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Testing Marklin Turnout Decoders/Motors
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Offline Alex H  
#1 Posted : 31 October 2025 18:28:13(UTC)
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Alex H

United Kingdom   
Joined: 25/03/2017(UTC)
Posts: 138
Location: England, Devon
Hi, I am building a new layout and am having issues with some turnouts not working. I am using Marklin C track and the turnouts have motors and decoders built int the track.

I am using the decoders 74462 in the turnouts but for some reason I have about five turnouts that are not working. In one turnout, I replaced both the turnout motor and decoder but it will still not work.

I was wondering if there is any easy way to test the decoder and the turnout motor before installing into the track so that I can eliminate them.

I know I have power on the turnouts - 17.2v and when I put a known working turnout in the same position it works. I have tried altering the DCC ID of the non working turnout but still no luck, so I am running out of options.

Many thanks
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Offline osoraku  
#2 Posted : 31 October 2025 18:49:59(UTC)
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osoraku

Portugal   
Joined: 22/01/2025(UTC)
Posts: 75
Location: Setubal, Palmela
Dear Alex -

Two suggestions:
1) test function on a programming track;
2) set CV8=8 to reset the decoder (necessary even if you’ve removed power from the track, strangely enough).

Osoraku
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Offline Alex H  
#3 Posted : 31 October 2025 19:13:52(UTC)
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Alex H

United Kingdom   
Joined: 25/03/2017(UTC)
Posts: 138
Location: England, Devon
Originally Posted by: osoraku Go to Quoted Post
Dear Alex -

Two suggestions:
1) test function on a programming track;
2) set CV8=8 to reset the decoder (necessary even if you’ve removed power from the track, strangely enough).

Osoraku


Thanks Osoraku - good suggestions which I hadn't thought of. I'll do that in the morning.
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Offline Goofy  
#4 Posted : 31 October 2025 19:25:20(UTC)
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Goofy


Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 9,332
What protocol do you use in the digital system?
If you did reset decoder CV 8 by write value 8, be sure next time to use DIP switches instead.
Pos 10 at DIP switch are to set DCC or MM.
H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
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Offline Alex H  
#5 Posted : 31 October 2025 19:28:04(UTC)
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Alex H

United Kingdom   
Joined: 25/03/2017(UTC)
Posts: 138
Location: England, Devon
Originally Posted by: Goofy Go to Quoted Post
What protocol do you use in the digital system?
If you did reset decoder CV 8 by write value 8, be sure next time to use DIP switches instead.
Pos 10 at DIP switch are to set DCC or MM.



Using DCC and yes each turnout decoder has DIP switch 10 set to on. I use the DIP switch to set the DCC ID.
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Offline rhfil  
#6 Posted : 31 October 2025 20:04:58(UTC)
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rhfil

United States   
Joined: 05/09/2014(UTC)
Posts: 769
Location: NEW HAMPSHIRE, Somersworth
What controller are you using to operate the switches? Dip switches are not always reliable. Nor motors. I would set all the problem switches to an easy number like 1, connect them all together and then operate them. If they all operate I would then reset the switches to separate numbers and retry them. The ones that did not operate I would check to see what the issue was. It is possible with a transformer or voltage generator to operate a switch motor separately.
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Offline Alex H  
#7 Posted : 31 October 2025 20:08:33(UTC)
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Alex H

United Kingdom   
Joined: 25/03/2017(UTC)
Posts: 138
Location: England, Devon
Originally Posted by: rhfil Go to Quoted Post
What controller are you using to operate the switches? Dip switches are not always reliable. Nor motors. I would set all the problem switches to an easy number like 1, connect them all together and then operate them. If they all operate I would then reset the switches to separate numbers and retry them. The ones that did not operate I would check to see what the issue was. It is possible with a transformer or voltage generator to operate a switch motor separately.


Hi. Thanks for the post. I am using a YD7010 as my controller through iTrain (5.17).
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Offline rhfil  
#8 Posted : 31 October 2025 22:33:24(UTC)
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rhfil

United States   
Joined: 05/09/2014(UTC)
Posts: 769
Location: NEW HAMPSHIRE, Somersworth
Not familiar with either. But the switch is no more complicated than a solenoid so just hitting the contacts with a pulse will operate it. The 74462 have mfx decoders which can allow the controller to set the address. I prefer not to allow that. Not sure how your controller handles that. Just to be safe I always throw the dip switches in both directions and then relocate them to zero before setting them. According to the instructions the 10th dip switch determines whether the decoder uses fx/mm or dcc protocol with on being dcc. I might want to confirm which position they are in.
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Offline David Dewar  
#9 Posted : 31 October 2025 23:42:20(UTC)
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David Dewar

Scotland   
Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 7,509
Location: Scotland
Being mfx the decoder will register when the turnout is placed on the layout. I use a CS3 so possible the problem is with your set up and somebody with similar may be able to help.
Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer.
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Offline Alex H  
#10 Posted : 01 November 2025 13:13:29(UTC)
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Alex H

United Kingdom   
Joined: 25/03/2017(UTC)
Posts: 138
Location: England, Devon
Thanks everyone for your posts and suggestion. I have been working on the issue this morning, and when connected individually to my programming track, each point reads in the correct ID and works every time . The moment I connect the turnouts to the main track some turnouts work every time, others don't switch at all.

My limited knowledge would suggest that there is an issue with the power supply but the voltage on my points is always between 16.4 and 17.2 volts

Further suggestions our ideas as to what I ave got wrong most welcome :)

Thanks
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Offline BenP  
#11 Posted : 01 November 2025 15:19:51(UTC)
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BenP

United States   
Joined: 04/02/2021(UTC)
Posts: 532
Location: USA
Originally Posted by: Alex H Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: rhfil Go to Quoted Post


Hi. Thanks for the post. I am using a YD7010 as my controller through iTrain (5.17).


That's two non-Marklin devices and running dcc. I expect some decoder conflict when using main track, as programming track seems to work. Does itrain list all occupied decoders (like Rocrail does)?
Ben
Digital M track layout with vintage rolling stock and accessories controlled by CS3+Rocrail; small Z scale layout.
https://youtube.com/play...0kgVYbh0CeDTF-bYXoD_2-V9
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Offline Alex H  
#12 Posted : 01 November 2025 15:31:37(UTC)
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Alex H

United Kingdom   
Joined: 25/03/2017(UTC)
Posts: 138
Location: England, Devon
Originally Posted by: BenP Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: Alex H Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: rhfil Go to Quoted Post


Hi. Thanks for the post. I am using a YD7010 as my controller through iTrain (5.17).


That's two non-Marklin devices and running dcc. I expect some decoder conflict when using main track, as programming track seems to work. Does itrain list all occupied decoders (like Rocrail does)?
Ben


We can ignore iTrain for the moment, as I have nothing on the layout now connected to iTrain. I have not yet connected any of the occupancy detection. I am simply using the main track power to test all of the turnouts as I install them. The YD7010 controller allows me to view and test turnouts on the main track.

Alex
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