Dear Marklin savants:

I am a novice when it comes to Marklin. Now that we are in Covid 19 lock down mode, I am playing with my train set as a means of passing the time. I come asking for help.

I have assembled a simple analogue layout. Two switches. In this case using C track (but I have M track as well thanks to one of you). Please help me with the following.

1) I have a brand new (I thought) 3003 Locomotive. It lights up but does not move. I have the manual and find it poorly written. I assume it needs oil, but am unsure how to oil it. I have Labelle 107 lubricating oil.

The manual gives lubricating instructions for the wheels, but I am unsure of where exactly to place the oil. Inside the wheels on the metal gears? And on the other side, where do I place the oil? There are no little metal gears that I can see.

The manual also says to put 1-2 drops of oil in a little black thing that looks like a coal hamper, but I have no idea where that is. I took the top off.....and am faraid to take too much more part for fear that I end up breaking something.

If the problem is not lubrication, what could be the problem? I cannot turn the wheels by hand...they seem frozen.

2) I have another locomotive....about 40 years old. It runs easily but derails at every C track switch. What could this problem be?

3) I ordered new switch motors for my C track, and tried my best to wire them to my little blue push button controller. Yellow from the switch to yellow on the transformer. Two wires from the switch to the controller and brown from the controller to the transformer. The switch buzzes and moves in one direction but not the other. What am I doing wrong?

4) Is there a diagram anywhere that shows one how to make an extremely simple set of connections from 2 switches to I guess a splitter and then to a controller and from there to a transformer?

I find wiring Marklin maddening. Help!

Thanks

Peter Clancy

As to your item (1), what Dale said.

For item (2), you can check the spacings of the wheels of the locomotive. The distance between the inner flanges of the wheels should be 13.8 mm. Also check the current pickup shoe to see if it's twisted or too high.

For (3), sounds like you are doing the right thing. Try first to isolate the problem. What happens if you swap the red and green wires in the blue control box? What happens if you operate the switch motor outside the switch?

Also re-examine that the cables from the switch motor are properly inserted in the connecting plugs: the cables are quite thin, and it is easy to get this wrong.

Thanks all. Will work on your suggestions and report back. The 3003 Loco was purchased on Ebay used. $58. Advertised in mint condition, but the seller was careful to note it had not been tested. The box was mint, that's for sure. Anyway, no big deal. I'll get her sorted one way or the other.