I have MArklin HO C-tracks & 2 locos and 7 cars - all MARKLIN

Would like to know whether the following are compatible with my set -
1) ROCO tracks
2) TRIX tracks
3) ROCO freight and passenger cars
4) TRIX frieght and passenger cars
5) ROCO locos
6) TRIX locos

also what about PICO

particularly i was planning to get the following -
Gondola open wagon R-66165 - 5 nos
Passenger - Green R-54228 - 10 mos
Electric Loco R-62527 - 1 no.

Tracks I think I will get Marklin only - I have some 50 pcs of tracks - planning to get another 100 odd - as follows -
left turn 24611 3 nos. (have 2 of these)
right turn 24612 4 nos (have 1 of these)
crossing 24640 2 nos.
left curve turn 24671 1 no.
right curve turn 24672 1 no.
1 Curve 24.3deg 24224 6 nos. (have 3 of these)
1 Curve 30 deg 24230 12 nos. (have 24 of these)
2 Curve 30 deg 24330 12 nos.
3 Curve 30 deg 24430 12 nos.
Straight 24172 10 nos. (have 15 of these)
Straight 24188 40 nos. (have 6 of these)

Suggestions and comments please

If you are using Maerklin 3 rail, you have to use 3 rail track, which is made by Maerklin. There may be other companies making 3 rail track, but you have to make sure that it is compatible with Maerklin.

As far as locomotives go, any locomotive for the 3 rail (Maerklin) system can be operated on Maerklin tracks

As far as passenger coaches and freight cars are concerned, most DC coaches and cars can be used on C and K Tracks. Some may require the installation of non insulated wheel sets, designed for the rail spacing and electrical requirements of the Maerklin system. Many manufacturers list the part numbers for AC wheel sets on the sheets that are included with the model.

It is technically possible to operate DC locomotives (electric) via the catenary on an AC layout. You would assign the negative pole to the track and the positive to the catenary. This would work provided that all Maerklin loks were operating from the tracks (third rail).

As far as steam or diesel engines, it would not be possible to operate AC and DC loks on the same tracks at the same time or to combine DC tracks with non insulated wheel sets due to the short circuit that would result.

One solution may to be install one radius of Trix C Track alongside your Maerklin track, which could independently be operated for DC (2 rail) models.

As far as the lok you mention (62527), this lok does not seem to be available in AC. ESU does manufacture an AC model of this lok with more features, which unfortunately is more expensive than the Roco model.

Regards

Mike C

Roco make the Universal Coupler which is very good IMHO. For patent reasons, they don't include them with locos sold in the recent years (you will find them pre-installed in pre-insolvency AC locos).

Märklin couplers cause more problems - they work OK with Märklin rolling stock (buffers too high), but other brands may have buffers at the prototypical height where Märklin couplers will collide with the buffers.

Piko also offer three-rail versions of some of their locos for use on Märklin tracks.

Hi Deepak,

Using other locos such as DC locos you need some skills to do this:
a.) how to use a multimeter
b.) to be able to use a soldering iron and its proper usage.
c.) understand basic wire connections and their prurpose.
d.) understand what a digital motor is all about and what electronic components are needed for such a motor
e.) How to convert a loco from DC to AC
f.) search for spare parts to do such a conversion, e.g. Roco, Hag, Pico, Liliput locos
g.) work out if it is economical or wait in hope one day they will bring out an AC version
h.) Use DC electric locos only with the minimum of work involved when using an overhead system

and if none of the above are suitable for you, stick with Maerklin locos, Maerklin carriages and show us your new or established collection, we are all children at heart and can't wait to see or hear more.

regards.,

John

Thanks everyone for all the advise.

My conclusion - I need to stick to Marklin for now - I may have to reduce the number of carriages - to fit my current budget ($80 - with $500 to 550 for tracks, 100 for cars & 150 for a loco).

I am in India and my sister will be travelling to US & Canada next month and be back with all that i plan to get from there by September - so its a long wait for me :(

my cousin also has a set - he stays 250 miles from my place - we some times meet with our sets - uploading some pics of our combined layouts.

I agree with most of the previous comments. One thing I do want to add.

For wagons/carriages ROCO and others that are 2 rail can more or less converted to 3 rail. Marklin tends to have shorter wagons (you may see 1:100 or 1:9# in the product details). This is Marklin's way of shortening the wagons so that they can handle the radius 1 & 2. The other manufactures tend to go 1:87 true prototypical to get the long wagons.
I too have some ROCO wagons that cannot handle the radius 1. As I am currently planning a new layout, it is not a big deal as my minimum mainline radius is radius 3. I will have some branches with radius 1 but the long wagons will not be going on the branches. Other than that, there are the usual little issues like coupling height and shorter flanges that can be easily overcome with some tinkering and patience.

You do not have to add the 3 rail axel unless you need to have occupancy detection buy way of contact track. If you were running M track instead of C and K track, I would recommend the Marklin wheel sets for more realiable running with the larger flanges as used M track rails more likely may not be perfectly in gauges at the joints. This also can be adjusted but it is again tedious.

So, with these suggestions in mind, get what interests you and have fun!

Piko does make some 3-rail Marklin compilable locomotives, and coaches can be changed to an AC wheelset to run on Marklin track. RayF is pretty helpful with this one.

I like the temporary layout!

-Brandon

Deepah,

This layout is fit for Bollywood.

One suggestion I have, when playing with your trains try and make a layout which has the opportunity to use all tracks, it looks like you've got one reversing loop missing

regards.,

John

Reversing loop? Bollywood - why?
We created this layout in 20 mins - it looked good to us - :)