 Joined: 04/08/2018(UTC) Posts: 11 Location: Hovedstaden, Copenhagen
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Hi
I have a mystic problem. Some of my turnouts stops be able to switch to the curved rail. They have been functioning som a good time and suddenly the wont switch to the curved line. That is when the mechanism should push forward, but they work well when switching to straight line and that is when the mechanism pull back.
I have tried to switch the two yellow wires in the decoder (DR4018) but that does not change anything.
At one time I simply change the mechanism to a brand new --that worked for a while and then the problem reoccured.
Anybody have similar experiences ?
Have anybody ideas what is could be, and how I can figure it out.
Thanks in advance
Erik Wirring
Måløv Denmark
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 Joined: 08/05/2015(UTC) Posts: 567 Location: Tunbridge Wells, Kent, United Kingdom
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Hi Erik,
I assume the points you refer to are the 74490/74491 motors for C track. I am afraid this is a common and quite well documented fault. However it’s not all doom and gloom, it’s a fairly straight forward repair requiring a little bit of soldering.
For example On YouTube Model Train Fun does a short video on fixing faulty/stuck/dead digital turnout.
Hope this helps
Adrian
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 Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC) Posts: 1,291 Location: Port Moody, BC
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Chances are that the microswitch for that direction has stopped working. This is a well known problem and there are numerous posts on this forum on how to jumper out the micro switches if you are using digital operation.
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 Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,559 Location: Paris, France
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Hi Eric There are 2 known issues on C track switches: 1- The micro-switches in the motor that are "unreliable" even with the most recent ones. So in digital operation (not with a manual command) it is safe to bridge these Here is a video on how to fix it. 2- The switch mecanism get stuck on some old switches (5 years or more) In this case a bit of Teflon spray and back-and-forth movement correct it. When you do this, the C Track switches are pretty reliable (I have 60 of them of all types) since 20 years Note: the very old motors (before 2000 or so) are to be replaced no matter what. When opening them you see they have only ONE microswitch. The both have the switch issue but additionally they were underdimensionned (weak force causing many problems) Cheers Jean |
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 3 users liked this useful post by JohnjeanB
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Joined: 04/08/2018(UTC) Posts: 11 Location: Hovedstaden, Copenhagen
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Thanks for all your answers. Seems that I have to go through all my turnouts, especially those who are 'underground' in my layout. Could the Turnout itself get a bit stuck, and so need a little teflon spray ??
But what surprises me most is that Märklin are selling such low quality product :-(
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 9,275
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Yes Märklin switch magnet motor are sensibel. They are weak and happens sometimes fault. A turnout motor are more powerful like Tortoise motor have lifetime function. Have you tried Viessmanns servo motor for the C-turnouts? |
H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
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Joined: 04/08/2018(UTC) Posts: 11 Location: Hovedstaden, Copenhagen
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Originally Posted by: Goofy  Yes Märklin switch magnet motor are sensibel. They are weak and happens sometimes fault. A turnout motor are more powerful like Tortoise motor have lifetime function. Have you tried Viessmanns servo motor for the C-turnouts? No I have not tried one of those. I have look the Viesmanns turnout up at my modelrailroad-pusher' webside. In a way they are expensive, at least when you are using Digikreis DR4018 Turnout decoder modul, which gives you 8 turnouts decoding for the price of one Märklin decoder to built into the turnout. But if I were going for decoder in built into the turnout Viessmanns is actually cheaper than the Märklin alternative. Looked some youtube videos of the slow shift it looks great.  However how can I be convinced that Viessmanns Turnout will be more durable than those from Märklin ? 
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Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,559 Location: Paris, France
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Hi
I have tried the older Viessmann version 4554 for C track switches and all failed
Now I use Marklin motor with end switches being shorted and they work fine in digital
Cheers
Jean |
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 Joined: 03/06/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,250 Location: Sydney, NSW
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Everything, well nearly everything on my layout works well, except for the turnout motors. I've given up on the Marklin motors and I then tried the new Viessmann 4568 which were much better, however still not 100% reliable. I need 100% reliability as I use TrainController to operate the layout and if a turnout fails then disaster. So I have researched a fair bit and I hope I have found the solution. I am experimenting with servo motors and determining the best way to install them. At this stage I have found an easy installation of the motors and with the new ESU SwitchPilot servo 3 decoder they are easy to program. So far, and it's only been a few days, the system is running much better. The cost is also very favourable - motors from China for around A$3.00 and SwitchPilot around A$100.00 which can control 8 motors, equates to about A$16.00. Admittedly, there is some work to install the motors.
Regards
Greg |
Take it easy . . . . or any other way you can get it !!!!
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 Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC) Posts: 7,453 Location: Scotland
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Have you tried using the motors in another turnout . Possible that the first has failed but then a new motor also has the same problem which again may have failed in which case return them to Marklin under warranty and they will send you new ones. Like Jean above I have had motors on the layout for years and only one has failed. I clean mine and also turnout itself on a regular basis. |
Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer. |
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Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,559 Location: Paris, France
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Hi Greg and Yall Originally Posted by: Drongo Everything, well nearly everything on my layout works well, except for the turnout motors. I've given up on the Marklin motors and I then tried the new Viessmann 4568 which were much better, however still not 100% reliable. I need 100% reliability as I use TrainController to operate the layout Märklin motors work in a very reliable way PROVIDED - if you use them in digital: - you short the micro switches I use Rocrail and depending the case the pulse duration is from 100 mS up to 300 mS - you create a gymnastic program to exercise your switche motors. I have created one in XML that starts automatically at start of day operations Doing this, I have a 60 switch layout and not a single flaw, using Rocrail. I tried using Viessmann 4554 and it was a noisy disaster. Because my layout is on 3 levels I could not use solutions requiring space. Also because I have 15 storage spaces in the shadow stations with many switches, only perfect operation is possible. Also, never lubricate them, lubricate the C track switches with Teflon spray (seldom used) Just for fun here is a C track operation with 60 or more of these Märklin switch motors Cheers Jean |
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2 users liked this useful post by JohnjeanB
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Joined: 03/06/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,250 Location: Sydney, NSW
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Hi Jean, You have a very good layout and you have incorporated some very nice scenery. I have tried shorting out the motors but some still were not reliable. I've now perfected the installation of the servo motors and I'm full steam ahead with transferring the motors. About another 70 to go. Regards Greg |
Take it easy . . . . or any other way you can get it !!!!
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1 user liked this useful post by Drongo
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