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Offline BillMNYC  
#1 Posted : 13 March 2023 17:20:49(UTC)
BillMNYC

United States   
Joined: 22/09/2022(UTC)
Posts: 8
Location: New York, Kingston
I've read the previous posts on this and I think I understand them but wanted to confirm. I inherited a lot of 70s/80s Marklin rolling stock which have Relex couplers. I've also purchased some newer Marlin locomotives which have close couplers. They don't couple well together mostly because of the height difference.

I've considered a few options:
1. Replace all the old rolling stock couplers with close couplers
2. Replace all the locomotive couplers with Roco Universal Couplers
3. Adjust the heights of the couplers to make them match as much as possible

It seems to me that option #2 is the best idea since it involves the least work. Are there any issues with that approach?
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Offline cintrans  
#2 Posted : 13 March 2023 17:29:20(UTC)
cintrans

Aruba   
Joined: 11/07/2018(UTC)
Posts: 106
Location: Aruba (general), Oranjestad
Bill
What i do is take one wagon and put a relex coupler on one side and a short coupler on the other end, works fine to couple different rolling stock in a stam...

Regards

Jean-Pierre
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Online Alsterstreek  
#3 Posted : 13 March 2023 17:58:53(UTC)
Alsterstreek

Germany   
Joined: 16/11/2011(UTC)
Posts: 5,436
Location: Hybrid Home
Originally Posted by: BillMNYC Go to Quoted Post
3. Adjust the heights of the couplers to make them match as much as possible
I mixed and mingled freight cars without any issues. In other words, # 3 worked for me.
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Offline JohnjeanB  
#4 Posted : 13 March 2023 18:02:16(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 2,482
Location: Paris, France
Hi Bill
Originally Posted by: BillMNYC Go to Quoted Post
I've considered a few options:
1. Replace all the old rolling stock couplers with close couplers
2. Replace all the locomotive couplers with Roco Universal Couplers
3. Adjust the heights of the couplers to make them match as much as possible


Certainly, option 1 is the best because of the reliability of recent {Märklin}close couplers:
- they dont uncouple by accident
- they work extrely well in pushing operations
- they don't interfere with buffers.

Option 2 Roco universal couplers: they are very good in theory but very fragile (plastic open loop). I don't recommend them.

Option 3 Adjust the height of the couplers:
- only possible on older, metal couplers. Yes you can improve the functioning there but NEVER to reach the precision of modern couplings AND cars.
- the compatibility between Relex and close coupling is very limited. Old Telex are NOT compatible with new couplers.

On my layout, I had to sort the cars the following way (personal choice)
- better close coupling cinematic Some coupling cinematic may be hanging with an improper height
- sort a minimum of rolling qualities (even sometimes new cars don't roll smoothly) Not all Märklin axles are the same even on recent cars (15 years or less)
- file the Märklin CC metal buckle so that it does not collide with its counterpart (resulting in coupling failure) but escapes upwards or downwards

Here is the result of my work
On decoupling



On coupling



The videos above are made with automatic operation (It MUST work every time)

Cheers
Jean
My layout videos
latest vid
marshalling yard
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Online H0  
#5 Posted : 13 March 2023 19:40:25(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 14,903
Location: DE-NW
Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Go to Quoted Post
Option 2 Roco universal couplers: they are very good in theory but very fragile (plastic open loop). I don't recommend them.
Well, an "open loop" is rather a claw than a loop.
At least it is made of metal. The couplers last well for me and in my experience they are not really fragile. Roco Short Couplers are more fragile.

For rolling stock with NEM pockets, I usually install Roco Universal coupler. A mix of Roco Universal and Märklin Short Couplers works well for me.
I do not mix Relex couplers with short couplers of any type.
I got Märklin 7205 for many Märklin cars with plastic Relex couplers. I don't have a solution for the old stuff with all-metal Relex couplers.
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 hxmiesa  
#6 Posted : 14 March 2023 12:52:12(UTC)
hxmiesa

Spain   
Joined: 15/12/2005(UTC)
Posts: 3,390
Location: Spain
I mix all kinds of couplers.

As I buy a lot of rolling stock 2nd hand (Ebay and physical shops), I have a collection of almost all kinds of couplers.
For passenger trains, of which there is little change in composition, I usually use Roco and Fleischmann close-couplings.
With many I use Märklin current conducting couplers or drawbars.
For freight I have changed most modern Märklin Relex to the 7205 type, -but generally do not have any problem mixing Märklin short couplers and Relex together.
With ancient Märklin metal-Relex I dont do anything at all. (If anything, I´m trying to phase them out of my collection)
If there are problems with buffer-heights, I might resort to the Roco Universal coupling or even the old style A-coupler.
If I am putting together a freight train that I dont expect to break up soon, I try insert NOT-KKK-capable units in between units with KKK (Kurz Kuplung Kulisse), as this seems to be just about tolerable aestethically, compared to 2 NON-KKK units coupled together.

Old style Märklin Telex can still be used, once you Dremel off the "horns" on the side of the coupler.
Best regards
Henrik Hoexbroe ("The Dane In Spain")
http://hoexbroe.tripod.com
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