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Offline PeteNOR  
#1 Posted : 21 October 2015 17:24:10(UTC)
PeteNOR

Norway   
Joined: 21/10/2015(UTC)
Posts: 3
Location: Oslo
I negotiated a deal to use the dining table over a weekend and introduce the young generating to the MRR world. The equipment had been stored away for more than 10 years. When I assembled a double oval and some turnouts I was left with a handful of tiny plastic pieces from the C tracks. On two of the track beds a nail size piece even broke off.
Anyone else with a similar experience?
Offline sjlauritsen  
#2 Posted : 21 October 2015 17:29:46(UTC)
sjlauritsen

Denmark   
Joined: 18/08/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,081
Location: Denmark
Older C-track suffers from this problem. I think the track has to be older than somewhere around 2005. They've changed the plastic after that, so this should not be a problem anymore. I have not had any problems with my track.
Søren from Denmark
Blog: https://railway.zone/ | Danish Model Railway Forum: https://baneforum.dk/
Offline H0  
#3 Posted : 21 October 2015 17:32:48(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,254
Location: DE-NW
Hi!

Welcome to the forum!

There should be many similar posts on this forum.

Many old pieces of C track with the "old formula" track bed have become very brittle and break even when you disconnect them the right way.

Newer pieces marked ASA do not break easily.

See this thread:
https://www.marklin-user...ng-of-C-track#post474810
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
UserPostedImage
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Offline witzlerh  
#4 Posted : 21 October 2015 19:21:44(UTC)
witzlerh

Canada   
Joined: 25/09/2010(UTC)
Posts: 417
Location: Sherwood Park, AB, Canada
The number in my head is any C track older than 2000 gets fragile. I think that the transition occurred late 1990's (C track was introduced 1996?)
I have 2003 vintage that still performs fine.
All track should have a date stamp at the bottom. Nice point about the "asa" though.

Harald
CS2 DB & Canadian Era 3-6
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Offline PMPeter  
#5 Posted : 21 October 2015 19:45:57(UTC)
PMPeter

Canada   
Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC)
Posts: 1,273
Location: Port Moody, BC
I too have about $2,000 worth of C track date stamped 1998 and 1999, new in the box that I have been gradually using as I am building my layout. I experienced the same breakage when I first bought the track a few years ago which lead me to this forum back then to find out why. At best this vintage track can only be used for a permanent layout.

As pointed out, most of the breakages occur at the connectors that snap the track together, but I have seen photos where the whole side of a track crumbles. In order to use this track on my permanent layout I first add a layer of epoxy on the outside of each connector and then try to connect one old piece of track to a new piece of track. This gives me about a 60% satisfactory one time usage, but an immediate breakage if I try to separate the joined pieces.

Definitely a pain and something to watch out for when buying C track on eBay. If the price is too good and the Seller won't answer as to the date stamp on the track - Beware!!

Cheers
Peter
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Offline PeteNOR  
#6 Posted : 22 October 2015 12:47:17(UTC)
PeteNOR

Norway   
Joined: 21/10/2015(UTC)
Posts: 3
Location: Oslo
Thanks for your swift response, folks! Yes, most of my C tracks are from 98 to 01 and hence as I understand molded using the old plastic formula. Replacing them is out of the question!

However, I made a few minor upgrades: installed a decoder on the 3 way turnouts and swapped the old fixed electric couplers for new ones that allows passenger car uncoupling.
Offline baggio  
#7 Posted : 22 October 2015 14:30:39(UTC)
baggio

Canada   
Joined: 21/09/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,729
Location: Toronto
I had a similar experience with a turnout more recent than that (made maybe within 5 years) that broke on the side about 1 inch. I still use it and works, albeit it's a bit unsightly. Once in almost three years of taking tracks on and off is not bad at all.
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Offline witzlerh  
#8 Posted : 22 October 2015 16:53:35(UTC)
witzlerh

Canada   
Joined: 25/09/2010(UTC)
Posts: 417
Location: Sherwood Park, AB, Canada
I too have some old tracks. Some even cracked too.
Nothing wrong with them if you want a permanent layout.

Yes it is a little more work but you should see what most NA guys have to put up with....essentially hand laying each track and soldering wires to each length.....

So the old track may be a bit of a pain but is is not junk.
Harald
CS2 DB & Canadian Era 3-6
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Offline PeteNOR  
#9 Posted : 24 October 2015 15:54:09(UTC)
PeteNOR

Norway   
Joined: 21/10/2015(UTC)
Posts: 3
Location: Oslo
This is just to finish off the story from last weekend.
I placed a standard 6 mm plywood board (244 x 122 cm) on the dining table.
Here is a picture of all the pieces that broke off of my old (pre 2005) C tracks.

P1000588.JPG
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Offline witzlerh  
#10 Posted : 26 October 2015 01:38:55(UTC)
witzlerh

Canada   
Joined: 25/09/2010(UTC)
Posts: 417
Location: Sherwood Park, AB, Canada
Ouch, that's pretty brittle. Was it in the sun or near a fluorescent bulb? The UV does a good job of making some plastic formulations brittle.
Glad Marklin found out and changed their plastic formulation before the turn of the century.
Harald
CS2 DB & Canadian Era 3-6
Offline PMPeter  
#11 Posted : 26 October 2015 03:19:52(UTC)
PMPeter

Canada   
Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC)
Posts: 1,273
Location: Port Moody, BC
As per my previous post I too have a box of these small parts and recognize most of the shapes as broken connector pieces. In my case most of the track was new in a box, never used, and not exposed to sunlight or UV. Just bad plastic that snaps off the first time you try and click it together.

Peter
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Offline witzlerh  
#12 Posted : 26 October 2015 15:13:43(UTC)
witzlerh

Canada   
Joined: 25/09/2010(UTC)
Posts: 417
Location: Sherwood Park, AB, Canada
Man you really can't take plastic for granted. Tracks that brittle sucks. I have a box of old track that I set aside based on date. I will treat it carefully.
Sorry for your luck in track.

However I have various ages of track newer than 2000 and 99% have given me no problem.
Harald
CS2 DB & Canadian Era 3-6
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