 Joined: 02/10/2017(UTC) Posts: 5 Location: Alabama, Mobile
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I am a long time Lionel Post-war O gauge fan. After several trips to Germany, I wanted to add some Marklin trains, specifically some DB trains to my collection. I recently bought some Marklin M-track and a transformer on ebay, here is a link to the auction I won: http://www.ebay.com/itm/...orig_cvip=true&rt=ncApparently it is old (3600?) track, because it has a center rail. I'm a newbie, so forgive me if this has been asked many times. My question: is all M-track compatible? If I get some newer M-Track with studs instead of a center rail, will they connect and work with this track? Thanks in advance for your answer. Tony Oberkirch
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 1 user liked this useful post by Tony O
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 Joined: 21/12/2012(UTC) Posts: 1,485 Location: Hrvatska
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These rails can be combined with the new M and have the same geometry. Lokomotive drives and they also have a safer ski contact, only
I think they'll spend a little faster and be noisy.
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 Joined: 27/06/2012(UTC) Posts: 3,478 Location: Holland
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1 user liked this useful post by kweekalot
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Joined: 02/10/2017(UTC) Posts: 5 Location: Alabama, Mobile
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Thank you very much Iborna and Kweekalot for the information, especially the warning about the transformer. Being electrocuted always ruins my day!
I'm looking forward to having some fun with Marklin trains.
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1 user liked this useful post by Tony O
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 Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC) Posts: 8,475 Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
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Originally Posted by: Tony O 
Apparently it is old (3600?) track, because it has a center rail.
I'm a newbie, so forgive me if this has been asked many times.
My question: is all M-track compatible? If I get some newer M-Track with studs instead of a center rail, will they connect and work with this track?
Thanks in advance for your answer.
Tony Oberkirch
You may need to bend the end of the center rail downwards so that the pickup shoe doesn't catch on the end of it so the pickup shoe doesn't catch on it as it transitions from center stud to solid rail. Otherwise you should have nave no problem. You could also get the converter track that goes between M track and C track to join C track to the M track you have. That will allow you buy any suitable track.
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 Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC) Posts: 14,875 Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
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Toni, Welcome to the forum. these M-tracks with continues centre track used in the early stages for locos with spoon sliders and later the stud centre rail are for most of today's sliders although they have improved over the years with a continuous slider (without the hole in the middle). when Märklin stopped the M-track production and introduced the C-track (very similar configuration) Märklin decided to change the stud width from being across the track going with the track and this has made locos noisier when traveling with sliders with a hole. your locos however will have some resistance because of the continuous centre rail unless you've got these old locos with spoon sliders. and yes take notice of Marco's comment, he is serious about electrocutions., over years the transformers wiring has most the time badly deteriorated although you can't see any thing on the outside the killer lies inside. In Germany you're not allowed to sell these anymore because of serious safety issues and the same goes for the UK any electrical appliance sold at auctions, the seller has to by law remove the plug and it is also announced that the appliance is not fit for use. Countries like America and Australia don't seem to have this safety net and unfortunately it is up to the customer to make sure the appliance is safe. my advice would be take the transformer to a qualified electrician and let him inspect the transformer before you start using it. have fun with your purchase John  |
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 Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC) Posts: 1,291 Location: Port Moody, BC
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Welcome to the forum Tony. I love your last name. My family comes from a small town in South Western Germany called Oberkirch.
Cheers
Peter
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1 user liked this useful post by PMPeter
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Joined: 21/05/2004(UTC) Posts: 1,768 Location: Brisbane, Queensland
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M track is discontinued and pretty ordinary, I wouldn't be buying such old track unless you were just wanting something to throw together or you have no money whatsoever (both of which are fair enough).
Otherwise maybe look at some C track (for throw together) or K track (if building a layout).
And get a mobile station 2, they're not expensive, lets you run all modern loks and you wont electrocute yourself. |
modelling era IIIa (1951-1955) Germany |
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Joined: 02/10/2017(UTC) Posts: 5 Location: Alabama, Mobile
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Originally Posted by: PMPeter Welcome to the forum Tony. I love your last name. My family comes from a small town in South Western Germany called Oberkirch.
Cheers
Peter Hi Peter, Thank you! I visited Oberkirch in 1997, it is a beautiful place! My cousins are the proprietors of The Oberkirch Hotel and Weinstuben on the Munsterplatz in Frieburg, which I have also visited. Freiburg is the original home of my ancestors who came to the USA, and apparently our family history in Frieburg goes back quite some time. There are quite a few of the Oberkirch family here in the US, most of which are in the southeast US on the gulf coast near Mobile, Alabama. I have had the wonderful pleasure of visiting Bayern a number of times and Bad Wurttemburg once. I love Deutschland; perhaps because I connect with my family's roots there, or maybe just because it's a truly beautiful, wonderful place. On my last trip to Nurnberg and Munich I took my wife, and she fell in love with Deutschland as well. We hope to visit again - the only thing preventing the trip is the lack of a few thousand dollars! Visiting Germany also made me realize that the major beers in the USA are really not very good, and drinking very good German beer inspired me to take up home brewing. As you might guess, I specialize in German beer styles: Hefeweizen, Pilsner, Schwarzbier, Alt Bier, Kolsch, Bock, etc. I have been awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals in home brew competitions. PROSIT!!! We enjoyed riding the DB trains while in Deutschland, and that created my interest in Marklin. I want to have a layout on which I can run some DB passenger trains. Bis Spater, Tchuss! Tony Oberkirch
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3 users liked this useful post by Tony O
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Joined: 15/10/2006(UTC) Posts: 2,319 Location: Washington, Pacific Northwest
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Welcome to the forum Tony. And I'm soo, soooo sorry as well. Yeah, you spent $10 for some track... and soon the illness will have you spending hundreds, then thousands. :) |
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1 user liked this useful post by Minok
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Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC) Posts: 1,291 Location: Port Moody, BC
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Originally Posted by: Tony O
My cousins are the proprietors of The Oberkirch Hotel and Weinstuben on the Munsterplatz in Frieburg, which I have also visited.
Interesting! Perhaps our families crossed paths decades ago since our family owned the Hotel Obere Linde in Oberkirch. Our name is still on the outside of the hotel along with the names of the former and current owners. As you say a pretty little place. The Black Forest area will give you lots of model railroad ideas depending on the Era you plan on modelling. Cheers Peter
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Joined: 02/10/2017(UTC) Posts: 5 Location: Alabama, Mobile
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Originally Posted by: PMPeter Originally Posted by: Tony O
My cousins are the proprietors of The Oberkirch Hotel and Weinstuben on the Munsterplatz in Frieburg, which I have also visited.
Interesting! Perhaps our families crossed paths decades ago since our family owned the Hotel Obere Linde in Oberkirch. Our name is still on the outside of the hotel along with the names of the former and current owners. As you say a pretty little place. The Black Forest area will give you lots of model railroad ideas depending on the Era you plan on modelling. Cheers Peter If I had known about your family and the hotel when I visited there I would have stayed at the Hotel Ober Linde Peter. I stayed at Gasthof zur Sonne. When I checked in and told them my name, there was some confusion. As I recall (it has been a few years) the conversation went something like "no, you are in the town of Oberkirch, what is your name?" I had to emphasize that yes, I knew I was in Oberkirch, and my surname is also Oberkirch. It was an amusing moment. Prosit! Tony O.
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1 user liked this useful post by Tony O
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Joined: 15/09/2015(UTC) Posts: 107 Location: Queensland
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I am now going to post my 2 cents worth in regard to old trafo's An electrician these days in Australia may charge you upwards of $300 or more to do the repair and certify that the trafo is safe to use So from my perspective it is simply uneconomic to pay that If you can do it all yourself because you are qualified do to so well and good otherwise simply go digital and be done with it The best thing about digital is no interference at all with your TV any more I now have five digital loco's and have 1 more to convert and that will be it for now but I have no regrets about converting my loco's Yours Kindly Evan Giles 
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1 user liked this useful post by Bones
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