 Joined: 14/11/2003(UTC) Posts: 1,443 Location: Northeast Ohio
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We moved from a house where my Marklin layout covered 12x4 feet to a home where I am able to almost double the total layout area.
This weekend I started to lay out my C-track for the 1st level and it went amazingly fast.
Unlike any other track I have worked with in HO, O or HOm gauge, Marklin C track is phenomenally well-engineered and is so easy put down and connect.
The geometry and engineering makes everything fit even if there is a rudimentary plan of your layout.
It just blows me away and makes me so happy to decided on going the Marklin route about 10 years ago instead of using other manufacturers.
Great job, Marklin!
Larry
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 4 users liked this useful post by Larry
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 Joined: 22/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 544
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I agree. I think that the C track is really great.
Much better than the old M track and also all other tracks I have tried.
Oliver |
SBB Era IV - VI
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1 user liked this useful post by Oliver SBB-CFF-FFS
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 Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,571
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Digital 11m2 layout / C (M&K) tracks / Era IV / CS3 60226 / Train Controller Gold 9 with 4D sound. Mainly Danish and German Locomotives. |
1 user liked this useful post by Danlake
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 Joined: 23/10/2010(UTC) Posts: 2,061 Location: FRANCE
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Hi,
I'm a M-track fan, but I must agree C-tracks are great and easy to connect/disconnect.
My layout was started with M-tracks. Because I like this brown color you know,like rust and oil on real tracks..
I finished the layout with C-tracks on the down level,
and created an extension with C-tracks because I wanted to use streamlined turnouts,
and also this extension has to be removed easily to allow access behind the layout.
Well, great !
The only criticism I can say is that C-tracks are more sensitive to dirt than M-tracks,
due to the flat - and real - shape of each rails.
Best regards
Joël |
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2 users liked this useful post by TrainIride
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 Joined: 20/04/2003(UTC) Posts: 2,248 Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands; Göteborg, Sverige,
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Hi Larry,
Not bad, sounds like there is a lot more room for those great C-tracks to work with!
Enjoy! |
Sander
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Era I(b): K.Bay.Sts.B. and K.W.St.E. |
1 user liked this useful post by Sander van Wijk
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Joined: 09/09/2010(UTC) Posts: 63
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While I like C-track, I find it to be to fragile, specifically the plastic connectors, etc. at each end of the track section. I've broken countless pieces over the years. And, yes, I do follow instructions on how to seperate the track sections.
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1 user liked this useful post by vmsysprog
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,463
Location: DE-NW
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Originally Posted by: vmsysprog  I've broken countless pieces over the years. I have this problem only with old pieces of C track (10+ years old), tracks from the last 10 years are not brittle and last very long (new recipe of plastics used). |
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: 15/03/2003(UTC) Posts: 9,603 Location: Australia
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Originally Posted by: H0 ...tracks from the last 10 years are not brittle and last very long (new recipe of plastics used).
You hope..  While I can see some benefits of C track, making contact track out of them is not one of them.. I have watched Nev spend countless hours removing and replacing his track because: - The incorrect rail tab was cut; (between the outer rails) or - the wires are in the wrong place; (B and O are hard to see) or - the tiny red insulator fell off ;or - the wire fell out of the connector to the tab; (that goes on the B or O) or - The tab itself broke off.. Have I missed any Nev?Those red insulators have to be the stupidest thing ever invented by Marklin.. Most serious model railroaders are over 50 - this is an age where your ability to see and handle tiny things is impaired.. Even the process insulating the outer rails could have been greatly simplified by Marklin's engineers. |
Adrian Australia flag by abFlags.com |
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 Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC) Posts: 15,871 Location: Gibraltar, Europe
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These are minor details common to most track types. Have you ever tried to solder a wire to a fishplate for 2 rail track, or tried to insulate two adjacent tracks using m track?
I think the red insulators are an elegant solution, and my 50+ year old fingers have no trouble with them. |
Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways
Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
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1 user liked this useful post by RayF
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Joined: 09/12/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,533 Location: VA
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Originally Posted by: RayF These are minor details common to most track types. Have you ever tried to solder a wire to a fishplate for 2 rail track, or tried to insulate two adjacent tracks using m track? Less elegant, but you can also use a dab from a glue gun to hold the clip on the C track connector (I wouldn't recommend doing it with a bare wire as you would with soldier, use the connector). Also easily removable. I should probably just put in my signature to glue gun everything... Regarding the insulators, if it is a permanent layout you can also cut off the metal connectors pretty easily. -Brandon |
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1 user liked this useful post by BrandonVA
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Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,571
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Originally Posted by: xxup Originally Posted by: H0 ...tracks from the last 10 years are not brittle and last very long (new recipe of plastics used).
Those red insulators have to be the stupidest thing ever invented by Marklin.. Most serious model railroaders are over 50 - this is an age where your ability to see and handle tiny things is impaired.. Even the process insulating the outer rails could have been greatly simplified by Marklin's engineers. The red insulator can be a bit fiddle, but there is trick to get them on. Sometimes the metal tabs are a bit wide to slide into the narrow opening of the insulator. So just bend the metal tabs slightly togther using a plier and they will more easily slide into the opening. I disagree regarding soldering. I think it's much easier soldering on C tracks than on M or K tracks. When doing the contact tracks it can pay off to try several tracks to find the best suitable where there is natural gap between the rails, else you may have to resort to dremel to ensure the outer rail does not touch the adjacent rail. Brgds - Lasse |
Digital 11m2 layout / C (M&K) tracks / Era IV / CS3 60226 / Train Controller Gold 9 with 4D sound. Mainly Danish and German Locomotives. |
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,778 Location: New Zealand
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Originally Posted by: xxup [Those red insulators have to be the stupidest thing ever invented by Marklin.. Most serious model railroaders are over 50 - this is an age where your ability to see and handle tiny things is impaired.. Even the process insulating the outer rails could have been greatly simplified by Marklin's engineers. I don't have a problem inserting the insulators into C track. I do have a problem with them not doing the job they were supposedly designed for, i.e. insulating track. I've ended up cutting the 'B' connector tab on each track piece, just to make sure there is no chance of an erroneous connection.
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 Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC) Posts: 1,291 Location: Port Moody, BC
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C track is great as long as it is new.
Unfortunately I started buying C track in 1997 shortly after it was introduced and I was working in Asia on a project. Each trip to Singapore resulted in more boxes of C track being purchased for my "future retirement project". Earlier this year I also bought a large local Maerklin collection containing C track in boxes that had never been opened.
As luck would have it the first 2 pieces I clicked together had little grey parts flying off. A few more tests had the same result. Not believing what I was seeing lead me to this forum in the first place to see if others had the same problem. Wouldn't you know it, but it was a common known problem of poor plastic in the 1996-early 2000 era and all my rows of white boxes have track from 1996 or 1998. So having approximately $1,500 worth of this "miracle track" makes me feel lucky when I can assemble 2 pieces that don't have the locking clips break off. I don't dare take them apart.
On eBay purchases it also warrants asking the seller to identify the year the track was made, since a few purchases of "brand new" C track have arrived with the 1996 date stamp on the bottom and the same breakage.
So enjoy it while it is new and hopefully 10 years down the road we won't be complaining about the C track that was manufactured in 2010.
I for the most part have stopped buying C track and have reverted back to K. At least that way I can also benefit from flextrack!
Cheers
Peter
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 9,289
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I find C tracks very ugly and some trouble by use it.
1.To much noise.
2.You must cut hole on the baseground of the layout to get better service with motor/electronic under turnouts.
3.Rail is made of rust free steel which makes easier to oxied!!
4.It´s very hard to solder rail.
5.More work to fix ballast on the C tracks.
6.No flextrack!! (because of three rail click contact) |
H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
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1 user liked this useful post by Goofy
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