Morning everyone, As is usual for the entire year I've been doing everything except railroading although we did take a very nice rail excursion trip through eastern Europe in September. Anyway I'm finally back to the HO layout and it keeps getting changed. Earlier in the year at an estate sale I found a small Marklin set in HO. It doesn't seem to have ever been run and it's in very nice shape. I am planning to set this up in a separate section of the layout and just make it a circle track around town. Problem is, this set didn't come with very much track and will only make a small circle. Marklin track is unique in that is uses a center power connection similar to Lionel. It isn't a third rail but multiple contacts in the center and the locomotive has a rail on the bottom center that contacts the track for power. I'd like to make a larger circle for this section but have no idea where to find this track. Never seen it in any of the hobby shops I've shopped in and never seen Marklin anything as far as it goes. Who is a good source for Marklin track? I don't know if they have changed their track to a more conventional setup and this set looks like it goes back to the 60's. Also all of the couplers are the same as some 50's era cars that I got from my dad and these were also made in Germany. These much older cars use metal wheels and axles and can't be run on modern track as it will short circuit. In short all of this equipment will have to run on a unique style of track and I'd like to find some. Anyone know of a source for it? Thanks. Rick H.
I'm not a Marklin expert, but so very much admire the quality of their HO trains from the period you mention. Marklin produced a number of track variations and I think you need to look for "M-Track". Hopefully someone here can verify. M-Track has been superceded and is likely hard to find on retailer shelves, so eBay is probably your best bet. Hopefully your estate sale find came with a power pack. This site may be helpful to you: https://marklinstop.com/2018/01/marklins-00ho-track-system-1935-present/
A very informative article, thank you. I think you are right, it's probably M track although the Gleiss track is a possibility. It didn't come with a power pack. I am hoping I can use one of my standard packs that I've had since the 70's. We'll see. Rick H,
You will need an AC power pack, which might be hard to find. Regular American power packs from trains sets put out DC current for 2 rail operation, while Marklin runs on AC like Lionel, which is why it is 3 rail. You will need to make sure your power pack works with the American 120 volt system, especially if you buy from Europe. Most modern layouts I have seen use C-Track, although if you want to keep the track you have, that is no problem. “Gleiss” is the German word for “track,” which is interesting that the product line is simply “model track”. I hear about M track more than the Model Gleiss system, so your track is probably the M series. I don’t have any Märklin trains, although I do know of a few places where you can buy new stuff. There are a few North America-based European model importers that I look at pretty often, but they can get pricey depending on what you are looking for. EBay is a good option too. Track comes up pretty often, especially the older stuff, which is what you are looking for.
