Marklin 88564

So, I am very happy with my new loco but as you can see the catenary are both tilted at an angle. I am not sure i want to mess with this but if anyone here has advice or has dealt with this before please chime in. These should stand proudly I think!
The loco is another "bell shaped armature" motor powered engine which needs very little power to operate. There appears to be a lot of drag in the gearing so it doesn't really start slowly, it waits until enough power is applied and then takes off rather quickly. But it is just beautiful and looks so great running so I am not going to complain! I'll post a little video of it on the test stand when I get a chance.

Try tightening up the spring at the base. Spring is a bit weak.
Open up the loco and apply some appropriate oil to lubricate the gear wheels.
Walter

Catenary refers to the wires that hold up the conducting cable above the track.
Pantographs on the top of the loco press a contact bar up against the cable.

I think you are referring to the pantographs.

OK, this I can live with. Upon very close scrutiny, and having the luxury of another Marklin pantograph equipped loco for comparison, I was able to find the problem. In the Marklin pantograph each lower "scissor", left and right side of loco, has a part A and B, fore and aft. One part, say A, has a ninety degree bend to form a plate, the other, B, has a bent finger which rests upon that plate when the pantograph is extended. This is happening right at the top of the loco where the pantograph attaches to the roof. On both ends of my loco, on one side of the pantograph, the finger was not on top of the shelf but rather below it, A below B on one side and A above B on the other. Incorrect. I almost lost the first pantograph spring I removed with tweezers, caught it in my hand, very lucky! I had to find a better way. So I threaded, well, thread, through the spring end loop and then I was easily able to manipulate the springs, at the end of that loop of thread. After removing both springs I was able to manipulate the pantographs enough (out of symmetry) to return the "fingers" to the top of the "plates" where they belong. The pantographs are still ever so slightly angled but I am happy with them now as they are. They were either assembled incorrectly at the factory or much more likely they were stressed enough in the foam packing that the fingers were forced around to below the plates. Again I am in awe of the intricate assemblies Marklin builds for Z scale, and how much tiny details make or break these little machines!