Quick update: My dealer spoke his Marklin representative who thought the magnet may be too strong. Dealer ordered another magnet and will swap them out. In the mean time I ordered two telex coupler parts (the lever that uncouples) to use in making a bi-material coupler. I will post results...
- Later everybody.

Hello,

even Lutz knows this problem.The trouble is really caused by the magnetic field of the motor. About twenty years ago Maerklin produced the 86 for 2Rail-DC with a permanent magnet. No problem at all as there was no Telex (:-)

As far as I remember, the BR86 included in the starter set is automatically detected, no need to set the adrdess.

Still waiting for the parts to modify the coupler. In the mean time I have a little switch yard (modified time saver) for my BR 86.


The magnetism is really pretty minor. A small touch to wagon and its uncoupled. I wish some smaller steam engines had telex. BR 86 seems large in a switching yard. I've noticed some older smaller steam engines, like BR 81, have had telex.

Hi everybody.

I got some telex parts to experiment with. This post should be labeled "How Not to fix telex". I tried to replace the end of the telex part with epoxy since it would not carry magnetism.

I coated the telex part with shoe wax, put it in clay and coated it with epoxy to make a mold:


Here is the telex part before I cut the end off and the finished mold of it:


I cut off the end of the telex part and cleaned the wax off of it. I coated the mold with wax and then filled it with epoxy. The I put the telex cut telex part into the epoxy. Here is cut telex part out of the mold. You can see where I cut the end off:


I started to grind away the epoxy. I painted the parts not to remove black. I'm almost there!


It broke while griding!


Lessons learned: for very small parts epoxy is too brittle. Also it is very hard to shape small parts. Maybe I should have shaped the parts while the epoxy was soft and not let it cure to full hardness and then grind it. I thought this would be easier than it was. I'm through with this approach.

I am now looking for some aluminum to attach to the end of the telex part. I think I will glue it on. Suggestions welcome.

[speculation mode on] I noticed in my other steam locomotive that the magnet is in front of the motor. In the br 86 it is in back of the motor and directly above the telex parts. If one could switch the position of the magnet it may solve this problem by moving the strongest part of the magnet further from the telex parts. If this would work it would be an easy fix for M to implement in future production. [speculation mode off]

Later everybody.

Great art!
Definitely the best solution for those who are skilled, like you.
Congratulations

Fred

Excellent work!

Thanks for the tips.

I am afraid this shows a complete lack of customer care. I note there is not even a signature to the email. To admit to selling gooods that dont work ???
Must soon be time for me to get in touch with Kingsbridge. I still have a couple of contacts there and see if they are thinking of changing Marklin management. One problem will be that although they can sort out the profitabilty they are not model rail folk and may well not understand that it is not just kids that buy there stuff but people like us who spend a lot of cash with them.

David

Very good, David !!! Please do it - for the sake of all of us
Can't stand some Mr Dietz' funny actions, anymore ... [xx(][xx(][xx(]

I would hate to add up all that I spent this year alone and there is still more to come.
THere is always impulse buying. [:p]

My upgraded Br 81 (30321) has the feature also, but its very weak and not a problem at all. However the Br 86 could pull a small string of cars with its magnet!