I have made progress, my 260 engine is working very well, still without drive rods, the track is laid and fastened down.
A couple issues have cropped as I try to operate.
At times at low speed the loco stops at rail joiners, the joints seem smooth and electric continuity is OK, the joints are not moving on the mounting board which is cork. I have cleaned the track with goo-b-gone on a very fine scotchbrite pad, have not yet figured out how to clean the loco wheels. What is best way to clean the loco?
Uncoupling may be my biggest challenge, I am using the Marklin fish hook couplers. I have made a manual device which works ok, except when my hands shake, I have early Parkinson’s. The Marklin track uncouplers are expensive at this stage of my experiment.
Any suggestions that are not too expensive and not to fussy to install or operate?
Happy New Year.

The Trix wheel cleaner works well. Otherwise make a cradle for your loco, invert the loco and place it in the cradle, apply power to the wheels (a 9V battery will do); cleaning the wheels as they spin with a cotton bud soaked in isopropyl.

A tooth pick works for uncoupling. I tried out the Märklin uncouplers and found them a bit hit and miss plus I don't like their looks.

Carim

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Check the rail connectors they might need to tighten them on to the rail, wheel cheaner, get a 9v battery (The square ones) push 2 pins through a piece of card/plastic spaced the same as the track, attach wires to the pins wrap around or solder, connect to battery, touch pin tips on the wheels, run over wheels.

Check out http://www.zscale.org/articles/cleaning.html

https://ztrackcenter.com...ories/A063-2-640x500.jpg
This is my favorite device, specifically for z scale. It used to be sold by another company, now Rokuhan sells it, the USD price here is nuts, maybe you can find it on Ebay for $20.

This has taken a while but I have a reasonable working Ingelnook Switching playout. It still has some dead spots at very low speed. This is what I have done,
Glued all rail to board, tested all sections of track for continuity and 12 vdc power.
Cleaned all track and loco wheels.
Converted from dc controller to PWM with step down from 12 to 8 vdc.
I have successfully screwed up a couple of horn hook couplers and am not able to replace them, my hands are not steady enough. Replacing units because of my clumsy hands is not affordable.
So I have given this a lot of thought and am considering changing to N scale and selling onward the Z scale I have.
I do have a friend with N scale which he has let me spend some time with and with care can do most things and those I cannot he has agreed to help when he can.
Going to be difficult in my apartment to accommodate N scale, the Z was perfect in this regard. I cannot accommodate anything larger than N and stay married to my spouse or 55 years.
Not made a final decision but am pretty close, this has let me decide that model trains are an interest I can pursue just need to make a final decision even though the initial kit was free I have spent a fair amount of money and need to be careful of that on retirement income.
Cheers
Norm👍