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Marklin Maxi - switching from analog to Delta control
 Joined: 17/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: Indiana, Lafayette
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Hi all! I'm new to the forum and have a few questions regarding upgrading from standard analog (6646) control to some form of delta digital control.
For background, my father assembled a nice little collection of Maxi equipment in the late 90's/early 00's when my brother and I were kids. He grew up with playing with gauge 1 Marklin equipment purchased by my grandfather when they were living in Germany in the early 70's. My parent's new home has a very large basement that would work perfectly for setting up a permanent layout (we always did temporary floor layouts when I was a kid)
The equipment consists of two starter sets, an additional larger loco, and a total of 11 wagons. We also have quite a bit of additional track. I would usually set up some form of inner/outer loop, with a split rail between them, and run the setup with two transformers. I have been eyeing the 66045 delta unit. It seems this would be attached to one 6646 for power. I'm guessing this wont be sufficient power to run all 3 locos simultaneously. (I know we sometimes ran 2 with one transformer and it did work).
My question is if there is a way to utilized the power from two transformers with the 66045, or if there's a better transformer, or better delta controller I should be looking at instead (6001/6017 transformer, 6029 central control, 6607 delta station?)
Thanks in advance for helping a noob out!
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 1 user liked this useful post by rainerborgmann1
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Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 3,882 Location: Michigan, Troy
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Welcome to the forum. I'm not a 1 scaler, ho, but familiar with Delta since the beginning. I thought the Maxi came with a Delta decoder. There are newer decoders for G and 1. Marklin acquired LGB more than a decade ago too.
Look at the decoder in your Maxi. If it has dip switches and they are all off, it's in analog mode. It won't run on an analog system if even one is set on.
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,442
Location: DE-NW
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Hi!
Welcome to the forum.
The 66045 is the latest Delta Control. It can be used with Märklin transformers with 52 VA or 60 VA, giving a bit more track power than with the 32 VA transformer.
You can buy another Delta Control (6604 will do, but 66045 is better) and use that as a booster. One Delta Control e.g. for the inner circle, one booster for the outer circle.
A 6021 controller with maybe one 6017 booster will give you more digital addresses, but I think it won't really give you more power. Age of these items is similar to the Delta Control.
A Central Station 2 or 3 with a 100 VA power supply would give you plenty power for the whole layout, but those units are expensive.
Note that not all CS 2 support 100 VA, so check that before buying a used CS 2. |
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: 17/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: Indiana, Lafayette
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Originally Posted by: marklinist5999  Welcome to the forum. I'm not a 1 scaler, ho, but familiar with Delta since the beginning. I thought the Maxi came with a Delta decoder. There are newer decoders for G and 1. Marklin acquired LGB more than a decade ago too.
Look at the decoder in your Maxi. If it has dip switches and they are all off, it's in analog mode. It won't run on an analog system if even one is set on. Yes, the locos do have decoders, but the old starter sets only came with analog transformers, and that’s the way we have always run them.
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1 user liked this useful post by rainerborgmann1
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Joined: 17/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: Indiana, Lafayette
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Originally Posted by: H0 Hi!
Welcome to the forum.
The 66045 is the latest Delta Control. It can be used with Märklin transformers with 52 VA or 60 VA, giving a bit more track power than with the 32 VA transformer.
You can buy another Delta Control (6604 will do, but 66045 is better) and use that as a booster. One Delta Control e.g. for the inner circle, one booster for the outer circle.
A 6021 controller with maybe one 6017 booster will give you more digital addresses, but I think it won't really give you more power. Age of these items is similar to the Delta Control.
A Central Station 2 or 3 with a 100 VA power supply would give you plenty power for the whole layout, but those units are expensive.
Note that not all CS 2 support 100 VA, so check that before buying a used CS 2. Thank you so much! Very helpful reply, but I have a few follow up questions. How would a 6604 be utilized in tandem with 66045? (Since I already have two 32va supply’s, this might be the cheapest) I don’t actually understand how the digital system works. I’m assuming that full voltage is applied to the track constantly, but it’s unclear how control is sent to the locos. Would the two loops be connected electrically or need to be split? Could you also offer a model number for a 52 or 60va power supply? I’m thinking the most economical system might be a 66045 with one of those. And then generally. When running multiple transformers with a digital set up, the booster just has to be connected electrically to the track, or must have a wired connection to the control unit and track?
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,442
Location: DE-NW
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When using controller and booster, the circuits should be isolated, but trains can pass from one circuit to the other.
A booster repeats the signals sent by the controller, so they must be connected.
With digital, the changes of polarity carry the commands to the locos. Thus there will be chaos if the signals of two controllers come together, but with controller and booster there is no real problem provided polarity matches, as the booster only repeats.
Märklin 6001 or 60055 and others will do. They should have 16 V AC and at least 32 VA. They must have AC, as DC cannot be used with Delta Controls. |
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 |
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Joined: 17/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: Indiana, Lafayette
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Originally Posted by: H0 When using controller and booster, the circuits should be isolated, but trains can pass from one circuit to the other.
A booster repeats the signals sent by the controller, so they must be connected.
With digital, the changes of polarity carry the commands to the locos. Thus there will be chaos if the signals of two controllers come together, but with controller and booster there is no real problem provided polarity matches, as the booster only repeats.
Märklin 6001 or 60055 and others will do. They should have 16 V AC and at least 32 VA. They must have AC, as DC cannot be used with Delta Controls. I'm still a bit lost. Let's say I wanted to use a 66045 for control, and a 6604 to booster a second loop. How are those two units electrically connected (a wire, some kind of data connector, etc.)? And if a loco crosses from one loop to another (across a split rail) does control get passed to the other delta controller, or is the booster unit never touched, and all control (regardless of loco location) will be through the 66045? Thanks for your patience and assistance!
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Joined: 17/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: Indiana, Lafayette
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Perhaps I've answered by own question with this diagram I found online. 
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2 users liked this useful post by rainerborgmann1
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Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 3,882 Location: Michigan, Troy
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I have tried this setup. I'm not saying it caused the positive power feed wire in the 6001 to unsolder, but after I disconnected it all, it wasn't working the next time I used the transformer. My second transformer in this setup was my blue 32va 6036. I don't reccomend doing it. Train lights blinked when transitioning the boosted sections.
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,442
Location: DE-NW
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Originally Posted by: marklinist5999 I don't reccomend doing it. Train lights blinked when transitioning the boosted sections. It worked for me for a long time (H0 gauge). It is vital that the red rail meets the red rail and that the brown rail meets the brown rail - and the red rail should have insulation. |
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: 10/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 3,882 Location: Michigan, Troy
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Red insulators were in their correct way. One or two seemed a bit loose when I took it apart though. Could have been some arcing.
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 Joined: 08/11/2005(UTC) Posts: 3,528 Location: Mullerup, 4200 Slagelse
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 Originally Posted by: rainerborgmann1 Perhaps I've answered by own question with this diagram I found online.
Yes, this is the way to do it; it works well and a lot of people, myself included, have used it without problems I recommend it  But before you invest in anything, I think you should try with one 6604 / 66045 and one trafo; I don't think you will run more than 2 locos at a time anyway, unless you make a really big layout. Per. |
If you can dream it, you can do it! I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In case this is not legally possible: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.  |
2 users liked this useful post by Purellum
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Joined: 17/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: Indiana, Lafayette
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Originally Posted by: Purellum Originally Posted by: rainerborgmann1 Perhaps I've answered by own question with this diagram I found online.
Yes, this is the way to do it; it works well and a lot of people, myself included, have used it without problems I recommend it But before you invest in anything, I think you should try with one 6604 / 66045 and one trafo; I don't think you will run more than 2 locos at a time anyway, unless you make a really big layout. Per. I think you're right about not running more than 2 locos at a time. I have purchased a 66045 on ebay and will try that with a 32 va transformer. Another question, can analog lighting be run directly off of the track when using digital?
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1 user liked this useful post by rainerborgmann1
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Joined: 08/11/2005(UTC) Posts: 3,528 Location: Mullerup, 4200 Slagelse
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Originally Posted by: rainerborgmann1 Another question, can analog lighting be run directly off of the track when using digital? Yes; but you don't want to do that - assuming it's for houses, lamps etc. Using the "expensive" and limited digital power you have for analog lights is not a good idea, much better to use your second trafo, which also gives you the option to regulate the voltage. Per. |
If you can dream it, you can do it! I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In case this is not legally possible: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law. |
1 user liked this useful post by Purellum
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Joined: 17/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: Indiana, Lafayette
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Originally Posted by: Purellum Originally Posted by: rainerborgmann1 Another question, can analog lighting be run directly off of the track when using digital? Yes; but you don't want to do that - assuming it's for houses, lamps etc. Using the "expensive" and limited digital power you have for analog lights is not a good idea, much better to use your second trafo, which also gives you the option to regulate the voltage. Per. Okay, that makes perfect sense! I will hook lights etc up to second 32va transformer.
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1 user liked this useful post by rainerborgmann1
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Joined: 04/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 480 Location: USA
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Originally Posted by: Purellum Originally Posted by: rainerborgmann1 Another question, can analog lighting be run directly off of the track when using digital? Yes; but you don't want to do that - assuming it's for houses, lamps etc. Using the "expensive" and limited digital power you have for analog lights is not a good idea, much better to use your second trafo, which also gives you the option to regulate the voltage. Per. Fyi. Connect bulb AC lights to extra transformer's red brown allows voltage (=brightness) control. Connect with yellow brown gives full 16Vac brightness. Ben |
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1 user liked this useful post by BenP
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