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Offline Harvey  
#1 Posted : 02 February 2019 02:20:51(UTC)
Harvey

United States   
Joined: 17/02/2008(UTC)
Posts: 591
Location: Glen Oaks, N.Y.
I have had these two passenger cars for years and have never been able to successfully run on my m-tracks. The couplings get caught on the center rail and on some turn out tracks. I have tried bending up the couplings but no success. These are the only passenger cars where this problem occurs.

Appreciate any suggestions. If I am unable to fix I will likely sell to a Marklin User member for cost of packaging and shipping.

I do want to purchase an attractive Swiss passenger car set as I received a gift certificate from my co-workers upon my retirement (worked at a Swiss company)

The 43650 set (Gotthard Panorama) looks nice and the couplers appear to have a different design. Appreciate any suggestions

Regards
Harvey
Offline mike c  
#2 Posted : 02 February 2019 03:04:28(UTC)
mike c

Canada   
Joined: 28/11/2007(UTC)
Posts: 7,880
Location: Montreal, QC
Originally Posted by: Harvey Go to Quoted Post
I have had these two passenger cars for years and have never been able to successfully run on my m-tracks. The couplings get caught on the center rail and on some turn out tracks. I have tried bending up the couplings but no success. These are the only passenger cars where this problem occurs.

Appreciate any suggestions. If I am unable to fix I will likely sell to a Marklin User member for cost of packaging and shipping.

I do want to purchase an attractive Swiss passenger car set as I received a gift certificate from my co-workers upon my retirement (worked at a Swiss company)

The 43650 set (Gotthard Panorama) looks nice and the couplers appear to have a different design. Appreciate any suggestions

Regards
Harvey


Hello,

I have a number of the Panorama coaches and other Eurocity coaches from the 4367, 43670 and 43670 sets. I have not had any issues with the couplings snagging on any of these models.

Can you post photos of the underside of the coaches so that we can see if there are any issues with the coupler/coupling shafts?

A few quick questions:
Does the problem occur when the coach is running solo?
Does the problem occur only when these two coaches are coupled together or also when coupled to other coaches?
Does this happen at random locations on your layout or only at specific locations?
If it happens at specific points, is there a start or end of an incline at that location?

Does the problem occur when you swap out the Maerklin close coupler (7203) for a regular hook and loop coupler?

Do you have any Roco close or universal coupler that you can test the coach with?

Are you using the latest M track (1970s) or are you using the earlier versions with solid third rail?

Is the coupler shaft sitting properly in the guide?

Open the coach by removing the gangway connectors and the pulling the shell up.
Remove the interior details.
Check to make sure that the metal part with the contact terminal is properly positioned and that the coupling shaft is properly seated.
Correct as needed.
Replace the interior details, place the shell back in place, pop the connectors back in and you should be good to go.

After these tests results and with your answers and photos, we will be able to determine your issue.

The other alternative would be to bring your coaches to Red Caboose (Manhattan) or RJF Frowenfeld (Katonah) and have them take a look at them.

Make sure that the little tab under the coupler appears as seen here: https://www.maerklin.de/...ts/details/article/7203/
Sometimes, they can get bent down, which could come into contact with the studs or rails.

Regards

Mike C
Offline Harvey  
#3 Posted : 02 February 2019 17:34:29(UTC)
Harvey

United States   
Joined: 17/02/2008(UTC)
Posts: 591
Location: Glen Oaks, N.Y.
Mike

Thanks for the detailed response. I have this problem when the coaches are running (pulled by a loco) as a consist and when individually pushed by hand (for testing). The problem occurs on switching tracks and where the center rail is raised slightly (random track). My m-track are likely post 1970, though I have bought used ones that may be pre-1970. As suggested, I installed a close coupler (or, what I think is a close coupler) and same occurs. I opened one car and the parts all seem properly assembled.

I attached two pictures, a coach without this problem and the observation car. The first shows the standard coupler. THe coupler hangs very low, compared to the other coach. The coupler is almost touching the ground and the loop is much lower than that of the other coach. The second picture is when I installed a close coupler. Again the coupler is lower. With the original coupler I notice when hand testing, the bottom piece of the coupler goes outside the rails (on a 5200 curve) and gets stuck on the rail when the car returns to a 5106 section.

My view of the issue is that 'box' that the coupler snaps into is very low (1-2 mm). This may be due to the carriage being low which may be due to the truck (wheel set) not providing sufficient clearance

Original coupler.jpg
short coupler.jpg

I have always assumed this is a unique issue for me or for this model and other Swiss coaches do not have this issue. I have approximately 20 other coaches (mostly Rheingold) and have no issue.

Regards
Harvey
Offline GlennM  
#4 Posted : 02 February 2019 17:41:52(UTC)
GlennM

United Kingdom   
Joined: 09/05/2011(UTC)
Posts: 2,877
Location: Somewhere, But Nowhere Near Manchester, England
Harvey,

There can be coupling issues when connecting couplings of a different kind, even Marklin ones.

As a first fix I would suggest you buy a Marklin coupling gauge and adjust the couplings to the correct level, and see if this cures the problem

BR
Don't look back, your not heading that way.
Offline anthpao  
#5 Posted : 02 February 2019 20:20:14(UTC)
anthpao

Greece   
Joined: 20/01/2010(UTC)
Posts: 125
Location: Thessaloniki, Greece
Remove the plastic black end of the car (Ubergang). Close the bottom of the car correctly and reattache the black part carefully. The whole bottom part of the car is not attached correctly. Or the close coupler mechanism is not attached correctly. Take more pictures from the under side of the car and the rear end.
Offline twmarklinfan  
#6 Posted : 02 February 2019 20:44:40(UTC)
twmarklinfan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 08/05/2015(UTC)
Posts: 359
Location: Tunbridge Wells, Kent, United Kingdom
Have a look under the coach at the close coupling pocket. It should be flat against the floor. On the top of the pocket there is a small moulding which should slide on a small lip on the coach floor. From what you are describing the pocket has popped out. It is relatively easy to pop it back in.
Offline dickinsonj  
#7 Posted : 03 February 2019 17:31:30(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: twmarklinfan Go to Quoted Post
Have a look under the coach at the close coupling pocket. It should be flat against the floor. On the top of the pocket there is a small moulding which should slide on a small lip on the coach floor. From what you are describing the pocket has popped out. It is relatively easy to pop it back in.


That really sounds like the problem to me as well. I have had that happen to me when I had coaches open for interior work and the pocket was pushed out of place somehow. It is easy to get that pocket out of position and it is not really apparent until problems like you describe start happening.

Good Luck! I hope that is the problem, because it is indeed a very easy fix.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
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