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Offline grahame  
#1 Posted : 23 December 2018 14:12:18(UTC)
grahame

United States   
Joined: 20/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 141
Location: Houston
Dear All,

This Christmas I was given by my manager a lovely custom company logo HO locomotive (#36624.001). I work for Clariant, a Swiss based chemical company. I have no HO Marklin rolling stock and immediately realized it is completely incompatible with my OO/HO railway. I am very keen to run it but totally new to the 3rd rail system. Some on line research indicates that the minimum I would require is:

Oval of HO 3rd rail C-Track
Suitable transformer
Connection cable
marklin.jpg
Nothing fancy..just want to get it running. Could all of the experts here give me some pointers on how to do this in the most cost effective way. I spend way too much of model railways lol……having OO/HO, N, Z and T scale layouts

1. I have a few really newbie type questions:
2. How does the power cable connect? Does each track have a connector?
3. Are there other transformers possible, Marklin units seem very expensive..I have a Rokuhan on my Z scale layout..it’s great
4. C track?? eBay I suspect?

Many thanks to all

Grahame Taylor (Houston, Texas)
Offline grahame  
#2 Posted : 23 December 2018 14:14:39(UTC)
grahame

United States   
Joined: 20/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 141
Location: Houston
Its currently sitting in a siding safely insulated from the main OO/OH rolling stock.
Offline H0  
#3 Posted : 23 December 2018 14:18:09(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,250
Location: DE-NW
Hi, Grahame,

A simple option: Buy a Trix loco of the same class (any livery will do) and swap the shells. Then you will have a Clariant loco that drives on your H0/00 layout.

Do you have a digital H0/00 layout? Converting the loco to two-rail operation is simple as it already has insulated wheelsets. It may require a new decoder, but otherwise you just have to resolder a few cables.
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
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Offline grahame  
#4 Posted : 23 December 2018 14:22:21(UTC)
grahame

United States   
Joined: 20/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 141
Location: Houston
Thank you!!!!! Not digital layout....all humble analogue.
Offline grahame  
#5 Posted : 23 December 2018 14:51:39(UTC)
grahame

United States   
Joined: 20/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 141
Location: Houston
Does anyone have or know of a place to get a Trix HO Class 486 locomotive?
Offline Rwill  
#6 Posted : 23 December 2018 15:09:46(UTC)
Rwill

United Kingdom   
Joined: 04/05/2015(UTC)
Posts: 777
Location: England, London
A cautionary tale!

30 years ago on the birth of my eldest son my sister in law and husband arrived from Geneva "to assist" bringing with them a bottle of very best Remy Martin cognac and a box containing a marklin swiss three rail lok. The Remy was no problem that soon went but the Marklin lok didn't like my two rail set up.. So research (without internet in those days) and I soon decided that this Marklin stuff was rather good and they had recently introduced this digital system that was better that the Hornby blobs of paint jobbies. So I binned the Hornby converted the lok to digital and set off on an amazing journey that is still ongoing today. It has cost a few shillings over the years though!!!!!!!!!

Good luck
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by Rwill
Offline 5HorizonsRR  
#7 Posted : 23 December 2018 16:50:55(UTC)
5HorizonsRR

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 2,861
Location: CA, USA
Welcome! Unfortunately a conversion from DC to AC is rather simple, but AC back to DC requires new wheelsets etc...

I agree a trix loco and a shell swap is the way to go, and if you are patient you can probably find one very cheap on ebay, and even perhaps sell the AC leftover locomotive here on the forum.

If you want to keep it marklin, you simply need some track and a transformer. People often break up start sets on ebay or similar. You can be in business for maybe $100 with a reasonable amount of track, or a bit more if you want a digital control

Good luck!
SBB Era 2-5
Offline H0  
#8 Posted : 23 December 2018 17:50:57(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,250
Location: DE-NW
Originally Posted by: 5HorizonsRR Go to Quoted Post
Welcome! Unfortunately a conversion from DC to AC is rather simple, but AC back to DC requires new wheelsets
This loco has insulated wheelsets. Märklin use the same wheelsets for two-rail and three-rail with these TRAXX locos.

But most likely the decoder will not work with analogue DC voltage. Otherwise conversion is simple with that loco.
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 1 user liked this useful post by H0
Offline TEEWolf  
#9 Posted : 23 December 2018 18:10:59(UTC)
TEEWolf


Joined: 01/06/2016(UTC)
Posts: 2,465
Originally Posted by: grahame Go to Quoted Post
Thank you!!!!! Not digital layout....all humble analogue.


Then keep your analogue layout as a historic MRR!

Restart with a brandnew digital MRR H0 layout.

You always will be pleased, because the possibilities and variety of a digital layout supersedes the analogue one extremly. I still do have both too, but I only use the digital one. It is just more fun. One major point is, you run 2 different locos with 2 different controller by 2 different regulated speed control on one and the same tracks. Hello imagine what may happen, if you do not pay attention to your loco! Other points are sound, lights switch on and of, et., etc. all digital controlled.

Minimum requirement are for a 3-rail layout, which will be always a Märklin one

tracks, track box, digital controller MS 2, power supply, but never a transfomator. This may damage your inside decoders at a loco, turnouts, signal or special event decoders. You see, not only a loco has a decoder inside. Märklin offers special starter sets.

See here:

https://www.maerklin.de/en/products/starter-sets/

forget about myworld - its by battery usage

start-up is fully compatible to the regular Märklin components, but specialized for your kids.

This one is the right package to you.

https://www.maerklin.de/...s/details/article/29000/

There you put up your loco on it, plug in and play. For further questions, use this forum.BigGrin

Happy playing X-mas days

Best regards

TEEWolf
Offline grahame  
#10 Posted : 24 December 2018 12:45:52(UTC)
grahame

United States   
Joined: 20/12/2013(UTC)
Posts: 141
Location: Houston
Thanks everyone...I think I am going to try the option of finding a compatible motorised chassis for the body shell. There is lots of room inside it.

shell.jpg
Offline H0  
#11 Posted : 24 December 2018 12:51:42(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,250
Location: DE-NW
Originally Posted by: grahame Go to Quoted Post
I think I am going to try the option of finding a compatible motorised chassis for the body shell.
Three-rail models are sold in Märklin boxes, two-rail models are sold in Trix boxes. They come from the same mould - it's one company that uses several brand names.

Just make sure you buy a Trix loco with metal shell. Beside Re 486 you can also look for class 186 or class 185.2 locos.
Some TRAXX locos from Märklin/Trix have plastic bodies and different frames.

Older models have yellow LEDs, newer models have warm-white LEDs. Pay attention to that if you care about the colour of lights.
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
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