Originally Posted by: biedmatt 
Marklin should correct their icons if the motor specification has changed and they should proof read their material before publishing to be sure it does reflect the product's true specification. It isn't hard to change a web page. This is probably simple loss of oversight on someone's part, but the bottom line is it looks like deceit to some. Why would you provide the chance for such an opinion be derived by some enthusiasts? Fix the icons.
Even before the 3-pole fiasco, I've always thought that the old 5* HEP icon was obsolete...
The problem was back then, a lot of newer generation of models (post-90s) have been equipped with bell-shaped armature (reputable Maxxon or Faulhaber at the time).
It is actually rather misleading to customers that the old BR50 (3784*) and BR44 (3788*) with DCM motor; and the newer BR 59 or the streamlined BR05 (which shared the same Maxxon motor) have the same 5* HEP symbol.
Arguably, the bell-shaped was also 5-poler at the time.
But we're talking about two completely different motors, two completely different designs from two completely different eras....
Why symbol sharing may create problem in attracting new customers.
Let's look at the following scenarios;
Note that in these scenarios, we have to assume that not every NEW Marklin customers would automatically become members of Stummi or -Users.net....
Case study 1After reading about Marklin, and grew interested,
a new customer decided to buy a Marklin starter set... let's start with
29757; the seemingly more child-friendly Fire Department train set, which happens to come with DCM motor...
.... well, DCM motor is not really for beginners.... I learned it the hard way.
... the customer might be impressed with the design of the loco,
but a bit disappointed with the running qualities, and the difficulty of trying to get it to run a tad smoother and quieter..
He looked at his starter set in the Marklin Catalog, and saw that this starter set has [5* HEP] symbol
He would assume that all models with the same symbol is the same type, and shared exactly the same characteristic...
After all, they're model trains, right?
They should have
standardized motor types....
Now he thought; maybe this is the motor type to avoid...
But then he happened to buy a Sinus model as his second loco (previous-generation of 39***);
different symbols for the motor -- maybe I should've give it a try, he thought...
and he then he found,
Wow! What an excellent running quality!... then he learned from the current Marklin Catalog, that all the new 39*** now have 5* HEP symbol instead of the Sine symbol he found in the box of the loco he bought...
The new customers would thought, so, now they're replacing Sinus motor with HEP?
(He didn't know that most of those models come with 3-poler which is better/worse to HEP depending on your perspective)..
End result: Prospective Lost of new customer...
Case Study 2After reading about Marklin, new customer decide to buy a more user-friendly Starter-set...
... say a
29790 -- the ICE-2 starter set with the large hobby can motor..
As in the previous case, he looked at his starter set in the Marklin Catalog, and saw that this starter set has [5* HEP] symbol....
.....Yes, 29790 is a unique case.... Marklin got the symbol on the box, and they never fixed the website too....
He would assume that all models with the same symbol is the same type, and shared exactly the same characteristic...
After all, they're model trains, right?
They should have
standardized motor types....
For his next model, he decided to start buy another model from the 37*** range, with is more upscale compared to his starter set....
And he got lucky...
The first model he bought was a 37116.... a BR18.1 with Faulhaber motor.... with the same [5* HEP] symbol, but already an entirely different motor inside.
Trying it at home, and he's very happy with the running characteristic...
Now, I'm hooked to Marklin, he thought happily.
Then the next model he bought a couple of years later was another 37- model, only this time, his luck ran out...
He bought a 37319 - a BR111 with MFX+ (sounds fancy... full sound too...) from 2014 New Items...
He got home, tried it, and now have to suffer the agony from DCM motor and poor decoder load regulation that he had not experienced before.....
To add the agony, MFX+ is not really compatible to his oldie MS.....
... This sucks! He would thought.... That [5* HEP] symbol is misleading consumers... and MFX+.... That piece of s***!
I thought all the other models with that symbol should have the same running quality as my ICE-2 and BR18.1I knew my rights! He thought angrily.
Screw Marklin! I'm going to look at other brands...So he logged on to his internet at home, and started to list all of his Marklin items on eBay.
Game over.
