I recently used a track cleaning fluid on my Marklin C-track layout. While the Marklin ICE2 runs perfectly, the steam locomotive, a type 01 by Marklin is literally slipping. I realized that the track was very slightly slippery but that the cleaner has dried now. I had used a cleaning car (blue mini freight car by Marklin, with pads on bottom).

But the passenger car set 43917, is actually making slight squeaking or metal turning sounds which they didn't use to. I also notice that the passenger cars take more effort to push by hand. I figure to first clean the axles of dust and cat hair. But I think a light, probably synthetic lubricant, would also be useful to have on hand. I don't have any lubricants yet, you see, so this is a good time to acquire at least one light lubricant for axles.

What do you recommend? Marklin has this very vague "oil for locomotives and cars" but it has no details whatsoever as to if its even real or synthetic oil. It looks like Labelle has a large range of lubricants.

Let me know if you can.

Thanks and I hope everyone is doing well.


Can

Not sure what you used to clean the tracks but nothing should leave a residue on the surface. I have used isopropyl alcohol which evaporates immediately. As for lubricant, an light oil will do but the Marklin one is excellent. You need to use very, very little. Just the tiniest drop from the fine needle in the slight depression the axle sets in. I have even read that the best way is to remove the wheel set and dip the two ends into oil. But that seems to be more of a pain than practicable. I have always felt that the best lubricant would be graphite. I have used it while building small cars used in something the Cub Scouts run called "Pinewood Derby" but am concerned about the graphite which is a conductor getting on the rails.

Can Merhaba,

I've been using Faller oil for loco and car axles; it's just great. Fleischmann oil is very good also.

Cem.

I don't mind a tiny squeak. I've been using a light silicone oil and it lasts longer. Very sparingly use it.

I have a setup on a wooden floor, not on a table unfortunately. But I make sure the equipment is as clean as possible. I have one cat but she is well-behaved; unfortunately, she is shedding a lot since about the last 6 months, being over 20 years old and a Siamese (who live longest from what I hear). So it is a problem but mainly of stuff wrapping around the wheels, which takes time to remove. So I use tweezers and also cleaning cars (Marklin's own), and vacuum the tracks.

Actually, it is a track cleaner, clear, but it dried quickly. So there is no residue now. The problem I noticed also is, that my steam locomotive by Marklin has its drive wheels slipping in certain areas of the track (spinning in place while moving forward at much less than its typical speed). It never did this before. It seems to be struggling to pull the same 5 passenger cars which it pulled effortlessly when first acquired last May. I will try to clean the car axles and also clean the loco wheels to see if that makes any difference.

I had this happen to me with a loco immediately after oiling it. It had never slipped at all and now it would sit in place and spin its drive wheels. I was careful doing the lube and I only ever use small amounts of oil, but I somehow I got marklin oil on my traction tires.

I dry wiped the track to remove any residue left from running this loco after lubing it. Next I cleaned the traction tires with isopropyl alcohol several times and the problem went away.

That may not be your problem but it shows how easily oil can take your traction away.

Good luck

I like to use a pin or needle, the very fine tip will drip most of the oil back into the bottle and leave a thin film that will gravitate to the tiniest of droplets which are just right for oiling small trains.

At least Märklin oil from the '90s hardens. Märklin oil from the '70s never hardened for me.

I started using Fleischmann oil in 2003 and so far cannot complain. Fleischmann bottle is much like the old Märklin oiler with the needle I had in the '70s.

Lubrication specs are often more about additives and hardware compatibility than the actual Lubrication properties.

So I usually find it easier to use what the manufacturer specced and save more time to enjoy my trains.

The quantities and costs are really quite small compared to the cost of nice models these days.