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Offline Gforce250  
#1 Posted : 04 December 2018 23:21:24(UTC)
Gforce250

Malta   
Joined: 04/12/2018(UTC)
Posts: 5
Hi,

Earlier throughout the year I got myself an 0-4-0 Roco 63298 DCC locomotive, as I snatched it before it got sold out online and thought I'd start with it as i am just a beginner. Soon after letting my friend know he got me an assortment of Marklin Track and the Marklin 66471 Transformer/Controller (for which i am very grateful for) from Switzerland as a present, however after connecting a little straight as instructed from the manual, the locomotive won't move. I fear the worst that it isnt compatible at all, but hopefully its just something basic im missing or needs some internal modifying.

-Links to both items:
https://www.roco.cc/en/p...0-002001-0/products.html
https://www.maerklin.de/...s/details/article/66471/

Gabriel
Offline H0  
#2 Posted : 04 December 2018 23:29:58(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,254
Location: DE-NW
Hi, Gabriel!
Welcome to the forum.
Originally Posted by: Gforce250 Go to Quoted Post
I fear the worst that it isnt compatible at all
Yep. For Märklin track you need Roco locos with 69xxx numbers or 79xxx or 78xxx numbers.
Locos with 63xxx numbers do not have a slider for the centre rail.
No harm done to the locomotive as it gets no power at all. I don't know if the decoder in the loco is suitable for AC operation.

To use the loco as it is you would need Trix C track, or Piko A track, or Roco or Fleischmann track.
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
UserPostedImage
thanks 3 users liked this useful post by H0
Offline Gforce250  
#3 Posted : 05 December 2018 00:12:00(UTC)
Gforce250

Malta   
Joined: 04/12/2018(UTC)
Posts: 5
Thanks for the reply and welcome, however the track I have is Marklin C-Gauge, with only 2 rails and no center strip, does this mean the loco is simply not suitable for dc? do you think i would need to open it up?

Regards
Offline Gforce250  
#4 Posted : 05 December 2018 00:44:06(UTC)
Gforce250

Malta   
Joined: 04/12/2018(UTC)
Posts: 5
Alright so a bit of an update, turns out the loco does work with the Marklin transformer as i tried it on the single piece of Hornby rail that i happen to have, and as you said the rails are not compatible with it as i didnt notice the little nodes in the sleepers where actually contacts. Another beginner mix up in the book i guess! And Many thanks :)
Offline franciscohg  
#5 Posted : 05 December 2018 00:44:26(UTC)
franciscohg

Chile   
Joined: 10/07/2002(UTC)
Posts: 3,265
Location: Patagonia
Hello
You are running Trix C track then. Also you are feeding it with AC, not DC.
Anyway, as per instructions in Roco page, the decoder should be able to recognize and operate in both AC and DC analogue.
Have you the possibility of test the loco in Digital environment? The analogue operation can be dissabled in that decoder.
Regards
UserPostedImage German trains era I-II and selected III, era depends on the mood, mostly Maerklin but i can be heretic if needed XD, heresy is no longer an issue.. LOL
Offline franciscohg  
#6 Posted : 05 December 2018 00:46:01(UTC)
franciscohg

Chile   
Joined: 10/07/2002(UTC)
Posts: 3,265
Location: Patagonia
So it was Marklin C track....lol
UserPostedImage German trains era I-II and selected III, era depends on the mood, mostly Maerklin but i can be heretic if needed XD, heresy is no longer an issue.. LOL
Offline Minok  
#7 Posted : 05 December 2018 19:49:34(UTC)
Minok

United States   
Joined: 15/10/2006(UTC)
Posts: 2,310
Location: Washington, Pacific Northwest
So the transformer you have is an analog AC transformer. You have 2 challenges to solve:

1) Getting power to the loco - if its a DCC only Roco loco, its likely a 2-conductor only loco -so it picks up power from the left and right rails, which are electrically different. The Märklin C-Track you have (with the black pips in along the sleepers in the center) is a 3-coductor system- that center line of pips (aka pukos) are a 3rd conductor and where the AC based and 3 conductor systems get power. The two rails on the C Track are electrically connected (and serve as the ground/return in the Märklin 3 conductor world). So putting the locomotive on the c-track, both wheels were connected and no power given to the loco. You will need to put the loco on 2 conductor track (C-Track from Trix is the equivalent look to what you have, but any DCC/DC 2 conductor track system will work). But then...

2) you need the loco to run on the power supplied - and that depends often on the decoder. Does the DCC decoder allow operation of AC analog power? I'd recommend matching everything to one system - if you want to stick with the DCC locomotive and 2-conductor, then sell the AC transformer and get a DCC starter pack controller and track, or a DC supply if you want to run only analog.
Toys of tin and wood rule!
---
My Layout Thread on marklin-users.net: InterCity 1-3-4
My YouTube Channel:
https://youtube.com/@intercity134
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by Minok
Offline Gforce250  
#8 Posted : 06 December 2018 02:30:17(UTC)
Gforce250

Malta   
Joined: 04/12/2018(UTC)
Posts: 5
A great thanks to your very helpful feedback, I will certainly keep this in mind when I get to making my purchases in the near future.

However I'm left questioning 2 things:

-how do you reverse a 3 rail loco with the marklin transformer i have?

-will i be doing any damage to my dcc loco (on Roco rail) if i use my ac transformer?

Thanks in advance
Offline franciscohg  
#9 Posted : 06 December 2018 03:00:05(UTC)
franciscohg

Chile   
Joined: 10/07/2002(UTC)
Posts: 3,265
Location: Patagonia
Hello, the reversing is done in the "traditional" Marklin way, wich is take the knob to zero and then force a little counterclockwise the knob. This will generate a pulse sensed by the decoder and thus change the direction of drive.
Since the decoder is AC analogue compatible and you are using a new ( white ) transformer there should be no problem. Older blue transformers generate a too big pulse wich can fry a decoder, thus they are not reccomended for that purpose.
Regards.
UserPostedImage German trains era I-II and selected III, era depends on the mood, mostly Maerklin but i can be heretic if needed XD, heresy is no longer an issue.. LOL
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by franciscohg
Offline Gforce250  
#10 Posted : 06 December 2018 20:40:17(UTC)
Gforce250

Malta   
Joined: 04/12/2018(UTC)
Posts: 5
This is some great information which means I could use the controller for some time now before I upgrade, big thanks to all!
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