Updated 17.12.2013

Märklin 2846, CFL cleaning train

This set was produced in 1990 and 1991, for details about the set, see 2846_set.htm

Locomotive CFL 455:

Conversion parts:
For the 2846 I used the conversion set 60901.  The newer motor set 60943and  a 60962 mLD decoder and the simpler set 60760 will also do the job.  Only the decoder is different between the three conversion sets for drum collector motor, 6090, 60901, 60923 and 60760. See dcm conversion sets:

A rather simple and straight forward conversion.  There are no needs for any modification to any parts, except for the lamp holder for the common bulb for both front and rear lights.
I have replaced the Relex couplers with close couplers from Märklin 7205, a set with 40 couplers for cars and 10 for locomotives. 

Decoder:
The decoder is installed at the same place as the original reversing unit.  It is installed in the holder 258820.

Maybe I later on will install another decoder (from the 60760 kit or an mfx decoder) in this locomotive.  These decoders give the possibility to adjust the maximum speed down to the prototypical correct speed of 60 km/h.  60 km/h is not possible with the current decoder.  The speed adjustment range is not wide enough.

The 60901 decoder in CFL 455:

Motor:
Installation of the motor itself is simple.  After removing all the existing parts (motor, reversing unit, lamp etc.), clean the chassis and make sure that everything (transmission and wheels etc.) is turning smoothly. Install the new motor, firstly without the brushes. Check once more that everything revolves freely. Install the brushes.

The 60901 motor in CFL 455:

Lamp:
The original lamp position in the locomotive is still used, now in a new holder, Märklin part no. 624510, pressed into the original bulb holder, to use the 610080 bulb. See the above photos.  The grey wire to the lamp is soldered to both the grey and yellow wire solder pad on the decoder.  The lamp stays on in both driving directions. The original lamp bottom contact is soldered to one if the lamp holder pins and connected to the orange wire from the decoder.
The interior light is a 28 Volt T1 bulb connected to f1, brown/red wire.  The orange wire to the interior light comes from the above mentioned lamp bottom contact.

Interior light:
A 28Volt T1 bulb is glued to the top of the motor. The  bulb is connected to f1, brown/red wire.  The orange wire to the interior light comes from the above mentioned lamp bottom contact
  A white paper ceiling is installed for better light distribution.

A future improvement will be to replace the head lamp bulb with two LEDs, one for each driving direction, installed at the end of the light guides in the locomotive body.
Maybe I will use an LED also for the interior light.

Wire colours:

Wire colour	function	Connecting to
Red wire	B (centre contacts)	pick-up shoe connector
Brown wire	0 (tracks)	locomotive ground
Blue wire	Motor brush	rear brush holder
Green wire	Motor brush	front brush holder
Orange wire	Common +	both bulbs (front lamp and interior light)
Grey wire	Forward lights	these wires are connected together at the decoder and connected to the free connector on the centre bulb, on in both directions
Yellow wire	Reverse light
Brown/red wire	function 1	interior light
Brown/green wire	function 2	not connected

CFL 455 in the dark:

Front end:

Rear end:

Cleaning car:

as the cleaning car has big windows and holder for rear lamp holderss I wish to install interior light and rear light.

Decoder:
I used a ;ärkllin 60960 function decoder from a Märklin restaurant coach, 42973. with only the f2 and f3 outputs.

Cleanning car inside:

The "lamp holder" is home made of a metal wire from an old Märklin Magazin binder.  one 28 Volt bulb is sufficient.  The rear light project is not started yet.  First I have to find out if normal track cleanin prosedure was with a pushing or a pulling locomotive. (white or red lights, or maybe just two working lights under the bumper beam?

Interior ligqht:

Home