With reference to my old topic on requesting info on HAG conversions (https://www.marklin-users.net/forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=3882), I have performed some conversions myself and have been asked about results. It was suggested to post some images and comments on this forum so.. here we go. I listed my HAG locomotives by number and not necessarily by the order I aquired them (almost all from e-bay) or upgraded them to digital.

HAG 150: BDe4/4. Originally AC Analogue, upgraded with Uhlenbrock 76200.



It works but the model is pretty old and the motor is very noisy (3 pole). I left all original components only substituted reverse mechanism with decoder. Another couple of pictures





In this third picture you can see one problem of this model. The pick-up shoe (original or changged by previous owner) is very long and it touches on one end with the locomotive plow, which is in metal and connected to the body and thus to the ground. Result, shorting at every switch. Short term solution: isolating tape at contact point. Long term solution, shorter pick-up shoe.


HAG 181: Ae 4/4. Originally DC, upgraded with Marklin 6090.



This was the first conversion. Very straight forward. Substitute the little connection plate, situated underneath the idle carriage and that connects the pick-up point with the wheels on one side, with a pick-up shoe. All other connections are ok. Then you can add the decoder (in this case a 6090). Motor is 5 pole with permanent magnet. In addition, I added the newer lightbulbls and sockets on the two ends. Here are other pictures.






HAG 182: Ae 4/4. Originally AC analogue, upgraded with Uhlenbrock 76200.



This was the first conversion of an AC Hag. Here I had to change the reversing system with the Uhlenbrock decoder. All very easy and straight forward. Motor is 5 pole. I did keep the original lights here since the decoder has not the return function for the lights (I may have to look if I can do it).

HAG 207: Re 6/6. Originally AC analogue, upgraded with Uhlenbrock 76200.



I upgraded this as described above for the 182. The problem here is that this loco has not good running characteristcs and easy de-railment. The middle bogie had a very "soft" spring and thus it would lift and get stuck under the locomotive body (this is a quite long loco and the middle bogie "shifts" left and right in tight curves). I added a stroger spring but still have some issues with the other two bogies sometime getting stuck under the body. Will have to work more to assure freedom of movement. Overall runs but right now it would receive a "static" position in my future lay-out.


HAG 211: Re 4/4 Swiss Express. Originally DC, upgraded with Marklin 6090.



Same procedure as described for the HAG 181 above. Here is another picture.





HAG 284: Re 465 SBB Zurich Nahverkher. Original digital AC, no upgrades necessary.



Finally a couple of shots of a modern HAG. I found that on the Eisenbahn-Treffpunkt SCHWEICKHARDT website (http://www.modelleisenbahn.com/) and he should still have a few. I have the Marklin cars and Fleishmann end-car for this train so I was happy to get my hands on this. No modifications required and runs flawlessly. Here is another pic.



Ok.. let me know if you enjoyed this and if it loads well on your PC (I may have left the pics too large).

Ciao and happy railroading!

Guus,

first of all I did not "fine tune" any model or tweak with decoder set-ups. I could also concentrate on any of them to remove some flaws. Here is my personal list, from best to worst.

Re465 #284: this obviously comes factory equipped with decoder and all. Runs flawlessly over switches and all. Motor is vry quiet. Runs very well at low to high speed.

Ae 4/4 #182: with the Uhlenbrock decoder, this loco runs very well at all speeds. Motor noise is very low.

Ae 4/4 #181 and Re 4/4 #211: with 6090 decoder. I don't like their running characteristichs at low speeds (they seem to be running on and off). High speed is OK. Motor is more noisy than above. They also seem to have random problems on switches (sometime they stop, but rarely.) I need to do more tweaking

BDe 4/4 #150: this is simply very old. It runs OK at all speeds but the motor noise is very high (it's a thre pole motor)

Re 6/6 #207: as said, several problems with this loco. Three carriages and it seems that either one or the other gets stuck over switches or sharp curves. Again, I need maybe to put some spacers or make sure they are free of movement when the body is put on. Other that that, it seems to be running decently at all speeds.

Since I will not be able to run all my stock, here is what I think will go DYNAMIC on my lay-out: Re465, Ae 4/4 #182 and probably Re 4/4 Swiss Express. All the rest will probably stay STATIC on a display and such and to be run supervised (only areas where you can reach if the loco stops and such).

Many thanks Mario,
Very helpful descriptions.

I do also have the digital Re465, which actually easily gets stuck at turnouts on my K track. Decoder characteristics are fine.
I originally planned to exchange the Hag/Esu decoder for an mfx Loksound, but as can also be seen in your pictures,
the decoder has a non-standard connector. Soldering would be no problem, but I decided to leave the original
Esu in place and use the Loksound somewhere else.

I will be converting my old HAG 150 BDe4/4 with an Uhl 75200 soon, and I'll report on the noise.
Still have to decide how to convert my Re 4/4 I's (permanent magnet or 76200)

Thanks Mario
for posting the pictures.
Will be very helpful to all members.
Much appreciated.

Excellent,thanks for the information and sharing the pictures.

Hi Mario (Paelo),



It's an ESU Lokpilot V 2.0 21 pin decoder,also know as HAG 501.

Kind regards
Guus

Hi Mario,hi all,

Some weeks ago I purchased an old HAG Re 6/6 (HAG # 207 Balerna) at a modelrailroad fair.The loco was an AC analog model with an old type of electronic reversing unit.

I decided to convert this loco to digital with a Lokpilot V3 decoder.So the motor needed to be changed into a DC version as well.

I've posted some pictures of the process:

Old AC motor with field coil.




Motor after conversion with HAG permanent magnet.



HAG's 21 pin adapter.






Original reversing unit




Lokpilot installed



Hope you don't mind the wire clutter [:I]


The loc runs very well with the ESU recommended CV's, which were easily altered thanks to my trusted old Märklin 6021.
The only thing that wasn't correct right away, was the light switching.The lights lit up opposite the direction of the loc.
Since the magnet of HAG's locos are easily removed, a simple 180° turn of the magnet was all that was needed to cure the problem.

Kind regards
Guus

Hi Guus

Great buy and conversion and very instructive pictures too. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you gentlemen.

Don't know whether you've been there before Bart,but I want to say that it's been a very pleasant experience for me last time I was there.
Beware,the factory shop is closed on fridays.

Kind regards
Guus

Yes, I've been there - It's amazing to see where all this great stuff comes from: like an old school building in a farmers' village.
The shop is 2 m sq in the basement, with a window to order.

David - do you mean the green SBB 480 series?

That's what I thought too.It reminds me of the farms here in Holland where they sell their own dairy products.
Seeing all that and meeting the friendly staff I couldn't help but feel a great sympathy for the HAG company.

Here are some pictures taken at last year's Christmas sale:



Entrance of the shop,with Mr. Gahler himself cooking a nice Bratwurst for his customers



The shop is behind the dumpster

Kind regards
Guus