Hello All, and welcome.

I'm new to this forum and just wanted to firstly say hi.

I have never known of Marklin before, I grew up with Lionel and HO train sets. I'm well versed in HO but
I know NOTHING of Marklin.

Today, I inherited a Marklin 3200 Train set (circa 1957 I believe) with a Marklin 6667 transformer both are extremely mint (the train set is still in original box). There are no documentation with it, no paper work no nothing. Sadly.
So I'm not sure what exactly the Marklin Guage is either....

So the train set I got is also seen here:
http://www.liveauctionee...2_marklin-3200-train-set

Transformer is also seen here:
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/9582159

I am trying to find reading material regarding setting up the set, the train set did not come with any manuals. I know
the transformer uses Alternating Current, and by using a volt meter, I was able to figure out that there are 3 terminals
on the transformer. One is the common, the other is a straight 17V which is what I guess for accessories. The other
terminal is variable from 0 to 17V AC.

I have only 1 piece of turn track that has a power hook up, from what I gather looking at it, drooling at it, I gather the "B" or red wire is the current and the "O" or brown is the common.

So what happens if they short?
Does it cause end of the world destruction for the train set?
Is there any sort of short protection on the transformer, or would things just simply start arcing?

What are the power requirements for a set, does a oval layout require more than 1 hook up to the transformer??? Or how many pieces of track per power hook up is required?

If anybody or everybody could please send me all guides to Marklin Alternating Tran sets, any reading information like idiot guides to setting the marklin train set up, that would be grateful. I am really at a loss with setting this up, and I really don't want to do something wrong as it is one of the best train sets I have inherited.

I'm totally familiar with HO and hooking up tracks, setting it up, etc but this is AC and different than what I'm used to.

creamyvanillaswirl@gmail.com is my e-mail, don't be shy to send me many documents to it as the more the better.

I look forward to the e-mails or responses.

If there is any more information you guys/gals need, please let me know.

Thank you
Michael

Welcome to the Forum.


Michael, you have the connections correct. On a small oval you only need one hook up but on a large layout you run some feeder wires around the track to keep the current fairly even. If you get a short usually the power supply turns off.

The set that you have is anolog and only one loco at a time on the circle. Later or newer locos are mostly digital with decoders.
I am sure that you will get more answers.

Nev

PS got beat while I was looking at the pictures.

Hi and Welcome to the forum, Micheal.

Greetings Michael,

You will find that Maerklin operates a very easy system,nothing much can go wrong really.
Just make sure the transformer has the same voltage as the current coming out of your wallsocket,in Europe that is 220 to 230 volts AC,in the states or elsewhere that could be 110 volts AC.
Just stick the red and the brown wire in the back of the transformer.
Even if you mix them up that will not harm really.
The locomotive takes power from the middle rail (red wire).
The two outerrails are for the negative flow,the brown wire.
Note that the outerrails are one piece with the metal railbed,whereas the middle rail is isolated by having a small space between rail and railbed.
Because power is fed through the middle rail,the Maerklin system allows you to create railloops without having to worry about shortcircuits between positive and negative poles.
Your set reminds me of the first Maerklin set i got when i was a young boy,i could play hours with it on the carpet in front of the stove in the livingroom,when i close my eyes i can even smell it,the old Maerklin trains on their metal tracks have a distinct "electric" smell.

Cheers,
Paul.

THANK YOU ALL!!!

I haven't slept at all last night, as I'm super excited here.

I have some questions:

This train hasn't been used in a while. It honestly looks like it just came off the production line, I look at the train and the wheels are all shiney, there is no dirt, no scratches, no nothing. It is mint.
HOWEVER, should I do any prep work on the train prior to running it? I know this train was put into storage so should I do any sort of greesing? I heard by reading around other train set web sites that you apparently might have to greese the gears?

The track has minor surface rust by the looks of it. It isn't metal shiny, or is this done on purpose? How would you clean the tracks to ensure they are good???

A dumb question, I'm used to HO train couplers, but this is little guy has what looks like a pic axe like coupler. Honestly I have no idea how else to describe it. So noob question here, how do you properly connect the train to the cars???

With regards to power and hooking up power to track, what if you hook up power to a section of track that already has enough power. Just by accident for example, would that cause shorts? Cause serious harm?

Welcome to the forum Michael !

The couplers are designed to be uncoupled from below, either manually with a Popsicle stick as described above or "automatically" using a special track (#5112 for M track ...) ... you can get an idea from the diagram lower right on page 28 of Track Plan Book #0700 :

Otherwise, to get the stock rolling after a long storage period, a very SMALL drop of machine oil (prefer Labelle 108) can be placed at each axle end of cars and loco ... use sparingly !

From your description, tracks should be fine as is ...

Yum

If they are well aligned still, just lightly press the cars together one on the track. They should just latch.

Michael,

Welcome to the forum. So,me others have hinted at it, but this transformer (Marklin 6667) has a short protection feature. After a few seconds wit ha short, the transformer will turn off. I can't remember with this unit, but I think it will reset in a few seconds after the short has been cleared. If not, just unplug it and plug it back in after the short has cleared to reset it. There will be no real harm, newer digital stuff may be more sensetive, but a good old analog loco like this one will not be harmed. I have a few copies of the 30VA version of this transformer (Marklin 6627 - 110v), and they are very reliable. There is also a newer version, Marklin 6646/6647 (depends on country 110/230/etc). The new3re one has almost instantaneous short protection, and is better if running digital locomotives in analog fashion, but I wouldn't worry about it.

-Brandon