Part of the problem is the dimension of the DC wheels themselves.. Even if you can get them to work on your track, there is the problem of using them with contact tracks - if you have them on your layout..

In some cases, the solution is as simple as replacing the wheels with Marklin equivalents.. Where the wheels are part of a bogie, the problem is more difficult, but not impossible to fix.

Hi
This is a personal taste thing as well, to me anyhow. There are a great many makes out there. Most are labelled NEM standard. This amuses me and it seems to be each manufacturer has there own indervidual standard😱
I have tried a few makes apart from Marklin. They have all needed, some sought of ajustment. Turning to yourself. Try a different make, be aware that wheels and couplers may need changing. I will not bother myself, changing from Marklin again, as I was disappointed. Because there range both in today's Marklin range and in the past is vast. And you can get most wagons from the modern era. And they will not derail, they will couple and will not lock buffers with the car there attached too!!
I myself have a interest in Northern France railways. Dunkirk Grand syinth yard is full of frieight cars. All but one or two, can be found from Marklin. If your happy with Marklin. Stick with it. Or not😎
Enjoy your hobby, cheers Dan
Shanny

These brands and Brawa can often be troublesome.
As in the bogie pivot point is too low, so locking the bogie in tight curves, and derailing itself and the following car.
Buffers are often a different height to Marklin, the design being too literal, so buffers lock causing similar derailment issues.

Marklin put more design effort into alleviating compatibility and running issues, and I never have problems with that brand of stock.

regards
Kimball

I agree with the comments above. I bought several Lima bogie coaches and wagons a few years ago. They were all a problem on the points so apon close examination i found moving the wheels closer together on the axle [ as discussed at length on this forum ] they worked better, but I still have to tweak the guide rail on all points to stop derailing. The Lima flange are narrower [ thinner ] than Marklin the flanges appear to be the same diameter [ so they trundle through the points ok without dipping down.

I think the cost of cheap wagons added to the cost of replacement wheels >= than the price of a good deal on the internet. You just have to be patient.

Dereck

Actually there are three potential problems I can think of.

Wheel spacing can be a problem. Trix, Roco and Fleischmann DC wheel sets work for me (on C track), but Liliput and Piko DC wheel sets lead to derailments.

DC wheel sets will not work with contact tracks (s88 or level crossings).

Couplers and buffers can be a problem. The Märklin close coupler is too high and leads to derailments with long coaches and long freight cars.
See also:
http://blog.mailez.de/eb...-couplers-for-h0-models/

I don't need contact tracks and do not replace the DC wheel sets on my Trix, Roco or Fleischmann rolling stock.

Some wagon types are just not available from Marklin, so being able to use other brands makes for good variety.

If you want to stick to what Marklin produce you will never have problems (in theory) with wheels or couplers, but sometimes it's worth taking the risk on another brand to get something a bit different.