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Offline biedmatt  
#1 Posted : 24 March 2015 23:15:15(UTC)
biedmatt

United States   
Joined: 09/04/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,343
Location: Southwest Ohio
I had been looking at a 3025 Triebwagen on eBay.de for a long time now. There was one in particular that had extremely nice paint. It did not have any of the damage to the silver paint on the roof from the perimeter cut out used inside the blue boxes. All the others had damage to the silver paint at one end or another and one side or the other. But, the old floppy sliders always made me worry it would be a third rail short circuit nightmare, so I always resisted. Until three weeks ago. I had finished lighting my passenger wagens and needed a project, this seemed like the time to try a 3025. So I made an offer and the seller accepted. Two weeks later it was in my hands.

I am a digital operator. I no longer have an old transformer nor any quick and simple way to add one to the layout. This was going to be converted like all the other lokos I own. So I photo documented Marklin's wiring and de-soldered all the electrical connections to the lights and sliders and lifted out the wiring intact, complete with e-unit and field magnet. I placed it in a ziploc bag and stored it all away. Being basically a 3015 motor, I had to make another permanent magnet as I did with my old Krocs.
https://www.marklin-user...ocodiles.aspx#post401606

Next I disassembled everything to clean it up from both grime and dirt that accumulated over the past 50+ years. Here I have a powered bogie apart, cleaned and ready to assemble.
UserPostedImage

An assembled power bogie and the motor, cleaned up and with the homemade permanent magnet.
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The first segment back together and testing the motor rotation to determine which brush is positive for forward operation.
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Brand new sliders. They did cause some problems. More on those later.
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Now all three segments cleaned up, reassembled and wired for digital.
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A sound decoder. I wanted a horn.
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The three body segments carefully washed with soapy water to remove the grime. The quality of the paint can be seen in the next three pics.
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As seen in this photo, the roof vents have the 2mm wide perimeter ring indicating a first generation, first year model.
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All back together and I was ready to go, only the sliders that had me worried caused problems as I had feared. With an old transformer that will self restore after the short is gone and the ability to coast with the old AC motor, the old sliders probably are not a problem. With digital where the power shuts down and requires you to press a reset button, the sliders are a problem. So they came off and I had to figure out how to mount a newer style slider. After some thought, I came up with this, a piece of thin fiberglass board cut to fit inside the bogie using mounting points like the old sliders and a new slider glued to the fiberglass board. It now runs reliably through all my switches without any shorts or hickups.
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I would have prefered it on the first bogie instead of the third, but the first two are powered and have a large gear in the way.
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...and away we go!
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Now I need to finish that Dammtor station.

Edited by user 25 June 2015 04:19:02(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Matt
Era 3
DB lokos, coaches and freight cars from across Europe
But I do have the obligatory (six) SBB Krocs
ECoS 50200, all FX and MFX decoders replaced with ESU V4s, operated in DCC-RailCom+ with ABC brake control.
With the exception of the passenger wagens with Marklin current conducting couplers, all close couplers have been replaced with Roco 40397.
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Offline 3rail4life  
#2 Posted : 25 March 2015 00:20:05(UTC)
3rail4life

United States   
Joined: 23/12/2011(UTC)
Posts: 426
Location: Northern California
Fantastic Matt! ThumpUp ThumpUp A truly great find, awesome conversion and restoration you have done there. I really like what you did with the slider and magnet, mad skills you have, thanks for sharing!

Gordon
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Offline foumaro  
#3 Posted : 25 March 2015 05:38:31(UTC)
foumaro

Greece   
Joined: 08/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 4,420
Location: Attiki Athens Greece
Great find,great result of your conversion.ThumpUp
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Offline Andrey  
#4 Posted : 25 March 2015 07:27:59(UTC)
Andrey

Russian Federation   
Joined: 03/12/2012(UTC)
Posts: 641
Location: Moscow
Hi Matt,

lovely triebwagen, great conversion, very clear and useful pics. ThumpUp
Enjoyed your work and post.

All the best, Andrey Smile
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Offline jvuye  
#5 Posted : 25 March 2015 08:24:41(UTC)
jvuye

Belgium   
Joined: 01/03/2008(UTC)
Posts: 2,881
Location: South Western France
Only one word: R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!!!ThumpUp
Jacques Vuye aka Dr.Eisenbahn
Once a vandal, learned to be better and had great success!
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Offline kimballthurlow  
#6 Posted : 25 March 2015 08:40:03(UTC)
kimballthurlow

Australia   
Joined: 18/03/2007(UTC)
Posts: 6,653
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Hi Matt,

You did truly lovely work on an old model.
Thanks for showing the details.

regards
Kimball
HO Scale - Märklin (ep II-III and VI, C Track, digital) - 2 rail HO (Queensland Australia, UK, USA) - 3 rail OO (English Hornby Dublo) - old clockwork O gauge - Live Steam 90mm (3.1/2 inch) gauge.
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Offline Mark5  
#7 Posted : 28 March 2015 04:00:20(UTC)
Mark5

Canada   
Joined: 29/01/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,420
Location: Montreal, Canada
Great job! Inspired.
Want to get a digital layout functioning
(Other than our carpet-, or temporary table-bahns and the analog Madchenbahn),
so I can spend more time on locos too.

Keep posting the digital conversions... great ideas all, really.
Mark

ps My 10 year old daughter liked seeing this thread and would like to know if you have ever scratch-built a locomotive.
DB DR FS NS SNCF c. 1950-65, fan of station architecture esp. from 1920-70.
In single point perspective, where do track lines meet?
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Offline Ian555  
#8 Posted : 28 March 2015 06:21:31(UTC)
Ian555

Scotland   
Joined: 04/06/2009(UTC)
Posts: 20,235
Location: Scotland
Hi Matt,

That's great work.

Ian.
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Offline river6109  
#9 Posted : 28 March 2015 06:35:37(UTC)
river6109

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 14,636
Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
Matt, first of all congratulations (purchase), do you think this unit had been restored ? I almost think no because all the other parts especially the axles seem to be in a very good condition, there always will be knockers out there who will say you should be crucified for altering this item which has an investment value bla bla bla, I had a message which was short of a death threat what I've done to my locos (RM 800, TM 800, DL 800) and so forth.

I've sold mine many years ago after being restored by a former German restorer (Georg Brockmann) now auctioneer, and I too modified it to dgital (6080) but sold it in its original state (ANALOG).

you may think about it and add Led's instead of bulbs because the motor itself would draw quite a few Amp's.

When you look at the whole construction especially the motor car providing power to all 4 axles via a cardan shaft and knowing your expertise in converting locos you have changed the brass brush for a graphite brush BigGrin

John
https://www.youtube.com/river6109
https://www.youtube.com/6109river
5 years in Destruction mode
50 years in Repairing mode
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Offline NZMarklinist  
#10 Posted : 28 March 2015 08:12:48(UTC)
NZMarklinist

New Zealand   
Joined: 15/03/2011(UTC)
Posts: 1,757
Location: Auckland NZ
Hi Matt,

Indeed, respect, and all the other good words, great job ThumpUp

I am not into old Marklin at all for myself but I think you've done a very subtle, and practical conversion here and with respect to John, I would leave the lights as bulbs as that is part of the model's "old Marklin" character RollEyes
Glen
Auckland NZ

" Every Marklin layout needs a V200, a Railbus and a Banana car", not to mention a few Black and red Steamers, oh and the odd Elok !

CS1 Reloaded, Touch Cab, C Track Modules, K track layout all under construction. Currently Insider
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Offline Janne75  
#11 Posted : 28 March 2015 08:41:06(UTC)
Janne75

Finland   
Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC)
Posts: 2,550
Location: Finland
Hi Matt,

Great find and clean and nice conversion work! ThumpUp You seem to do every modification to your locos perfectly. Thanks for sharing these photos.

I would also leave those light bulbs as this model looks better with them than LED lights in my opinion.

Regards,
Janne
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner.
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Offline river6109  
#12 Posted : 28 March 2015 12:32:07(UTC)
river6109

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 14,636
Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
just a quick verification: Le'ds: the same type but instead of a bulb its a 3mm led, screw type and defused and I didn't mean changing the head and marker lights just the interior lights, I agree the headlights and marker lights belong to this model without any change

John
https://www.youtube.com/river6109
https://www.youtube.com/6109river
5 years in Destruction mode
50 years in Repairing mode
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Offline biedmatt  
#13 Posted : 28 March 2015 12:56:02(UTC)
biedmatt

United States   
Joined: 09/04/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,343
Location: Southwest Ohio
Thank you all for the kind words. Although the model is not based on any prototype, it has become one of my favorites. It was only in the catalog for four years and the 1959 catalog lists it at a price higher than the Krocodil. But they are not particularly rare, I believe you can find about ten available at any given time on eBay.de.

Hi Mark, I am good with my hands, can quickly understand how something works, a perfectionist by nature and 30+ years in the commercial fire alarm business has taught me to sweat the details, but I do not have the ability to visualize and produce unique products. I know that skill begins with natural ability that then can be brought to fruition with mechanical engineering training, but I lack both of those. I have great respect for anyone who can dream up and make something, they are unique people. When it comes to machining, I am woefully inadequate. When I see some of the stuff Jacques makes, my jaw drops. So to directly answer her question, I have never tried to scratch build a locomotive, I am not sure exactly where I would begin.

John, I think I got lucky and found one that was originally owned by an adult who too must have been anal about caring for it. The original red box is gone, but it came in an (old) hand made wood box that perfectly fit it with a little paper wrapped around it to protect it. The box is even closed with a sliding wood cover. Before I bought it, I was convinced the red paint was original, but I was not sure about the silver. Almost all have some damage to the silver paint, this one did not. That by itself caused some concern, but there was some wear on the corners of high points and it looked genuine. Once I could see it directly, I knew it was original. The line along the side is very sharp and distinct, but does not have a lip that would occur if it was taped with masking tape and re-sprayed. The silver and red line is less distinct around the ends, but still quite sharp. My guess is they were painted with the red first and then a fitted mask was placed on the bodyshell and the roof then painted. The mask providing a clean line along the sides, but less distinct around the ends. The damage to the silver paint on the two "towers" between the segments is inevitable. When handled, the bodyshell interferes and touches the towers causing damage to the paint.

I had some overload trouble when I tried to power the four interior lamps through the decoder, but once I isolated them from the decoder with a micro relay, it has been fine. I did not want to change the nature and feel of it, so keeping the old lamps was something I had planned from the beginning. What did surprise me was I do not have flicker from the head and tail lamps. Something my 3015 Krocs did quite badly. I think the V4 software upgrade to the ECoS has done something to really minimize the flash effect. I put the Krocs back on the layout and they too no longer flicker. A pleasant surprise.

Glad you mentioned the brushes. This has a peculiar brushplate mount different from the 3015s. It is not fixed in place, but merely slides down in a groove machined in both sides of the motor half. There is a close fit to the roof of the bodyshell and M's wonderful old cloth tape placed inside the roof to insulate the brushplate from the bodyshell. This interference is what keeps the brushplate in place.

Thank you all again for the kind words and encouragement. I think this one is going to stay with me a long, long time.

Edited by user 28 March 2015 21:44:09(UTC)  | Reason: Spelling

Matt
Era 3
DB lokos, coaches and freight cars from across Europe
But I do have the obligatory (six) SBB Krocs
ECoS 50200, all FX and MFX decoders replaced with ESU V4s, operated in DCC-RailCom+ with ABC brake control.
With the exception of the passenger wagens with Marklin current conducting couplers, all close couplers have been replaced with Roco 40397.
thanks 8 users liked this useful post by biedmatt
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