The Märklin 37500 set was manufactured in 1998 with numbered certificates in a limited number. Max. 5000 sets for sale in Germany and max. 2000 sets for export.
My set is no. 1969
Updated 03.03.2013
The NS/SBB RAm TEE I train set has always fascinated me, since I saw the 3070 at a remote
friends layout many years ago. When I saw the Canadian
Northlander version, from
Ontario Northern Railway, with a
GM
FP7 diesel electric locomotive, I just had to buy it.
Some information about the prototype
from Modellbahn
Why rebuild a rare model?
The original decoder has a fault after a short circuit (made by me), so I
decided to replace it with a mfx sound decoder, including all the original
functions, and add some extra.
Märklin 37500
The Märklin
37500 set was manufactured in 1998 with numbered certificates in a limited number.
Max. 5000 sets for sale in Germany and max. 2000 sets for
export.
My set is no. 1969
The locomotive:
This photo shows the 37500 locomotive before the conversion
The original c91 decoder:
I removed the "coil" in front of the decoder and connected the red wire to the
relay directly to the pick-up shoe contact plate.
A similar "coil" was removed from the control car.
Two capacitors, connected between the brush holders and motor ground, must be removed from the motor
The locomotive inside after the conversion:
The modified motor:
The only difference is the removal of the two capacitors.
Decoder
The mfx sound decoder, ESU V4 M4, no. 64499, is installed on an amplifier board
51968, to be able to use the f3 and f4 outputs to control a bi-stable relay to
change between the pick-up shoes according to the driving direction.
ESU has a special 21mtc decoder board for the pick-up change, but as I have many suitable
bi-stable relays, I wanted to do it "my way". As far as I know,
the function of the ESU board is the same as I have with my relay. Sound
project is ESU 64436
Basically, I prefer to use Märklin products in my Märklin locomotives, but
sometimes I have to used parts from other manufacturers. I use the ESU
decoder due to the programmability and the available locomotive sounds.
The decoder functions
| function button |
physical function |
direction | Item | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| f0 | f0-f | forward | front light, locomotive | |
| f0-r | reverse | front light, control car | ||
| f1 | f1 | both | interior light in the connected cars | |
| f2 | f2 | both | light in driver's cabin | |
| f3 | - | both | driving sounds | |
| f4 - f15 | - | both | other sounds | |
| - | f3 | forward | activated by drive forward |
The 3-f and 4-r function |
| activated by stop forward | ||||
| - | f4 | reverse | activated by drive reverse | |
| activated by stop reverse | ||||
Pick-up shoe directional changeover:
This train set has originally a c91 decoder and a sound unit. In
addition to changing the direction of the motor and the lights, the decoder also changes
the pick-up shoe, as it has one in each end of the train. This
way it always picks up the current from the front end according to the driving
direction. I wanted to keep this function.
When changing direction of the train, the function outputs f3-forward or
f4-reverse connects to one of the two coils in a bi-stable relay, according to the direction.
the same function can be achieved with ESU's 21mtc circuit board for directional
pick-up change, 51966, but I wanted to use a relay I had in stock.
See the wiring diagram at the bottom of this page.
Locomotive front light
The front number plates is illuminated by the dame bulb as the front light.
I found them a bit too transparent and difficult to read, Therefore I
covered the inside of the numbers with plain white copy paper, as a light
diffuser. The Scotch tape does not stick very well to the surface, so I
have to find a better way to fix the paper.
The result
The cars
Electric connection:
There are four wires running through the train:
1, red wire: Current from the rear pick-up shoe to the changeover relay
2, brown/red wire: Current to the interior light, from the decoder
3, yellow wire: Current to the white front light in the control car, from the
decoder
4, orange wire: Common + to all the lights in the train, from the decoder
Interior
Car A, the compartment car, running behind the locomotive:
A lot of passengers are missing
Car B, the restaurant car in the middle of the train:
Still one free table in the restaurant and no chef in the citchen.
Car C, the control car:
Some people have to be seated here
Wiring diagram, 37500:
Some facts about the GM FP7 locomotive, from http://thedieselshop.us and Wikipedia:
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
| Builder | General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) General Motors Diesel (GMD, Canada) |
| Build date | June 1949 – December 1953 |
| Total produced | 381 (324 by EMD, 57 by GMD) |
| For ONTC | 22 by GMD, road numbers 1500 - 1521 from March 1951 to October 1953 |
| Wheel arr. | UIC = Bo'Bo' AAR = B-B |
| Gauge | 1.435 mm |
| Length | 16,66 m |
| Weight | 117 tons |
| Fuel capacity | 4.542 l (?) |
| Main engine | EMD 567B (567 cubic inch per cylinder) |
| Cylinders | 16, in 45O V-shape |
| Bore & stroke | 216 x 254 mm |
| Displacement | 148,66 l |
| Rpm range | 275 - 800 |
| Power output | 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) |
| Main generator | GM - D12D |
| Traction motors | 4x GM - D27 electric |
| Wheel dia. | 1.016 mm |
| Max. speed | 105 km/h |
| Brakes | Westinghouse air brake |
| Dynamic brake | |
| Multiple units | Possible |