Hi David
You are quite correct. Recent locos share very similar (can) motors with a difference in the gear, in the fixation parts or in the flywheel.
Recently I needed a motor for my BR 58 37589 (2013) and in Märklin shop it was not available but there is another BR 58 : 37587 with a different motor fixation and it was available.
I took the chance and purchased it. It fitted very well with my loco.
Indeed it seems the same motor is used many times possibly with a different worm gear or screw holes or caliper / saddle.
So if you have trouble finding your motor (not available) check your other recent locos for a possible quite similar motor.

Cheers
Jean

That is a question that I have as well David. One look at the newer can motors and you can see that they are not of very high quality and I have had some fail on locos which are just a few years old. I have an E189104 on hand right now for installation in my S 2/6 but what happens the next time it fails?

On the plus side the motors are inexpensive, but if they are not available later on you have a problem. It is interesting to hear that Jean has had success with substituting other motors which does give us more options. But they will still be inexpensive, throwaway bits, far below the quality of the models themselves.

So the locos are well made and beautifully finished but I have had decoders and motors fail after only a few years' use. I now think I have a potential money pit of pretty locos that I will either have to be regularly repairing or just sticking in a display case. When I combine those concerns with the high cost of Märklin's current models I no longer find them very attractive purchases, and for the first time in years I have no new models on order.

I am shifting my MRR budget from adding to my collection to buying parts to keep the newer models running. I don't believe that they will hold up for the long lifespans that some of my older Märklin locos have had. Unfortunately it looks like the race to the bottom is alive and well in the world of Märklin these days.

Dear All
Thanks for the replies. I am going to order some of these loco motors and see what the difference is. There are Over about 15 motor types listed plus there are 3 price groupings, so maybe there are three basic types. If it is just the fly wheel and pinion gear that is different, then that is OK. These can be pressed off for exchange.

I only have a couple of locos with these motors, the French serie 241 being one of them. This is a classic model athletically, however was disappointed that future spares for it are unique and will thus not be repairable. I actually prefer the last of the series one C-Sine models.These at least can be refitted with DCM motors and mSD/3 decoders or equivalent when the time comes. There will probably be a cutoff point with Marklin. All locos tooled after about 2005 will not be repairable because of the spares supply. The repairability of Marklin was always the great difference over its rivals. Not anymore apparently.

Regards
David