 Joined: 09/12/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,533 Location: VA
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Hello all, I recently saw a couple of Marklin coaches I didn't recognize on eBay. At first I thought they were HO, but when I looked closer I saw they were Minex. I had never heard of Minex before. I did a quick Google and found the following links that are very useful: http://www.guidetozscale.com/html/marklin_minex.html - English Minex Overview http://www.mist-mittelrhein.de/MINEX.htm - German Minex overview For those interested, here is the summary: Minex was a large scale (approx 1:45) train system that ran on Marklin HO AC tracks with HO transformers. Minex came out in 1970 and was discontinued in 1972. The overall product line was very small, consisting of two locomotives (one steam, one diesel), two passenger cars, and six freight cars. It was sold in sets, and also individually. A signal was also available. The appearance was that of a narrow gauge railroad. The target market was children. Despite the short run of the product, I think it's a fascinating piece of Marklin history. I wonder, how many of you have any Minex products? Also, how do the locos run? Do they run and hold us as well as the Marklin HO locomotives of a contemporary period (early 70s)? Since they run on HO transformers, do they have the same motors are HO trains (hopefully, so they can use same parts such as brushes)? I am interesting it perhaps getting a Minex set. Who knows, this may be a good Christmas tree train, or just fun to play around with the kids on a carpetbahn. -Brandon |
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 4 users liked this useful post by BrandonVA
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Joined: 09/12/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,533 Location: VA
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To answer one of my own questions, looking at the second link (the German link):
Minex locos use standard SFCM motors from the HO series, and mechanical reverse units.
I am still interested to know if anyone has experience with Minex.
-Brandon |
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2 users liked this useful post by BrandonVA
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Joined: 27/07/2009(UTC) Posts: 5,862 Location: Leesburg,VA.USA
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Yes, Brandon. It would make a great Christmas tree train, with the gondolas full of Christmas decos or balls, etc. Peter 
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1 user liked this useful post by petestra
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 Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Two of our Marklin Club members have / had Minex trains. I say 'had' because one of them died nearly a year ago. Our club was able to purchase his Marklin collection from his estate, and the Minex trains have been kept by the Club and put on display.
I have previously posted pictures of them in the forum, I'll see if I can find them.
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3 users liked this useful post by Bigdaddynz
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 Joined: 01/03/2008(UTC) Posts: 2,883 Location: South Western France
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Hi I have the two Minex "starter sets". The steam loco is absolutely beautiful. BTW, the engines had an LFCM not an SFCM It is in fact 0m gauge. I will post a few pics...but a little later: it's beauty rest time in France right now! Stay tuned Edited by user 07 September 2013 13:00:24(UTC)
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Jacques Vuye aka Dr.Eisenbahn
Once a vandal, learned to be better and had great success! |
2 users liked this useful post by jvuye
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 Joined: 15/03/2003(UTC) Posts: 9,593 Location: Australia
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Originally Posted by: jvuye  it's beauty rest time in France right now! But a Belgium flag?  |
Adrian Australia flag by abFlags.com |
1 user liked this useful post by xxup
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Joined: 27/08/2005(UTC) Posts: 11,071 Location: Murrumba Downs QLD
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But Jacques is a closet being from Belgium Having ben born there and since travelling the world towing his M trains.   |
NOt wearing the Pink Pinny, which is hard to see and now I have a white Pinny which also is hard to see against MY pure white Skin Still have 2 new shiny tin Hips that is badly in Need of Repair matching rusting tin shoulders
and a hose pipe on the aorta
Junior member of the Banana Club, a reformist and an old Goat with a Bad memory, loafing around |
1 user liked this useful post by nevw
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Joined: 01/03/2008(UTC) Posts: 2,883 Location: South Western France
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Hi Adrian Born Belgian, traveled/worked all around the world before settling down in SW France near a RR Museum. Never changed citizenship, why should I? The world is our village... Will get the Minex pics later today. Cheers |
Jacques Vuye aka Dr.Eisenbahn
Once a vandal, learned to be better and had great success! |
3 users liked this useful post by jvuye
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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5 users liked this useful post by Bigdaddynz
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 Joined: 04/06/2009(UTC) Posts: 20,289 Location: Scotland
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Hi David, Thanks very much for the photo's.  I'd never heard of Minex trains until today.....interesting. Ian.
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1 user liked this useful post by Ian555
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Joined: 04/06/2009(UTC) Posts: 20,289 Location: Scotland
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Hi all,
Minex Set's 3450 and 3470 on e-bay.de
Ian.
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1 user liked this useful post by Ian555
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Hmmm, I sense that Ebay is going to get a hammering over the next few days as Ian searches for Minex trains to buy! As previously mentioned, Minex was in the Marklin catalogs from 1970 to 1972. They made 2 locos - a diesel and a steam - and a bunch of freight and passenger cars. Here's another picture of a purpose built Minex layout from the 1970 catalog.  Edited by user 13 March 2021 08:19:07(UTC)
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6 users liked this useful post by Bigdaddynz
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 Joined: 31/05/2011(UTC) Views messages in topic : 868 Location: Brazil
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Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz As previously mentioned, Minex was in the Marklin catalogs from 1970 to 1972. They made 2 locos - a diesel and a steam - and a bunch of freight and passenger cars. Hi! I think this link below was already published here, but is always good to remember to download the catalogs if you want them... http://www.lctm.info/Bib...alogos/Marklin/index.php(all Märklin catalogs until 1999) Regards, Walter
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1 user liked this useful post by waorb
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Originally Posted by: waorb I think this link below was already published here, but is always good to remember to download the catalogs if you want them...
(all Märklin catalogs until 1999) A lot of those downloads are catalogs I scanned or otherwise obtained!
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2 users liked this useful post by Bigdaddynz
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 Joined: 14/01/2006(UTC) Posts: 1,802 Location: Wurttemberg
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Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz
Here's another picture of a purpose built Minex layout from the 1970 catalog.
Hi, Thank you for showing this picture. It shows the rarest MINEX-car: The yellow dumper. The regular model had a grey chassis, but also some few of these pre-production version cars came to collectors. I' don't have one, but I know one piece in a collection of a friend. From the picture above:  Regular model:  Regards Markus Edited by user 07 September 2013 13:07:09(UTC)
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3 users liked this useful post by Markus Schild
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Joined: 09/12/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,533 Location: VA
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Wow guys, thanks for sharing all the information and pictures. This is something I would be interested in collecting one day, but I tipped my hand...so as said ebay will probably be hot for a while :)
I doubt we will ever see a repeat of this, but if Marklin came out with a new set of these in the MyWorld range I would certainly be interested.
-Brandon |
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1 user liked this useful post by BrandonVA
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Joined: 12/12/2005(UTC) Posts: 2,448 Location: Wellington, New_Zealand
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Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz .... the Minex trains have been kept by the Club and put on display.
As it happens, only yesterday we were discussing this, and the thoughts turned to the correct track to use for the display. While the 16.5mm gauge might be accurate the sleeper representation of the "standard" Marklin M track was not. Any thoughts ? ! |
Peter
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2 users liked this useful post by clapcott
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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I'd think that the 'correct' track to use would be the 1970's style M track, as that would most likely what people would have used when Minex was available for purchase.
M track may not be prototypically correct, but it can be argued that much of what we accept and use in our layouts isn't prototypical - curve radii for example.
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2 users liked this useful post by Bigdaddynz
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,443
Location: DE-NW
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Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz I'd think that the 'correct' track to use would be the 1970's style M track, as that would most likely what people would have used when Minex was available for purchase. That's 'correct' for the Märklin collector. It seems there are 0e tracks from other makers that would be more 'correct' for a modeller (sleeper dimensions, sleeper spacing). But those come without 3rd rail ... |
Regards Tom --- "In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS  |
2 users liked this useful post by H0
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Given that I've just found a Peco 2012 catalog on the net, are you referring to something like the SL500 - which is a 914mm Peco flexitrack in 0e scale?
(You did refer to Peco track in the first version of your post)
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2 users liked this useful post by Bigdaddynz
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 Joined: 27/06/2012(UTC) Posts: 3,478 Location: Holland
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Originally Posted by: H0 It seems there are 0e tracks from other makers that would be more 'correct' for a modeller (sleeper dimensions, sleeper spacing). But those come without 3rd rail ... One could add a center rail....  |
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5 users liked this useful post by kweekalot
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,443
Location: DE-NW
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Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz (You did refer to Peco track in the first version of your post) I did, but found no sources on the web and edited it out. 0 gauge track with 16.5 mm is used for various prototype gauges (I think from 600 to 914 mm). And for various scales (1:43.5 through 1:48). |
Regards Tom --- "In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS |
3 users liked this useful post by H0
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Joined: 22/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 1,047
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Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz I'd think that the 'correct' track to use would be the 1970's style M track, as that would most likely what people would have used when Minex was available for purchase.
M track may not be prototypically correct, but it can be argued that much of what we accept and use in our layouts isn't prototypical - curve radii for example. And the list goes on and on...
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1 user liked this useful post by Iamnotthecrazyone
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Joined: 01/03/2008(UTC) Posts: 2,883 Location: South Western France
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Originally Posted by: Iamnotthecrazyone Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz I'd think that the 'correct' track to use would be the 1970's style M track, as that would most likely what people would have used when Minex was available for purchase.
M track may not be prototypically correct, but it can be argued that much of what we accept and use in our layouts isn't prototypical - curve radii for example. And the list goes on and on... Since you mention it...one little peculiarity is that the curved track in the Minex Starter Sets were 5200 (R2). But the loco run over R1 without any trouble Cheers |
Jacques Vuye aka Dr.Eisenbahn
Once a vandal, learned to be better and had great success! |
2 users liked this useful post by jvuye
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Originally Posted by: kweekalot One could add a center rail.... Probably not needed if it is just for display purposes.
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1 user liked this useful post by Bigdaddynz
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Originally Posted by: H0 I did, but found no sources on the web and edited it out. 0e page from the 2012 Peco catalog. Bigdaddynz attached the following image(s):
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2 users liked this useful post by Bigdaddynz
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Joined: 01/03/2008(UTC) Posts: 2,883 Location: South Western France
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As promised, a series of pictures from the Minex Rolling stock contained in the starter set. Both locos have a LFCM motor and lighting only on one side. The steam loco has all its axles driven by gears, the diesel only has the last axle powered. The passenger coach has 16 benches and opening doors The marking says "32 pl"...probably because most of the time you'd take your girlfriend on your lap anyway!! The gondola is nicely detailed and has neat markings. The tipper car and the diesel are an exercise in minimalism and low cost production. All are still a great play value. Fleischmann produced a similar system in 2-rail, the Play-train and was marginally more succesful than Märklin. Enjoy the pics and don't forget to click on "view the image" for full resolution jvuye attached the following image(s): |
Jacques Vuye aka Dr.Eisenbahn
Once a vandal, learned to be better and had great success! |
7 users liked this useful post by jvuye
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Joined: 14/01/2006(UTC) Posts: 1,802 Location: Wurttemberg
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Hi Jacques,
Thank you for the pictures.
For people interested in the steamer 3400 it may be interesting that there are two versions of the loco: The first version has separate gears behind the drive-wheels , the second version has wheels with a cast gear-ring (gear and wheel is one part) as known from the large wheels of the following H0-steamers (3085ff). The version with the "look through" wheels looks very much better regarding the loco from the left side. The 3400 was the first loco which was delivered with these wheels.
Regards
Markus
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3 users liked this useful post by Markus Schild
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Joined: 01/03/2008(UTC) Posts: 2,883 Location: South Western France
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Hello Markus!
Another thing I did not know!
Thank you for that infpormation!
Unfortunately mine has the one with the older separate gears.
Still, I love them!
Cheers |
Jacques Vuye aka Dr.Eisenbahn
Once a vandal, learned to be better and had great success! |
1 user liked this useful post by jvuye
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Joined: 31/12/2010(UTC) Posts: 3,995 Location: Paremata, Wellington
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Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz Two of our Marklin Club members have / had Minex trains. I say 'had' because one of them died nearly a year ago. Our club was able to purchase his Marklin collection from his estate, and the Minex trains have been kept by the Club and put on display.
I have previously posted pictures of them in the forum, I'll see if I can find them. Add another to that Dave, I too purchased a Minex starter set from the same auction as Paul and John (in fact I got John's for him as he could not make it) - we're all helpful like that here down-under!! I while ago I posted up a short video of the Faller classic B-233 Windmill in operation on my small shop display layout and running in the background is probably the strangest 'ecclectic' mix you'll see in a while. Inner oval has Thomas doing the rounds. Middle oval has the 'My World' infra-red ICE train racing along, and on the outer oval, my Minex orange Diesel with it's own Hopper car and the normal HO one at the end. Sure looks strange but what the heck, it's just for fun And just for a further slight diversion if anyone is interested (Ian?), the Faller e-train series is also 0 scale, and the accessories for that, especially the Engine Shed and Station are absolutely PERFECT for Minex. They are a 'combi-kit style, part plastic, part cardboard. Enjoy Cookee |
Cookee Wellington  |
5 users liked this useful post by cookee_nz
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Joined: 31/12/2010(UTC) Posts: 3,995 Location: Paremata, Wellington
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Why has this near-8 year-old topic suddenly popped up as a notification? - something been edited perhaps? |
Cookee Wellington |
1 user liked this useful post by cookee_nz
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Originally Posted by: cookee_nz .....something been edited perhaps?  The pictures in my post had disappeared because of changed URLs.
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3 users liked this useful post by Bigdaddynz
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Joined: 21/03/2021(UTC) Posts: 2 Location: Heino
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Just recently saw this post. I've been on this forun for a few days now. In my opinion, the Minex steam locomotive is absolutely stunning! It also feels very sturdy. A great way to introduce children with model railroading.
Fun fact: here in the Netherlands they have a themepark, the Efteling. There is a model railway layout called "the Diorama" with Minex trains. It opened in 1971. They added some magic train from Fleischmann later on, but there are still a lot of Minex trains riding on the tracks!
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3 users liked this useful post by Remco1991
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Joined: 26/03/2019(UTC) Posts: 752 Location: Florida Classic but Successful Swampland City
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Just thought I might add this here in re Efteling Diorama: Enjoy! |
Jimmy T
Analogue; M-track; KLVM; DDR; Primex; Sarrasani Zirkuswelt
There is a Prototype For Everything |
3 users liked this useful post by Jimmy Thompson
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Joined: 26/03/2019(UTC) Posts: 752 Location: Florida Classic but Successful Swampland City
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Jimmy T
Analogue; M-track; KLVM; DDR; Primex; Sarrasani Zirkuswelt
There is a Prototype For Everything |
1 user liked this useful post by Jimmy Thompson
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