Hello forum,

I bought some weeks ago an Märklin 3064 V 260 small diesel loco that was equipped with an 6080 decoder. It had an awful metallic loud noise when it was running. It missed front lamp holder and correct couplers. The wiring had been done very roughly etc. Only one traction tire and even that one on the front axle and not rear... An bastler project . I paid only 22 euro for it, but over 16 euro for shipping to Finland. In the auction description was only mentioned that not working front light .

It had a very good condition body (paint + not any damages/missing parts). Also an perfect roof and the older style with smaller antenna. So it ended to become an spare parts loco then. I got an much better body to one of my 3065 diesels and better roof to another . Then I took the only lamp bulb from it and putted it into an old brown freight waggon that has a pick-up shoe / slider under it and now that one has working red tail lights . Also the pick-up shoe was in good condition and I installed that one into my 3141 blue-beige V260 diesel as it had a much more used one under it .

Then I took the Märklin 6080 decoder from it and started to think about which of my currently analog loco will get it? I then decided to install it to an 3106 DB BR 78 355 steam tank loco. Nice looking loco that had been in my display case only. I did the conversion succesfully and now it has an digital address of 78 like it's model number . Quite cheap conversion this way. I really like the look of this loco model. I have in my display cases also two french models based of this same model, but as they are new and I collect french steamers (dont know why? ) they will stay as they are = analog. This 3106 is nice condition loco but used one. I bought it as bastler loco very cheaply, but only thing that I had to do to fix it back then was to change the front light bulb ... Now it has nice controllable direction dependent lights. The conversion was so easy that I will probably convert some other of my not so collectable locos with 6080 decoders to digital. In my option this 6080 is good enough for many of my locos as I dont really need sounds or acc/dec. delay or motor control to these really (if I get the 6080 very cheaply like now happened). This BR 78 was my first 6080 digital conversion. I have converted an BR 24 (3003), BR 1043 (3043 SJ) and 3030 SJ to delta-digital before. Then also an Nohab diesel to digital with ESU LokPilot 4.0.

So summa summarum a bad eBay auction 3064 ended to many good spare parts and was an good auction for me. Price was very small for all these good things that I then could do with it's parts.

Next project is to have that noisy (ex 6080) 3064 to work more quietly as an analog loco. I will change the motor as I have same motor + an reversing unit for it at home. I hope that I get it running ok so my boys will get an toy loco from it .

Cheers,
Janne

Hi Bill,

I like to convert locos to delta (or even more to 6080 digital) as the only thing needed is the decoder. No permanent magnets or other motor parts are needed. But it has to be cheap as of course the running quality is not so good and there is only 14 speed steps if I remember right. With 6080 one can have constant brightness controllable direction depended lights and this is very good for that price. I dont personally like the Märklin 60760 decoder / motor set. It runs so bad that I like more even 6080 running quality.

With 6080 or Delta locos have more "personality" that they have with more advanced decoders which are load regulated. As I have now an temporary slope in my layout it looks to me even more realistic when an loco comes uphill and speed decrease and when downhill speed is increasing. At least with C-Sinus or SD Sinus motors it looks like the loco dont have any work to do when it climbs the hill. They climb nice and quiet with constant speed, BUT I like to look the locos when they "struggle" uphill also . So maybe more 6080 later?

Cheers,
Janne

Achtung Bill!!!!!
As stated in Mr Kern site, the 3027 have a LCFM motor, your 60760 kit will not fit on it ( only for DCM )
To convert it you must get the proper kit.
The decoder of the 60760 kit is indeed nor brilliant, but for the price i always look at it as an engine parts supply only...

A little update at this one:

"Next project is to have that noisy (ex 6080) 3064 to work more quietly as an analog loco. I will change the motor as I have same motor + an reversing unit for it at home. I hope that I get it running ok so my boys will get an toy loco from it."

I just did this converting from digital to analog and used only the field coil from the old motor. Motor plate, anchor and reversing unit was from other project locos or spare parts. This project went really well and now it runs like new in both directions and has very quiet sound. I didn't have any couplers and lamp bulbs for it now so it must be for some time without these. Waggons can therefore now only be pushed with this little shunting loco .

Now I'm even more happy with this "bad eBay auction"!

Cheers,
Janne

Hi Ray,

I have to say that You are right about 60760 vs. Delta or 6080 decoders. I had three locos that was converted in Germany by seller to digital with 60760 set. An E110, E111 and E160. I still have that E160 (3157) but sold the others. Yes, they have more speed steps (if I remember right) and they can be driven slowly. Also acceleration and braking delay can be programmed + decoder address and these are all features that I really like .

But there is one major problem with 60760 that at least I dont like. I adjusted to all these locos an long acceleration and braking delay so it looks more prototypical running. The acceleration and braking delay can be set off with F4 function button. I dont remember in which mode (on or off) this happens but locomotives run very badly = even worse than Delta or 6080 as it is so noticeable when locos kind of vary their speed for example 30--40--30--40--30--40.... I dont known again the right word for this annoying thing that wont happen in that other mode.

I have had same kind of problems with some ESU LokPilot decoders when I have messed up their motor controlling CV's. I think these issues with ESU's is only because I am not so good in adjusting / programming decoder CV's with my CS2.

So this was the only reason why I dont like so much 60760 set which is otherwise an nice one and I would convert many locos with it in the future. Could it be an grounding issue in those three locos which were converted by same person in Germany? The Delta and 6080 dont run so smoothly maybe but they run "more the same speed" like 30----30----30----30----30...

I hope You understand what I mean by these numbers that describes loco speed and ---- are describing motor frequency.

Cheers,
Janne

Hi Ray,

Yes they were DCM motors originally. Quite interesting if yours dont do this . This thing happens only when function F4 is turned on or off (I dont remember and can test it with my 3157 E160 later).

Maybe these 60760 motor kits will be installed to some of my locos in the future then as I really like other things that they offer for their price (like wrote above).

So I am sure that I will give them a second chance !

Janne

Hi all,

The 3106 BR 78 looks really nice on the track and I am glad that I converted just that loco with 6080. Bill, You are lucky to have one that is converted also to digital with 6080. We should both give these beauties much "track time" then...

I just ended my test with 3157 (converted to digital with 60760 set). I could not repeat the running behaviour described. I remember that this 3157 ran a bit better before than the other two (E 110 and E 111). They both ran otherwise really well, but had that strange varying speed when F4 was activated or de-activated. So this 3157 E 160 is running really good now and I am happy about it! It has been for a while undriven in display case as I remembered that it run poorly.

Then to give the 60760 a I did another running test with an 37561 (DR E 60) that has a 6090 digital decoder from the factory. It did not run any better than my 3157 at least. But this 37561 was jammed when I got it as it was been undriven for years and bought from an big collection. I opened the motor and re-lubricated it and gears etc. It then ran ok for me. But this 60760 equipped 3157 runs as well or if possible even better. I have other locos with 6090 and they run better than this one. For example an 3740 E 110 (blue) and some of my Crocodiles 3756 (both of them) has this also. These all run smoother than this 37561 for some reason. It can be that the gears should spin around even more freely to give the 6090 decoder a chance to run slowly very smoothly. Or then it has something to do with loco weight as this 37561 is very light and 3740 + 3756 are much heavier.

Edit: I just started to think about this 37561 E 60 running smoothnes thing again and it can just be that it only needs to have an running-in period as it is like new and gears may not be spinning as freely as in that well runned 3157. Locos generally run better after some hours when they have passed the running-in period.

Janne