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Heljan Class 66


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I do quite fancy one of these engines. There are still some Marklin-compatible models for sale through eBay ... could anyone tell me, if a model is described as "AC Digital" then can it be converted to DC without major changes? For example, is the motor a standard thing and the conversion mean removing a decoder and putting in a header plug in its place? I don't really have a clue. But like all these modern models, when they are gone it becomes a matter of waiting for a suitable secondhand model to turn up.

 

- Richard.

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I do quite fancy one of these engines. There are still some Marklin-compatible models for sale through eBay ... could anyone tell me, if a model is described as "AC Digital" then can it be converted to DC without major changes? For example, is the motor a standard thing and the conversion mean removing a decoder and putting in a header plug in its place? I don't really have a clue. But like all these modern models, when they are gone it becomes a matter of waiting for a suitable secondhand model to turn up.

 

- Richard.

AC digital! Hmm, conversion will be decided on how the motor is set up. If it is an AC motor, there will some gibbons to reverse polarity, for which you have no chance of controlling via DCC of even DC.

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I do quite fancy one of these engines. There are still some Marklin-compatible models for sale through eBay ... could anyone tell me, if a model is described as "AC Digital" then can it be converted to DC without major changes? For example, is the motor a standard thing and the conversion mean removing a decoder and putting in a header plug in its place? I don't really have a clue. But like all these modern models, when they are gone it becomes a matter of waiting for a suitable secondhand model to turn up.

 

- Richard.

Tough question!

Some models like Märklin have actually been fitted with DC motors for several years now, however the real hard problem would be the wheelsets as they are fully conductive from one rail to the other. A few years ago, before I knew better, I bought a Märklin digital loco and experimenting with this is how I discovered the DC motor! I thought if it's digital, it will run on my digital system! WRONG! It was still set up for 3 rail pick up and proved far too difficult to convert without a lathe and the appropriate skills.

In this case, I swapped the chassis with a Trix version.

Roco have sold 3 rail models that a friend of mine was able to merely remove the 'skid' and exchange the axles, I suspect that with most other makes except Märklin, this is the case.

ESU models can run from the off, on either 2 rail DC/DCC or 3 rail AC/DCC (as I understand it), pretty impressive eh?

 

I would only go for a 3 rail model with the aim of converting it IF it's something I really, really want, no-one else does it AND it's incredibly cheap, ie free!

Cheers,

John.

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  • 4 years later...
On 31/12/2016 at 13:15, Allegheny1600 said:

set up for 3 rail pick up and proved far too difficult to convert without a lathe and the appropriate skills.

 

Roco have sold 3 rail models that a friend of mine was able to merely remove the 'skid' and exchange the axles,

 

The problem with insulating Marklin wheels is that the tread profile is not really  suiable for non-Marklin track.

 

Most European manufactures produce stud contact AC versions as there is still a huge following of the marklin AC/DCC system, especially in Germany. As an aside the model railway depicted in a recent clip about German signalling is Marklin stud contact.

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