Hello everyone!!!!!

I just received my Marklin 37984 yesterday, it is a gorgeous model!!!!!! Runs great with many great sounds!!!! However when I put the smoke fluid in the pipette and started the smoke unit up....within a few minutes there was smoke rolling out both stacks....not puffing...just floating out. So I thought if I start it moving it will start the synchronized smoke...will it didn't...the smoke was rolling out the stacks and the bottom of the locomotive as it moved down the track. I was very disappointed and started looking for answers. The manual offer no answers and did not see any complains on this model on the internet. So I took the shell off to have a look...before shipping it back for repairs. when I looked inside the shell where the smoke unit sets...I notice two small brass rods....looks like rods to support the smoke defectors to the shell...bent down onto the gasket at the stacks outlet on the underside of the shell....so the smoke unit could not seal to the shell....I used a flat head screwdriver to reposition the brass rods to the side of the gasket....reassemble the locomotive and gave it one more try..wow it worked great!!!!! I was very pleased, but a little unhappy that I had to make repairs to a NEW locomotive.

Seems like the Quality of Marklin has gone down hill. I think I am qualified to make that statement since I have been collecting Marklin trains for 60 Years now and have 125 Locomotives in my collection. Well over 80 that was converted to digital by myself. I am sure I am not the only one who will get a 37984 with this problem....so I hope this information helps others Marklin collectors!!!!

Billy

Edited by user 02 December 2021 13:37:59(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

It says 37984 in the title, but 37394 and 37984 in the text ;-)

Sorry for the typing error with the numbers....next time I will try and be as perfect as Marklin!!!!!!!

No problem. My answer was a response to marklinist. I didn't notice the error myself when I first read your post and googled the item.

Thanks for the heads up Billy! I am still waiting on my 37984 and I will know what to look for if it does not smoke properly.

I have had to repair a number of brand new Märklin items in the last few years, I guess that is why they cost so little these days. I usually repair them myself though to avoid more shipping cost and potential damage, but we should not have to do that.

There is a German youtuber who has a lot of criticism about Märklin: Michael Schulz Modelleisenbahn
His videos are a bit long drawn and I haven't watched much of them. His German isn't the easiest to understand for a foreigner.