is this an actual photo of your loco, it would help if you can take a photo from underneath

John

What did Märklin think when they designed it or when they tested it on the track ?

you most probably can't duplicate the axles with rubber tyres, because the driving axle would have a cogwheel (rubber tyres)

John

I too have a BR17 099 namely #37193. It struggles to pull 7 x Roco 3 axle coaches up a very long gentle slope so yes it does have issues. My track has to be super clean & oil free for it to go up the hill.

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Hello MrMarklin,

Thanks for the tip. I will look into this possibility. Mind you, the loco is quite heavy as it is. It's one of the heaviest locos I have. But it won't hurt to investigate this option.

Thanks.




Hello Ross,

Thanks for that! Very nice and helpful. I gave it a quick look but will need to sit down and digest. Will report on progress.

Thanks.





Hello Dave,

Thanks. Good pointer however, in my case, the track is pretty clean and oil free. I regularly run a special MOW loco with the CMX track cleaning car filled with alcohol. I don't have a problem with other locos, just this one. Even though it's a very heavy loco and you would think that it would have great pulling power, it just ain't so. Very unfortunate because I really like the BR17.





All,

I really appreciate all your replies and help. Additional info, suggestions and tips will always be appreciated. I'll keep chipping away and if I find a solution, I will post it.

Cheers,
Andry

Hello Jean,

Thank you for the tip. I've added lead weights to a few locos -- attached to top of boiler with two-side tape. I'll have to see if there's room over the front bogies in the BR17...

Thanks,
Andry

It was not about adding weight to the front of the loco but by increasing the stiffness of the spring on the front bogie, it will push some more weight to the rear axle.
In that same direction make sure there is a little vertical play between the tender and the loco.
Jean

Hello Tom,

Thanks for the info. I did some digging and found very helpful tips on Ross Stewart's web site regarding adding weights: "Tip:Strange Happenings Log" (http://members.ozemail.com.au/~rossstew/rms/marklin.html). I was able to decipher how to take the cab and boiler apart. I noticed that the cab roof already had the Marklin weight insert (see pictures). However, because there's more room under that roof, I was able to fit additional weights. I also took the opportunity to add a small weight inside the boiler (see picture). This is all due to the excellent write-up by Ross.

I will now have to put the loco on the track and see if this helps. I would still like to explore the traction tire options...
















Hello Jean,

Yes. I will bend the metal spring under the front wheels and try and force additional pressure on the rear of the loco. The coupler between the loco and tender does have vertical play, so that should help.





Hello "Applor",

Not sure where you're goint with this? I've heard of this product but it's not available in Canada (to my knowledge) and costs twice as much to ship as the product is worth. Go figure.



Once again, thanks to all for helping out.
Andry

Hello All,

Success!!
Just ran some tests with the modified BR17 and everything looks promising. The loco nicely pulls some cars up grades and has no issues. Summing up, the mods I made were as follows:
1) added weights to the roof of the cab;
2) added weight to the boiler (just above the driving wheels with the rubber tire);
3) changed both traction tires; and
4) lightly bent the copper spring under the front bogie to add tension.

As of today, the BR17 will enter my active roster. I would like to thank all that provided guidance, tips and ideas. Much appreciated!

Cheers,
Andry

Hello Ross,

Thanks for the suggestions. I have painted the lead weights, which are mounted on the cabin roof. They are hardly visible (see third picture). The LEDs on the BR17 are yellow (see pictures).

Regarding illumination of coaches -- I use the ESU Digital Lighting Kits (50708). Using this setup, I don't need to fit shoes to my cars, and only one wire (digital power -- i.e., center stud) is required from the loco. I fit the loco with a Marklin single conductor coupler and use the cars' wheels for the ground return. The ESU Lighting Kit is great because it has it's own decoder on-board and can be easily programmed with the LokProgrammer.

Once again, thanks for everything!
Andry

Hello Greg,

You are correct in the fact that if Marklin charges a premium price for its products, then we -- the paying customers -- should expect an excellent product. My BR17 was made in the early 2000's, at a time when Marklin (as a company) was failing. I think that at that time many corners were cut in order to try and stay afloat. However, that still does not let them off the hook and now, that the company is financially sound, I expect quality to match the premium price that I pay. No more excuses.

Just my two pennies...

Hello All,

To amplify the above quote, I've attached the "Spare Parts List" for both my BR17 (37192) and the new BR17 (37197) for comparison. There are quite a few differences in design.

Cheers,
Andry

BR17 (37192) Spare Parts List.pdf (319kb) downloaded 18 time(s). BR17 (37197) Spare Parts List.pdf (578kb) downloaded 21 time(s).