....



Platform Piezo 1...



Other side image...



Platform Piezo 2...



Lower portion of the Pantograph clutch mechanism cam...



Panto drive Piezo,,,



See above a bit of a possible build-up on the white wheel which I will try to clean off before it gets worse, perhaps with a little Iso-propyl-alcohol on a rag or cotton bud (q-tip)

Electronics Decoder/s...



** note this Loco has two decoders, the primary one is the Mfx decoder, and secondary decoder for the platform motion appears to be standard Motorola format and of course there is also sound. You'll see a small piggy-back PCB underneath the main one so just what controls what I do not know at this stage.

And during the editing of this topic which has taken most of the day with visitors, taking photo's uploading etc, I did receive the awaited photo from Ross and exactly as I suspected, the spring provides a bias tension onto the cord. The booklet clearly states that for long periods of non-use, shipping etc the pantograph should be raised by the motor, then manually clipped down to lock back into place. This spring is probably what keeps the cord under a little tension so that it does not unravel from the drive clutch nor unhook from the Pantograph itself while it's relaxed.



So my mission now given that most of the cord is missing is to obtain a complete replacement cord with clutch and the pin for the Panto. It's not shown in the exploded view and there's a chance it may only be available as part of the body. I emailed Marklin Service earlier today with photo's to ask about availability. Shall have to wait and see.

On a hopefully positive note, although I purchased the Loco used on eBay, the Seller is a store located in Spain and they have already responded apologising that this function does not work and promising to reimburse me via Paypal for the repair cost. I'll keep that aspect of this topic updated as well.

And for those who may not have seen it, this short 1 min promo video has a fantastic animation that does show how the Pantogrpah Piezo drive works, in this case on a Cl.103 but it's very similar...




And seeing as this Loco also has Sinus drive, this video too is relevant...




The only thing for me, that could possibly be added to this Loco would be Telex otherwise it ticks ALL my boxes and I just LOVE IT!!!

Hope this has been enjoyable and maybe even helpful for some and I welcome any comments, feedback etc. I just hope the images display correctly or else I'm in for a bit of editing!.

Cheers

Cookee

Edited by user 15 June 2014 04:07:07(UTC)  | Reason: Spelling Piezo, typos

Steve, I've looked at this item before and I thought what a useless bit of a maintenance car and the price didn't impress me either but looking at the inner works this is impressive. thanks for sharing and having the guts to open it, it takes me hours sometimes I take something apart it falls apart and suddenly I'm presented with several parts I have no idea where they came from until you put your thinking hat on and eventually figure out where everything goes.

John

Hello Steve,

I'm glad you found the photo and PDF helpful. Good article for future reference

Update for those who have been interested.

I have received my reply from Marklin Service..... (14 working days, I guess that's about right)

Dear Mr. Cook,

below is the parts list from the model 39970.

The required spare parts are no longer available.

The model can not be repaired.

We regret that we can not give you an enjoyable message.

Sincerly yours

Märklin Customer Service

Alexandros Karamichailidis

Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH
P.O.Box 960
D 73009 Göppingen
phone +49 7161 608-222
E-Mail: Service@maerklin.de


Well, of course I'm disappointed, but I'm also somewhat realistic - it is after all 7 years since this model was first released, but then again, not yet 4 years since it was withdrawn. It would seem to me that the panto cord would be a bit of a vulnerable item and that replacement parts of this nature might be needed.

So now I have a few questions.

1: The parts diagram shows two different references, one #5 - p/n 115279 for 'Dach' (the roof) and #4 - p/n 115276 for 'Aufbau' (construction, or what I assume to be the body).

Note that the entire upper body is actually two main parts. The yellow body is plastic, the grey roof is diecast. Therefore, if I was to order the Roof, would it come complete with the Pantograph operating parts - ie the clutch to engage with the Piezo, the nylon cord, and the pin for the Panto? (as per my images)

2: The parts diagrams for the 39970 & 39972 show different numbers. The 39972 does not have the operating Panto, so perhaps the difference lies in one having additional parts?

3: Is it more likely that the part I want is in fact the roof assy, which would come complete with the Panto parts but the entire roof assy is no longer available?

What about the 39971? this is the Maroon version, but still has the working operating Panto - the roof for that is p/n 138641

I can just imagine the stream of confused emails back and forth trying to resolve this so it occurred to me that it may be far quicker and more reliable to have one of our native German speakers actually phone Marklin Service and clarify this. I have emailed Markus Schild separately in this regard as he is always very helpful with tricky questions but I did wonder if anyone had anything to add, and also if anyone would know whether those parts in the 39970 are the same in any of the other working Panto models?

I've got our local dealer Dion of Toot Toot on it also, trying hard not to leave a stone unturned here.

It looks like I might be on the hunt for some very fine nylon cord and that WILL be a fiddly job. Never ever ever tell a Kiwi (or an Ozzie) that something can not be fixed, it's just not in our nature.

Steve

Hi!
No piezo motors in that rail car.

Märklin have economised their spare parts department. You can always get what you want - but sometimes you have to buy 20 when you only need 1.

Various nylon lines can be bought in decoration shops or as fishing lines. You just have to find the correct diameter and length.

Hello All. I found this topic on the 39970 and thought it would be the best place to post my question. I have a 39970 and the problem I am having is that I can get neither the panto nor the platform to move. With the shell off, I can see that when I put the wagon on the track, a light on the board will come on, the wheel visible from the top (referred to as the Lower Portion of the Clutch Mechanism cam in the pictures below) will spin for a couple of seconds and then stop. Pressing the function buttons does nothing. If I lift the wagon off the track and place it back down, the same thing happens each time.

Any thoughts on what could be wrong? I am using the CS1 Reloaded, and have tried both calling up the decoder from the database (39970), and manually (71) - no difference. I see the video below of how the piezo motors should move, and that is certainly not happening. The panto wire is intact, so the problem is more general as I cannot get the platform to move either. F4 doesn't seem to do anything.

As background, the problem progressed as follows: first the platform stopped going up (however it would turn); then everything stopped working. The other functions of the wagon (sound, movement etc, work fine)

Many thanks for any assistance that can be provided.