Evening everyone, I've done nearly no posting here the last year or so but today I finally, FINALLY got started on the latest version of the CBAM&JB RR. It had a slightly different name and that is the first change. It is now on a much bigger space going from 4x7 to a 4x12 with extra bench space right next to it. Todays work involved cutting out boards to set up an elevated circle for passenger use. It will be totally simple, just round and round and since I can't find any overhead power systems it will be track powered. It will be about 12 inches above the rest of the layout. Other than this there will be a large space with an industrial area and downtown and residential as well. I'll keep it updated here. Going through all of this I rediscovered a Marklin set I'd picked up in a yard sale last year sometime. I've not used it or even studied it much but today I found something that gives me question. It has a center rail under the 0-6-0 locomotive that presumably is power related. The track that came with it has small studs in the center so that would appear to be one side and I am guessing one of the rails is the other. Does anyone know if this is the only way to power this loco? Can I simply use regular track power like all of my other HO power units? Unfortunately this 60's-70's set (I think) came with no instructions at all. It's seen little or no use I suspect. There was quite a lot of HO at this sale but only picked up a few other pieces. Photos attached I hope. Thanks. Rick H.
Marklin is 3 rail (the studs are the hidden third rail), which means that it is AC, while American and other European trains are DC. It will not work on regular 2 rail track. Check to make sure the cars have insulated wheels. To my knowledge, they don’t. The outer rails on AC track have the same polarity, while DC are +/- rails. Putting Marklin cars on DC will most likely result in a short circuit if they are metal wheels. Plastic wheels shouldn’t be an issue. You can change the wheels to allow them to be used with the rest of your DC trains, but the locomotives are harder. You need to find replacement insulated drivers, change the way the pickups work, and get a new DC motor. Sometimes these parts don’t exist, so you would be better off finding a DC locomotive.
Thanks for that information, at least I now know a few things I will not be doing with this set. I wonder if track is still easily available or if I will be scouring a train show or auction site. Attached now should be a photo of the first construction done since the table was built quite some time ago. It is the upper circle and it became quite a bit smaller than I'd first envisioned. My Dad and I cut the lumber a couple days ago and put it all together this afternoon. Set it up on the table and I just finished laying some of the road bed down, time for glue to dry. I did come up with the idea of making this a mountainside road and the center will be a mostly wooded valley with a few small structures. I'm considering running the Shay and a couple logging cars in there with some sort of logging operation and run it out to an industrial section. This section though will allow me to use a couple of scenes I've already built. This layout will be set in the 5o's somewhere in the eastern states but no more specific than that. More to come, I may bore you all to sleep with it. Rick H.
Looks like you are well on your way to me. I enjoy freelance MRR too. I work for the prototype, so not crazy about being tied to that. Keep us updated as to you build
Regarding marklin track, it is still around. I don’t know what kind exactly you have, but there have been a few different versions. Look for a European model train importer if you want to expand. The older stamped metal tracks can still be found on eBay. I haven’t looked in a while, but I’m assuming there are still some around.
Nice to see someone else using european prototype trains. No need to repeat what everyone said about AC and other things. You also may consider just switching to a 2 rail loco and going that route. The issue with Marklin for me was the pricing. I can buy all kinds of old stuff cheap for 2 rail, but Marklin is very collectible. Additionally, 2 rail flex track is relatively cheap. It sounds like you want to use this set though, so my advice is to hit ebay for your track.
