 Joined: 09/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 565 Location: California, Bay Area
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First I should say: I am a Z scale modeler with one older Marklin HO steam loco operating on an elevated "family room" C track loop remotely via WiFi from a ROCO z21 station. It is great fun. I love handing the iPad to my guests and letting them play with it! With that loco it was clearly DCC capable via a non Marklin controller and I have all functions available for both the loco and car set via the z21 and my iPad.
I would like to order the upcoming new release UP GE ES44AC, Marklin #38440. We see them all over the place here in Northern California where I live. I think it would be a nice second HO loco that anyone visiting my home would also recognize.
The Marklin digital product specifications just list: control unit/mobile station1/2/central station1/2/3 as suitable. Does that mean only Marklin controllers will drive it? And if my Roco z21 can drive it would I be limited to a very few functions or would I have access to as many functions as the Roco can command, as it is with my steam loco?
Also, and secondary (haven't done my homework yet) has Marklin made a variety of freight cars for these modern Era North American locos? Will I be able to buy cars or would I need to pre order those as well?
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 1 user liked this useful post by husafreak
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,443
Location: DE-NW
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Originally Posted by: husafreak  Does that mean only Marklin controllers will drive it? No. For this loco NMRA DCC is listed and every NMRA DCC controller should do. They cannot include all third-party controllers with their individual limitations in the list. Originally Posted by: husafreak And if my Roco z21 can drive it would I be limited to a very few functions or would I have access to as many functions as the Roco can command, as it is with my steam loco? You should be able to get "many" functions using DCC. I'd expect that you can use at least 29 functions. We'll know more when the manual is available for download. |
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  |
1 user liked this useful post by H0
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 Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC) Posts: 8,467 Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
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Originally Posted by: husafreak
Also, and secondary (haven't done my homework yet) has Marklin made a variety of freight cars for these modern Era North American locos? Will I be able to buy cars or would I need to pre order those as well?
Tom answered your first question, but for rolling stock Marklin are producing a set of 12 coal hoppers, with an additional six coal hoppers in the Trix range. However if you are after boxcars, most of the previously produced US boxcars that Marklin have produced should be suitable. look back through the past five or six years NI brochures and see what they had. You may still find some of them at dealers. While you are at it look through the Trix brochures as well. If all that comes to nothing then any H0 rolling stock available for US prototype modelling should work.
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1 user liked this useful post by kiwiAlan
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Joined: 09/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 565 Location: California, Bay Area
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Sounds great, “NMRA DCC” , and cars available past and future, thank you both.
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1 user liked this useful post by husafreak
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Joined: 09/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 565 Location: California, Bay Area
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Darned if I can’t find “NMRA DCC” listed in the ad. I must not be looking in the right place. And one other thing I can’t see is a minimum radius. My loop is a simple R1 radius 16’ (5m) long. I imagine this loco is pretty big but capable or the Märklin description would say so.
The coal hoppers are very nice but all of the UP Diesel’s I see pull a great variety of cars, almost exclusively freight, from all over the place. A 12 car train of all UP cars would be very unusual!
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,443
Location: DE-NW
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Originally Posted by: husafreak Darned if I can’t find “NMRA DCC” listed in the ad. Märklin do not use that term. But some folks here use "DCC" for any type of digital train control (so for them mfx is also "DCC"), that's why I wrote NMRA DCC. |
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 |
3 users liked this useful post by H0
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 Joined: 02/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 244 Location: Stockholm, Sweden
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You have the same issue when mixing Marklin and US made H0 rolling stock as you have in Z-scale. The couplers. If the H0 vehicle has a NEM coupler pocket it is easy to change to knuckle coupler. I have used Kadee #17. You can also make a transition car if you do want a Marklin car without NEM pocket. BTW Z-scaleMonster have transition cars for Z-scale.
Sooner or later you will want a siding. As I recall you have C track like I do. My MTH 3-rail diesels (ES44ACe, SD70ACe, GP-35 etc) get stuck on the turnout lanterns except for the 24711/24712 slim ones. You will probably not be able to see the lantern anyway but I find it good to see the turnout position. In your case a turnout motor + decoder under the track bed is ideal. To avoid future problems I suggest that you short cut the micro switches in the turnout motor as suggested many times in this forum. |
OneGauge Marklin and MTH, ESU ECoS 2.1 on LGB tracks. MTH 3-rail 0-gauge, DCS on GarGraves tracks. Z: Rokuhan tracks, analog or DCC+TC Gold. |
1 user liked this useful post by blid
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 Joined: 16/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 5,842 Location: Hybrid Home
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Originally Posted by: kiwiAlan However if you are after boxcars, most of the previously produced US boxcars that Marklin have produced should be suitable. look back through the past five or six years NI brochures and see what they had. [...] While you are at it look through the Trix brochures as well. AFAIK Märklin H0 covers only North American freight cars made in 1950-1970 (except for the new UP coal hopper set), i.e. "historic" 40 ft and 50 ft cars: box cars, reefers, cattle cars, gondolas, hoppers, flat cars, tankers and cabooses (only). Originally Posted by: kiwiAlan If all that comes to nothing then any H0 rolling stock available for US prototype modelling should work. Not necessarily ready to run "out of the box", as couplers and wheelsets are different. Originally Posted by: husafreak The coal hoppers are very nice but all of the UP Diesel’s I see pull a great variety of cars, almost exclusively freight, from all over the place. A 12 car train of all UP cars would be very unusual! Not on the fomer DRGW Colorado-Utah mainline, there it would be a perfect (somewhat shortened) match. |
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Joined: 09/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 565 Location: California, Bay Area
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Thanks I’ll look for or make a conversion coupler car so I can pull the kinds of loads we typically see in my area these days. That’s really the appeal of this loco for me and with a coupler conversion car I’ll have endless affordable cars from companies that specialize in North American freight. Now I know other manufacturers cars can run on C track.
Turnouts won’t be an issue with this track. It’s a simple oval without scenery beyond a backdrop.
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Joined: 16/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 5,842 Location: Hybrid Home
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Originally Posted by: husafreak Now I know other manufacturers cars can run on C track. You do? |
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Joined: 09/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 565 Location: California, Bay Area
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We’ll, maybe? That was the idea I got from the discussion about changing couplers, coupler cars, possibly changing wheel sets, etc. Things I have done in Z scale. Modifications that I can do to cars I could not make myself.
At this point I want to feel confident that I can pre order this loco, run it on my track, and get a random assortment of prototypical cars later.
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Joined: 16/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 5,842 Location: Hybrid Home
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Originally Posted by: husafreak ... one older Marklin HO steam loco operating on an elevated "family room" C track loop remotely ... How old is "older"? Does elevated mean "out of reach"? Originally Posted by: husafreak We’ll, maybe? That was the idea I got from the discussion about changing couplers, coupler cars, possibly changing wheel sets, etc. Things I have done in Z scale. Modifications that I can do to cars I could not make myself.
At this point I want to feel confident that I can pre order this loco, run it on my track, and get a random assortment of prototypical cars later. I dunno if you would be happy with such an experimental approach. |
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Joined: 09/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 565 Location: California, Bay Area
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I think calling it old was not correct. I apologize. It is the Marklin HO 26928 1928 Rheingold Train Set. The track is above my head and I need my ladder to vacuum and clean the track every six months. The aforementioned train set has been extremely reliable.
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2 users liked this useful post by husafreak
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Joined: 16/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 5,842 Location: Hybrid Home
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I see. Especially with such an overhead set-up I would not change a winning team. You never know what you might get into with a new untested “hobby train”.
P.S.: Could you share an image of the sky line? The concept sounds appealing. |
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Joined: 02/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 244 Location: Stockholm, Sweden
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Before ordering I would try to get Marklin to verify that the engine will run on your R1 (no turnout is good). I think it will, but you never know. The good thing is that it has knuckle coupler included as I read it. No need to involve Marklin couplers in the train set. Not so good is that modern freight cars tend to be long.
My only experience with US made 2-rail cars are two MTH freight cars. I have run them all over my layout with no problems. However, they are invisible to my occupancy detection so they are not part of a train set (parked). |
OneGauge Marklin and MTH, ESU ECoS 2.1 on LGB tracks. MTH 3-rail 0-gauge, DCS on GarGraves tracks. Z: Rokuhan tracks, analog or DCC+TC Gold. |
3 users liked this useful post by blid
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 Joined: 18/02/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,334
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Broadway Limited specifies, for teh GE ES44AC a Minimum Operating Radius: 18 inches
18 inches = 45.72 cm which is greater than R1.
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Best regards,
Miguel
Mostly Märklin H0.
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3 users liked this useful post by mbarreto
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 Joined: 17/12/2018(UTC) Posts: 128 Location: Kapiti Coast
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Marklin C track R2 radius is 43.7cm!
Not quite enough but probably close enough that the Marklin version will require a minimum of R2
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4 users liked this useful post by nhumps
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Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC) Posts: 8,467 Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
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Originally Posted by: nhumps Marklin C track R2 radius is 43.7cm!
Not quite enough but probably close enough that the Marklin version will require a minimum of R2 If it does require R2 or larger I would have expected that requirement to be mentioned on the product page, but I haven't seen any mention of it. Everyone is assuming that this loco is a collabaration with another manufacturer, but it doesn't need to be, even if another manufacturer is producing an apparently identical model. I wouldn't be surprised to find that it will run on R1 seeing there is no mention of a radius restriction.
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1 user liked this useful post by kiwiAlan
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Joined: 09/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 565 Location: California, Bay Area
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Thanks, certainly something important to be sure of. We talked about the possibility of running cars from other manufacturers here but I know so little about Marklin C track that I have to ask… do any other manufacturers make DCC controlled locos for running on C track? Or is the “center rail pickup shoe” a Marklin exclusive?
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Joined: 09/09/2010(UTC) Posts: 63
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Originally Posted by: husafreak Thanks, certainly something important to be sure of. We talked about the possibility of running cars from other manufacturers here but I know so little about Marklin C track that I have to ask… do any other manufacturers make DCC controlled locos for running on C track? Or is the “center rail pickup shoe” a Marklin exclusive? Maybe a clarification is in order. The decoders that are shipped in Marklin locomotives are primarily MFX meaning they are designed to run with the Marklin digital system. These latest Marklin decoders are also DCC compliant but may not support all the features/functions that come with MFX. The center rail is primarily a Marklin thing. Other manufacturers, not many, make compatible loks to run on 3 rail. Most opt for the more common 2 rail. No, I do not know the name of those manufacturers that make 3 rail compatible loks. Any car from any HO manufacturer will run on Marklin 3 rail with the exception of Rapido. I have two pieces of Rapido rolling stock that will not pass through Marklin 3 rail switches/points. The cars, more specifically, the trucks will not negotiate the frog. They almost always, like 95% of the time will derail. Athearn, Trix and some brass rolling stock have no problem. AND these are my observations. - YMMV. You cannot use Marklin rolling stock on 2 rail track. Marklin rolling stock, by default, are shipped with non-insulated wheel sets. Marklin makes replacement DC (insulated) wheel sets. And, to clarify, the Rapido rolling stock will function on a simple loop, i.e. no switches/points, of Marklin 3 rail C track. And again, this has been my observations. Steve
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1 user liked this useful post by vmsysprog
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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The European manufacturers that come to mind who make 3 rail locos are Roco, ESU, Piko and Brawa. Viessmann and Lux have made the occasional 3 rail loco / cleaning car. They all run fine on Marklin C track.
As has been said, the Z21 works with Märklin Motorola and DCC protocols. I have a Z21 as well as Märklin controllers and I haven't found a Märklin Digital loco I couldn't control with the Z21.
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2 users liked this useful post by Bigdaddynz
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Joined: 16/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 5,842 Location: Hybrid Home
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Originally Posted by: kiwiAlan Everyone is assuming that this loco is a collabaration with another manufacturer, but it doesn't need to be, even if another manufacturer is producing an apparently identical model.
I cannot speak for everyone, but allow to quote myself: Originally Posted by: Alsterstreek An Austrian member of the German Stummiforum asked BLI about the similarity between their models and the Mätrix models (UP FEF and GE ES44AC) and got the following answer on January 19: "We leased our tooling to Marklin for those two projects. They use different electronics.“ Source (with screenshot of the English BLI reply): https://www.stummiforum....n-Trix-H.html#msg2509713 Here is a link to the screenshot provided by the Stummiforum member, showing the BLI reply of January 19 signed by Matt Williamson of Broadway Limited Imports: https://abload.de/image....shot_20230119-11iite.jpgEdited by user 28 January 2023 13:47:53(UTC)
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Joined: 09/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 565 Location: California, Bay Area
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4 users liked this useful post by husafreak
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