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 Posted - February 03 2010 : 10:36:03 AM
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Anybody here own and operate Marklin 3-rail? Have alot of track, but, no engine! Are they worth anything? Debating on selling or not.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - February 03 2010 : 1:33:17 PM
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Love it...own two locs and a few cars...
They had several different configurations over the years...could you post a pic of one piece?
Edited by - shaygetz on February 03 2010 1:34:41 PM
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Posted - February 03 2010 : 2:06:07 PM
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have a friend who does Gotta take a pic of his layout someday 
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Posted - February 04 2010 : 1:54:22 PM
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My 3 rail stuff has those small spike like studs. helps blend the middle rail in. You'd never notice it!
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - February 04 2010 : 2:57:23 PM
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My friend got a few Marklin items in box off another friend. Really great looking stuff, but we barely have any track to run it and the transformer is messed up. These are just staged shots on the normal layout.
I looked at converting the one passenger car to isolated wheels, but its built pretty different from any of the stuff we have laying around. Not to mention having to rig couplers on it.
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Posted - February 04 2010 : 3:01:59 PM
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 ok the USA SP caboose is odd being pulled behind a German train & I likes that H-D loco I gotta find me one but nice pics tho  
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Posted - September 17 2011 : 4:18:56 PM
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Ive Got No Transformer But I Found A Way To Run It. And The 060s Are Great.
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 Posted - March 14 2013 : 8:03:13 PM
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| why does marklin use 3 rails, it seems quite pointless
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Posted - March 14 2013 : 8:24:05 PM
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quote:why does marklin use 3 rails, it seems quite pointless
Originally posted by blackstone1Â -Â March 14 2013Â :Â 8:03:13 PM
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My guess is this: When they created their version of H0 scale in 1935, they were already making 3-rail 0-scale, and so they essentially created a miniature version of 0-scale. Trix Express was also created in 1935 and was also 3 rail, although the outer rails were insulated.
2-rail HO scale didn't appear until a few years later.
-Thomas
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Posted - March 14 2013 : 9:21:53 PM
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| 3 rail simplifies wiring...you can have reverse loops, opposed turnouts and a number of other configurations that 2 rail DC needs complex wiring and circuits for. Marklin always prided itself in being family oriented, the simpler wiring meant that anyone could set up any layout they wanted without concern for ability or talent.
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Posted - March 14 2013 : 10:02:24 PM
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neat info I likes the Auto-Carrier too I think those are still common in EU Don't think they run enclosed ones like NA uses
Oh Is it possible to convert Marklin 3-rail to 2-rail operation? 
Edited by - microbusss on March 14 2013 10:03:11 PM
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Posted - March 14 2013 : 11:16:02 PM
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quote:neat info I likes the Auto-Carrier too I think those are still common in EU Don't think they run enclosed ones like NA uses
Oh Is it possible to convert Marklin 3-rail to 2-rail operation?
Originally posted by microbusss - March 14 2013 : 10:02:24 PM
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It is possible but not easy. The wheelsets are not insulated, so you need to replace all wheelsets. You can buy wheesets for cars but probably not for locomotives. Also, the A.C. motors in older Marklin locos have field windings instead of permanent magnets, so you'd have to replace the field windings with magnets. Your best best is to find Marklin 2-rail version which were marketed as HAMO.
I grew up with Marklin and there are many nice things about it, but it really is a system unto itself.
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Posted - March 15 2013 : 07:10:46 AM
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quote:
Oh Is it possible to convert Marklin 3-rail to 2-rail operation?
Originally posted by microbusss - March 14 2013 : 10:02:24 PM
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As was said, too many things have to be done to make it practical. Going from 2 to 3 rail is fairly easy...go to the Marklin forum for many great conversions of our familiar Yankee locos into 3 rail...
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Posted - March 18 2013 : 8:36:20 PM
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I have a couple Marklin HO 3-rail pieces, not many. I don't think I have enough track yet to even make a loop, although a LHS does carry the more modern type with middle-rail pins instead of a full rail. Just hadn't gotten into it with only a few pieces yet to make it worth my while.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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vancer
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Posted - January 07 2014 : 5:17:58 PM
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I grew up with Marklin HO as my older brothers sent 7 locomotives and some rolling stock to my Dad from Germany shortly after WW2. I now have them.
My father made a nice mid-sized layout out back in the mid 50s using flex two rail track. He spiked in a center rail on the whole thing even the switches.
Today some of these early Marklin are collectable.
---- off the topic but I cannot put any pics on this site now for some reason. Not sure why. :-(
Edited by - vancer on January 07 2014 8:16:06 PM
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Posted - January 07 2014 : 11:05:56 PM
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quote:I grew up with Marklin HO I now have them.
Originally posted by vancer - January 07 2014 : 5:17:58 PM
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Hey, Vancer, the Marklin's use AC power like Lionel, right? Can they use the SAME power supply? What voltage range is the Marklin? I've just acquired some more Marklin engines, and would like to run them, but don't have a Marklin power pack, but I do have Lionel types. Would it be safe to use those? I bought a rail bus last weekend.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 08 2014 : 9:07:00 PM
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quote:Hey, Vancer, the Marklin's use AC power like Lionel, right? Can they use the SAME power supply? What voltage range is the Marklin? I've just acquired some more Marklin engines, and would like to run them, but don't have a Marklin power pack, but I do have Lionel types. Would it be safe to use those? I bought a rail bus last weekend.
Jerry
Originally posted by AMC_Gremlin_GTÂ -Â January 07 2014Â :Â 11:05:56 PM
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Depending on the design of the motor, you might be able to run them with a DC HO power pack. A lot of AC motors have a field coil in place of the permanent magnet in a DC motor, then brushes and a commutator. Theoretically, to run this on DC should be about like running AC at zero cycles per second rather than 60.
If Marklins reverse with a stepper relay, as do Lionel trains, you might be able to trip it by throwing the reversing switch on the power pack, thus momentarily interrupting he current.
If you try it and the motor does not turn, shut the power off, right away. Don't cook anything on my advice.
Carpe Manana!
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vancer
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Posted - January 08 2014 : 9:46:14 PM
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| Yes, the Marklin uses AC and like the one post mentioned maybe DC will run as well. Can try this tomorrow and report back. As far as reversing goes the Marklin I have require a shot of increased voltage to activate the reverse unit. It is not activated by mearly stopping the loco and going through the sequence like Lionel or Flyer. Original Marklin transformers have a button which when pushed gives a shot of higher voltage.
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vancer
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Posted - January 09 2014 : 09:01:05 AM
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Ok, Yes, my vintage Marklin will run on DC but without the high voltage spike needed you cannot reverse the engine.
Here are my thoughts on the Why of 3 rail track. I believe that like Lionel, Marklin was originally sold as a toy train with less regard for true scale railroading. 3 rail track has no polarity issues even with reverse loops so is more "user friendly" so to speak.
As Marklin progressed into more scale and detailed locos they were already commited to the 3 rail set up. They did produce the Hamo series which were 2 rail though.
Edited by - vancer on January 09 2014 09:02:03 AM
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vancer
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Posted - January 09 2014 : 3:44:30 PM
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Marklin Christmas layout around 1952 or so. Note that the track was flex track that my father hand spiked a center rail on for Marklin use. He mixed in American rolling stock as you can see.
Edited by - vancer on January 09 2014 3:46:40 PM
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