Maerklin did have a manual, but I am not sure that there is a current manual for the new (Viessmann based) system.
You can get some information by downloading the instructions for the 70000 catenary kit that they sold to complement the small start sets:
http://medienpdb.maerkli.../1/pdf/70000_betrieb.pdf

Maerklin still lists the German, French and Dutch versions of the old book as available.

Regards

Mike C

That link opened for me with no problem , took a while to download . The description is for the current style of Catenary in use & not for the previous type . I would like to see what offerings there is available for M ,K & C track using the older style .

Cheers Tom in Oz

I haven't scanned my new book as yet and I don't think Marklin ever made it available in PDF format.

I did find this Guide to installing Viessmann catenary on the Reynaulds website some time ago. Don't know if it is any use to you.

Hi Khirad,

The new (10 years old now) M catenary system is made by Viessmann. They mainly differ by the form of the clip where you attach catenary elements on the masts, but it's more aesthetic than functional. So both Viessmann and M catenary elements and masts are compatible.

An other difference is Viessmann provides much more elements than M. The price is in the same range.

This new system is much more elegant than the old one. The drawback is it's more difficult to set it up, especially about length adjustments.

With the old system, using 7014,7015,7013 and 7023 elements was very easy to adjust to precise length.
With the new system, you have to cut a piece of longer catenary and either use the female element (M approach), or use a catenary element close to the required length then use a special pliers to create the hooks allowing to attach the customized element to the masts (Viessmann approach). The creation of the hooks is the tricky part: You absolutely need the special pliers (sold by Viessmann), and you must be very careful when plying (unfortunately, sometimes the metal breaks).

The M catenary handbook shown by Bigdaddynz is about the new system. It has nice photos but not a lot of information about geometry. My opinion is it is not a "must have". Instead, I strongly suggest you to buy the 4190 Viessmann catenary manual which describes all the geometry and various implementation combinations when using turnouts. This manual is only available in German, but it has a lot of photos which are self explanatory.

One last advice: You must be extremely patient when building with this new catenary system, and it requires more precision than the old one. This system is adapted only for permanent layout, not for "carpet layout".

Cheers
Fabrice

The full Viessmann overhead line installation manual is available here http://www.viessmann-modell.com...erleitungsbuch-.html#top. It is extremely comprehensive and comes in both German and English.

It is way too detailed for most people but it lets you see what can be done and you can pick the sections that you need.

If you ask me, all the information you need is in the Main Catalogue.

The Märklin catenary follows the C-track geometry, meaning that with a basic knowledge on the relations between the catenary pieces and the C-track geometry you will be able to predict what pieces you need. Let me try to explain some of the things I have learned.

For a simple geometry the setup is pretty straight forward
- Important! In all cases use the mast positioning tool #70011 which will help you quite a lot as it takes the guessing out of the equation.
- For long stretches of straight track you use the 360 mm piece (equal to one 24188 + one 24172). As long as this piece fits, use it.
- For curved track you apply what ever piece fits the track underneath (the catalogue will explain this). E.g. The 142 mm piece goes with R1, the 172.5 mm piece goes with R2 and so on. 16 pieces makes up a circle.
- If you go from a R1 into an R2, or other radius, you might need to be creative. I find it helpful to have several extra pieces from different curves lying around.
- Where nothing fits, use the adjustment section piece #70231 (this comes in handy around point sections and similar). You might as well get one, and get to know it, because it is hard to avoid.

Two helpful rules of thumb:
- The mast positioning tool has a wire alignment piece with two markings. The catenary may never deviate from those markings. If it does, you are doing something wrong and will need to use another piece of catenary.
- You never need to bend the catenary piece. The catenary piece must be straight at all times. If you find yourself needing to bend the catenary piece, you are doing something wrong.

Positioning the masts is easy with the little helper tool.
You can use the mast positioning tool to find the correct position of the masts. It consists of two mast positioning tools and a wire alignment piece.

1. Place the first mast positioning tool in a position where you know a mast will be. Use the drawings from Main Catalogue to approximately determine this. I recommend starting with your complex sections (e.g. a point section or similar).

2. Then place the catenary piece that you will use and align it with the track.

3. Place the wire alignment piece on the track around the center of the catenary piece.

4. The wire alignment piece has two markings, the catenary piece may not exceed those markings. Now make sure the catenary is somewhere between the markings.
Remember that catenary "zig zags" over straight stretches of track. The mast positioning tool has two hooks for the catenary piece, always use the opposite hook when putting down the second positioning tool.
Note: Catenary does not zig zag over curved sections, consult the main catalogue on how to install catenary over curved sections (page 258 in the 2015 main catalogue).

5. Where the catenary piece ends, you place the other mast positioning tool and use the metal pin to create a mark in the baseboard.

6. Place a mast foot and repeat the process. I usually just place the positioning tool over the foot and put the metal pin in the top of the screw underneath. I never place a mast before I am ready to set up the entire section. I have had too many masts knocked over and broken while building.

Note that the mast positioning tool has markings for both tower masts, overhangs and normal masts. You will need to refer to the User's Manual for the tool to get the correct measurements for your mast type. I believe the normal mast is the 34 mm mark, but check with the manual. I sometimes forget to check the markings and place a mast wrong. Easily corrected, but annoying.

Cross spans
Think of cross spans as masts. Use the mast positioning tool to find the position, as you would any mast, but use the "tower mast hole" in the tool to place the mark.

General catenary advise
- If you plan to run trains with the pantograph in its upraised position, you must regularly maintain and inspect your catenary. Use your worst electric loco for this. By worst I mean the loco that always causes the most trouble on the layout (we all have one). If you do not know which one it is, it will reveal itself to you in a short time after the catenary is installed, trust me. Anyway, the idea is, that if this loco can run without trouble, everyone else can as well.
- You might need to bend the bottom outrigger on a mast a bit to make sure that the pantographs can pass the mast without hitting the outrigger. This is normal and by design. The pantographs moves and "lives" underneath the catenary, some more than others.
- Buy extra masts as you will eventually knock one over. I cannot recommend trying to repair a knocked over mast as it will give you an unstable catenary. You can perhaps do this if your catenary is for show, but not if you run with the pantographs upraised.
- I cannot recommend using the catenary with power. If you run digital, forget about this option, as the digital system is way better when using the track. If you run analogue, you might have an argument for a powered catenery, but I would still not recommend it.

Anyway, I hope any of this may help you in getting an overview on the "new" (10 year old) Märklin catenary (we could call it "second generation" instead of new? ) If you have more questions, feel free to ask.

I do have the catenary book as well, but it does not really give more overview than the catalogue and the manual from the #70000 catenary starter's set (http://medienpdb.maerklin.de/product_files/1/pdf/70000_betrieb.pdf). Lots of pictures of course.

I have a bunch of the 2nd gen. catenary. I know that there are maximum wire lengths based on the curve radius.

What is not clear is that I know that the mast location on the turnouts is rather fixed.

The catalog suggested 65mm from end of R2 turnouts but what would it be for R9 wide radius turnouts? What would be the position "tolerance" at either of these turnouts be?

As such, the overhead " layout" would start at he turn ours and end at the turnouts...usually with adjustable wire lengths. If there is a little tolerance, then there may be an opportunity to use a standard length.

Also, can one use the C track clip on centre masts on 74 mm track spacing resulting from the R2 turnouts?

Hi Khirad,

For K-Track (the one I use), you need to screw the masts. So, not really adapted for a temporary layout.
For C-track, there is in the Viessmann catalog an additional mast socket you can use (ref 4189). You can check at Marklin if their masts are delivered with this additional socket. This option could be used in case of a temporary layout, but I'm not very confident about the robustness of the result...

Cheers
Fabrice