 Joined: 25/03/2017(UTC) Posts: 119 Location: England, Devon
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Hi.
I am about to start a new HO DCC layout approx 3 x2 metres. I will be using smaller German/Austrian Era 3 locos and rolling stock.
I am struggling to decide if I should use the Marklin C or the Trix C track, and would be grateful for members thoughts on which would be best and why.
very many thanks
Alex
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 1 user liked this useful post by Alex H
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 Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC) Posts: 1,291 Location: Port Moody, BC
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It depends on whether you want the conveniences of running a 3 rail system or a 2 rail system requiring more attention to configurations. With the 3 rail you have advantages of doing nothing extra for return loops, wyes, etc.
It also depends on whether you want to run Marklin locos or their Trix counterparts if they exist. A Trix loco or other manufacturer's 2 rail locomotive can be converted relatively easy to a 3 rail locomotive, but the reverse of converting a Marklin loco to 2 rail service would be more difficult if at all possible.
So in my opinion if you like Marklin locos and rolling stock then stay with Marklin track. If you like Roco, Brawa, Trix, Piko and other equipment more than Marklin, then Trix might be the obvious choice.
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Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC) Posts: 8,467 Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
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In addition to the advice above, also consider that Trix C track does not have the full range of pieces that the Marklin range has. I don't quite know why this is, but i was surprised when I saw some of the items not in the Trix track range.
But the other thing to consider if you are seriously considering 2-rail is that you could then use Peco or any other similar range of track instead. The Peco range has some items that are not available in the Marklin range (such as Y points and flexitrack) and would probably be a lot easier to cut if you wanted odd angles on curves. The flexitrack would also mean you are not restricted to the curve radii that Marklin make.
There is the obvious 'problem' of reverse loops with 2-rail, but Trix (and many other manufacturers) have an autoreverser to swap the track polarity when needed.
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 Joined: 05/09/2014(UTC) Posts: 676 Location: NEW HAMPSHIRE, Somersworth
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If your intent is to run mostly steam locos you might want to ensure that whatever track system you go to does not have problem with shorts at the turnouts due to the small light front wheels. My first foray back into the hobby was with U.S. ho dcc but my only steam loco kept shorting out at every turnout and nothing I did could prevent it. I saw Marklin at a train show and ensured that steam locos did not have the same problem. The autoreverser I used worked well and I first had no problems using a dpdt switch to accomplish the same thing manually. The only time I had a problem with a Marklin ac C track was on a club layout. One loco at one turnout. No way to troubleshoot it. The crazy part is the same loco one year earlier had run the same layout without a single problem.
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 9,273
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Trix C-tracks rail are made of nickel silver.
Märklin C-tracks rail are made of "ädel stahl" which means rust free steel.
I have seen Trix layouts with C-tracks and they have good contact on the rail.
I recommended Peco code 75 or Tillig Elite code 83 tracks since they have more excellent turnouts and flexible track. |
H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
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Joined: 07/01/2015(UTC) Posts: 729 Location: England, Suffolk
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on Trix C tracks, AFAIK, you CANT run Marklin locomotives, only Roco, Rivarossi, Hornby and similar.
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Joined: 05/09/2014(UTC) Posts: 676 Location: NEW HAMPSHIRE, Somersworth
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You mentioned that you were interested in the smaller locos of Era III. I run Era I and II and those eras have smaller locos and rolling stock. I think Era III trains are fairly large. One problem you might encounter is that new products are mostly more recent. Older stuff is available but on auction sites.
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Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC)
Posts: 497
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
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The most important thing is whether you wanna go two track or three track. Usually called DC and AC, even though in DCC the power is the same. AC is Maerklin (of course Trix is a Maerklin brand, but you get what I mean) but other makers, like ESU, Piko, Roco, Brawa and more make "AC" locomotives too.
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Joined: 25/03/2017(UTC) Posts: 119 Location: England, Devon
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Thank you everyone for your responses and advice. One of the reasons why I chose either Trix or Marklin was that having used Peco track on my last layout, now sold, I found that the points were a major problem so I felt that a track with the point motor mounted under the trackbed would be a lot easier and a big improvement. Also a bonus is having the track ballasted which cuts down on a lot of work. My understanding is that the Marklin C track is a 3 rail AC track with presumably the centre pins providing the power and the outer rails acting as the ground. As commented this will eliminate a lot of issues on loops etc., against the Trix C. I have three locos which I kept from my previous layout: one that will run either AC or DC, so that is not a problem; a Piko railcar of which I have the DC version; and a Trix BR75.4 which is only DC. It might be that I can convert these, else I will try and sell them and get the AC versions. Since so many, both on this site and others, seem to recommend the Marklin C track, I think that is what I will go for. Now to start designing the layout  Once again, thanks for everyone's input, it is much appreciated. Alex
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1 user liked this useful post by Alex H
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Joined: 07/01/2015(UTC) Posts: 729 Location: England, Suffolk
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show us the progress in your layout drawings, please
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1 user liked this useful post by ocram63_uk
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Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 9,273
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Originally Posted by: Alex H  Thank you everyone for your responses and advice.
One of the reasons why I chose either Trix or Marklin was that having used Peco track on my last layout, now sold, I found that the points were a major problem so I felt that a track with the point motor mounted under the trackbed would be a lot easier and a big improvement. Also a bonus is having the track ballasted which cuts down on a lot of work.
My understanding is that the Marklin C track is a 3 rail AC track with presumably the centre pins providing the power and the outer rails acting as the ground. As commented this will eliminate a lot of issues on loops etc., against the Trix C.
Once again, thanks for everyone's input, it is much appreciated.
Alex There is pro and cons with Märklin tracks too. Even Märklin do have contact problem on the tracks like K and C track. I did had Märklin layout and found some problem like to use ballast to simulate pro. Yes there is also cons by use two rail, but it depends what mistakes you have done? Peco code 75 do have major problem but it seems Peco do change tracks by design again to solve problem. It is up to yourself by choice but think first and study before you buy C-tracks. They are very noise and you must cut holes on the underground to get service with motor install under the C-turnouts, if not less you rips up the tracks to service turnout. C-tracks are expensive! A piece of C-curve cost like a flexrail 890 mm!!  |
H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
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Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC) Posts: 8,467 Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
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Originally Posted by: Goofy
They are very noise and you must cut holes on the underground to get service with motor install under the C-turnouts
have you ever looked at the recommended hole to mount a Peco turnout solenoid to a Peco point? It is monstrous, so doing similar thing to provide access to a C track solenoid and decoder is nothing.
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Joined: 25/03/2017(UTC) Posts: 119 Location: England, Devon
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Originally Posted by: ocram63_uk show us the progress in your layout drawings, please This is a possible layout that I have come up with. Based on a template that I found online  Screenshot 2022-12-31 at 20.01.39.png (1,758kb) downloaded 69 time(s).
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1 user liked this useful post by Alex H
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Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC)
Posts: 497
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
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Originally Posted by: Alex H Originally Posted by: ocram63_uk show us the progress in your layout drawings, please This is a possible layout that I have come up with. Based on a template that I found online Screenshot 2022-12-31 at 20.01.39.png (1,758kb) downloaded 69 time(s). Doesn't look too bad. But I don't get what the grey line is for. It branches out from the blue and abruptly ends after crossing over the red part.
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Joined: 25/03/2017(UTC) Posts: 119 Location: England, Devon
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Originally Posted by: Copenhagen Originally Posted by: Alex H Originally Posted by: ocram63_uk show us the progress in your layout drawings, please This is a possible layout that I have come up with. Based on a template that I found online Screenshot 2022-12-31 at 20.01.39.png (1,758kb) downloaded 69 time(s). Doesn't look too bad. But I don't get what the grey line is for. It branches out from the blue and abruptly ends after crossing over the red part. At present I will probably extend the grey line around and join up with the inner (green) loop at the far end; then treat it as a branch line with a couple of small stations. In the longer term, I might have an opportunity to extend the layout to the right, and so wanted to have a convenient way of getting ing the track over there without disturbing the main layout.
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