Can you please expand the question and explain what manual you are referring to? If it is for the new 60215 manual in languages other than German, I too would like to know.

Peter

Better late than never, I guess. Perhaps New Items 2016...

I am looking forward to this book.

But, I don't speak/read/understand German!

It's really sad in no english language. Perhaps it present as new 2016?

I agree, guys. I speak German but Märklin's key languages are German, Dutch, French and English and it should be in these languages too, along

with Spanish and Italian too. Peter

How many Germans participate in this forum? How many Germans participate in Stummi's Forum?

I think they should make at least four languages, but German surely is the most important language for a Märklin book.
Many Germans wouldn't buy that book if English was the only language available.

Why didn't they just make it an e-book which could lend itself to multiple translations. Books are great but as we all know reference books quickly go out of date and are rarely updated.

I'd like to see Märklin get into the 21st century and set up a e-subscription/club of technical references which we could all buy into and support. Over time it would probably cost the same as a printed book, but for Märklin it would be a doddle to edit and revise.

Oh well I'll probably buy the German version or wait for a bad/poor translation of it appear on the shelves of the Märklin web site.

Correct!
With e-book you can buy and download to yours computer in mostly language.

It's (finally) on its way here too...

Hey Jukka

I was not trying to be rude, but what will surely happen is that people will ask you for your translation of the book and they will give it to their friends and so on. My point was: do not give it away. The last thing you want is your translation floating the internet.

With regards to Frank, simply write your questions to Märklin Service and address them to Frank, I am sure he will answer.

I believe Copyright in the UK permits 10% of any document to be reproduced. At least that was how described to UK teachers when using a photocopier. If I recall correctly, a school was caught photocopying music scripts in their entirety for a school concert. The school was prosecuted by the copyright holder they were fined a considerable sum for the time, and thereafter the Department for Education issued the above guidance.

On that basis - carefully selected passages (approximately 20 pages for this publication) could be quoted here should a translation of clarification be needed -


over to your legal department ....

10% would probably be on the high side. It is certainly not the guidance at the academic institution where I work.

I have started reading the book. The book is - for the most part - a collection of the articles published in Märklin Magazin over the last couple of seasons. This means that majority of the contents of the book is available in your Märklin Magazin collection - should you have one. This also means that if you subscribe to Märklin Magazin in English, you will already have a fair amount of the book available to you in English.

E.g. the section about signals is the same as the one in the English Märklin Magazin 06/15.

There are of course new content (also sections for 2-rail use with Trix, LGB and Gauge 1). General advise on how to set up wiring, an explanation of the Märklin colour codes and so on. There is a service section with look up tables for decoder addresses and so on.

Some of the articles are available in German from the Märklin Magazin website. E.g. the sections on m83 and m84.

I consider the book a nice collection of already published stuff - with the addition of some new stuff to bind all the articles together. The book is in the format of Märklin Magazin, with a back somewhere between hard back and paperback. It is worth the cost no matter if you already have articles in Märklin Magazin, if not to learn something new, then for the convenience of being able to pick the book up - instead of having to search your collection of Märklin Magazines for the right issue.

The whole irony of copyright law in the art world is one of reaction.
Copyright laws have become increasingly stringent and consumers copy more than ever.

As far as the application of the law, along with issues of "fair use"
....lending books, music, films etc or giving a single copy to a friend without monetary gain,
would not for all practical purposes be punishable by law.

That said the laws vary from country to country, and an internet without borders makes that even more complex.
One has to balance the reasonablity of the sharing with one's ethics which unfortunately is not tempered by social class.
In another words, asking Märklin may end up with a "no" when it would be within your legal and moral limits to use it.

- Mark

This is getting a bit OT, however, if you will allow it.
I think most copyright is overbearing and perpetual copyright is stultifying to public creativity.
That something like "Happy Birthday to You" is not in the public domain and has "perpetual copyright" is outrageous.
I am thinking about is extension of copyright life varying from country to country.
https://en.wikipedia.org...s'_copyright_lengths
and
https://en.wikipedia.org...right_Term_Extension_Act

That said, if someone produces a translation of a document, while there is still no translated document available, and shares that translated document with a few friends, who may or may not have a paid original themselves, the service of doing the translation, whether paid to the translator or given freely, should not be prohibited. The problem lies more in the making such documents publicly available for download. It may be wiser to be on good terms with the original author, and for the sake of conscience to get permission.

My argument is essentially, if one member does the translation, there is no reason the each person should struggle through the German text if the job is already done.
In the long run, imho, it is a benefit to Märklin to have more informed and appreciative hobbyists.

- Mark

Even if the book is a compilation of MM articles, I'd still buy it if there was an English version. However, as Tom points out this information should be freely available given the amount of money people have paid for their CS2's in the first place. Doing so would encourage more folks to buy the CS2.

Maybe an English might come later on - there have been English versions of previous Digital books, so we will have one if Marklin sticks to previous form.

Märklin had their own forum, but closed it many years ago. It was for Insiders only, of course.
Märklin also had their own Marketplace. They almost strangled eBay to death, but then they closed it.
Märklin also had their own web radio.
They still have their own web TV.

Sorry for going off topic.


A manual comes free with the item. Companies don't sell it separately and should welcome translations to other languages.

As it is apparently a compilation of MM articles I'll be very surprised if there is not an English translation available soon - along with all the other languages that the MM is translated into.

And I would be another person to buy the book in English, despite having the articles in the MM in my library. As pointed out earlier in the thread, it puts all the information in one place, and is more easily accessible when needed.

It is true that the English Märklin Magazin is thinner, but I would not say that I am missing out on much. I am often in Germany, and I some times buy the German Märklin Magazin for comparison with the English one I receive at home. It is my understanding, that most of the articles (digital tips, prototype articles etc.) always make it into the English version. Often one or two issues later than the German counterpart. But they will get there eventually. It does not mean much to me if they are a bit late, as long as they are there.

The majority of the "extra pages" is "filler" information about when German clubs have their meetings, new accessory products at the train store (Faller, Kibri etc.) and so on, this is irrelevant to me as I do not live in Germany. With regards to the new products from Faller, Kibri etc., since they are only mentioned and not reviewed, I can get this information elsewhere. At the time the magazine arrives, this is old news anyway.

The only article series that I truly miss in the English version is the Märklin Freunde Bericthen (Märklin Friends) series. This is where you get a peek into someone's train room and have a look at a private layout of an enthusiast. I really like these series, I would much rather have, that they translated those instead of some of the track plan articles. Perhaps a mix, if cost and concept is an issue. Getting to see what "real" people create with the products at home, to me at least, is often worth the entire cost of the magazine.

Märklin Magazin is available in (at least): English, Dutch and French. If it meant a more comprehensive English version, Märklin could cut the Dutch and French versions. (Sorry Dutch and French readers)

I pay around ~7 euros (~$7.5) per month for the subscription to the Trix Club. I think it gives me great value (6x Märklin Magazin, 6x Trix News, 2x annual dvd, Club Wagon, new items brochures at your doorstep, "free" catalogue). I have also used the Club Card on several occasions when visiting museums and exhibitions around Europe (not relevant for everybody, I know).

You did, but I don't get why this is a bad thing?

If the articles in MM provides the information needed, then what more do you want from a book? What more is there to say, if the other materials explains it well? Should they've written entirely new texts explaining the exact same stuff?

This is no different when other publishers publish materials or collections of articles. Model Railroader does it all the time with their books. They are collections of articles from the past years.

Which book are you referring to

The only digital books produced by Marklin previously that I am aware of are 0303 and 0308, and I have English versions of both.

The 0308 book is very hard to find in English as they only ever did one print run in English.

The is also a special edition of the Marklin Magazine featuring digital, and it also had an English print run.