Hello All.

Often when I read the section on digital transformation - it surprised me that there is never any who choose the simple solution.

It's always something new magnets and ESU decoders.

Most of my old locomotives are rebuilt with Andi Uhlenbrock decoder, with catalog number 75000. It replaces the switching relay in a locomotive and is quite easy to build into the lokomotiv, the price is affordable and you obtains that the locomotive can run analog should this be desired and digital if that is desired, there is room for up to 255 addresses - so as I see it is only a problem when the lokomotiv number 256 is reached.

I attach some pictures of my old Märklin 3000 in rebuilt condition.

According to Uhlenbrock pricelist online. € 24.90

and a little solder work on your part.

Hi Ray.


Thanks



It's like fitting a Delta decoder, the address is set using the control device, one should therefore not have the bodywork off.
I shall not compare a conversion with an Andi decoder with an alteration of ESU decoder and solenoid.

But I see it as an opportunity to my analog trains will operate in a digital system.
I would like to retain as much of the classic Märklin by a conversion.

If I wanted load regulation, sound or bedere driveability - whatever that is for the individual - I would follow the advice to buy new models with these properties.



No.



I do not know, because I do not own any locomotives with a 6080.

The cost for an ESU decoder and magnet here is only a few dollars more than the above listed price for the other decoder. No comparison to the ESU in my opinion.
Eric

Hello All.

Now I will tell a story about three siblings who came into the world between 1957 and 1962.
They are a product of postwar Denmark, where the import of model trains was considered a luxury, so a production in Denmark was possible because of import restrictions.

The models were manufactured by the Danish firm Long and was made for 3-rail AC, just like Märklin.




The model is a DSB MY they were manufactured with three operating numbers 1101, 1102 and 1103

When they came into my possession in the early 1980s, had 1102 operating problems with the switch relay.



Something had to be done that was not the desire for a showcase model I had and spare parts were not easy to get hold of - the production of Long had ceased more than twenty years earlier.
Fortunately Märklin had sent their first Delta decoder on the market 6603 this was purchased and installed, it could indeed be right in there where the relay switch had been sitting. Nothing else was replaced.





Drive line with the shaft without weight block.

This winter it was so in 1103 there were problems with the circuit, but this time was a Uhlenbrock 75000 Andi decoder used. It could again be made without the engine was disassembled. Most of the locomotive is as original as possible, but now works in both analog and digital environments.



MY 1103.



1103 with Uhlenbrock 75000.

The last of the siblings in 1101 is still in complete original condition, Analog and so it remains.





Partly because Märklin has released a model with the number, and partly because of the veneration.

It might be that you can get better driveability with other brands and major intervention.

But my view on the topic is:
Why do a heart transplant, (change of the magnet in the engine) when you can settle for a bypass (change of switch relay).

Let's keep it simple

I'm using M's 60760 conversion kits which include both a permanent magnet, 5 pole rotor and decoder, which can be bought for only £35

Does the loco have original engine parts that gives it the poor preformance or is it the Esu kit with a new magnet?

The more I think about this the more I am convinced that the ESU and magnet change is the way to go. The reality is that once you remove the solenoid reversing unit you have ripped the heart out of the analog version. Replacing the field coil magnet with a permanent one is a minor change compared to removing the reversing unit.
The benefits are many including running characteristics and much simplified wiring to deal with in the future among othe things. Much more simple in my opinion.
Eric

Nice report, Philip - thank you for posting! Especially I like your conversion on the LONG Nohab - great pictures

While we are at it. A few years back I've fitted an E254 Gator with an UB #76200 - runs just nicely ...

I would love to, John, but it may not fit the budget. It is a nice set.

I have a box with all the discarded parts from my converted locos all mixed up. They are all pretty much identical. Who would know it was not the original, if I chose to put it back in?